Future of recruiting

3 Reasons This Job Could Be the Hottest Career By 2025

Today, there are plenty of studies pointing to the fact that at least half our workforce will be independent contractors in the next five to fifteen years. We’re all businesses-of-one who no longer work “for” employers, but instead, must learn how to market ourselves and partner “with” businesses.

Every job is temporary, and that means professionals need a new set of skills and resources to help them find the work they want.

Because of this, I predict that in the next ten years, one of the hottest jobs in business will be that of a staffing agent. Here are three reasons why:

1. Millennials will demand representation.

By 2020, Millennials will make up 75%+ of the working population. This generation embraces the reality that every job is temporary. And, they don’t want to work for one company their entire lives  - they want to move frequently.

However, that doesn’t mean they want to deal with the stress and challenges of marketing themselves to employers over and over again. Instead, they’ll focus on developing their expertise and find a staffing agent who can find them the best opportunities.

Raised on the movie, “Jerry Maguire,” this generation will build their skills, leverage their strengths [using online tools like this], and then say, “Show me the money.” However, that doesn’t mean they’ll expect recruiters to work for free. In fact, the opposite is true. Which leads to…

2. Top recruiters will get paid big money.

Millennials are collaborative. They don’t just enjoy teamwork, they believe in the collective power it provides. Thus, they’ll seek out the very best staffing agents – a.k.a. the ones they know are earning a lot of money.

It won’t be hard for them to do the math: The top recruiter with the best reputation and the highest earnings is the person they’ll want finding them their next gig. [For more information and research that validates this trend, read this INC magazine article.] They’ll also trust the recruiter to do their job, giving top recruiters incredible power to negotiate with employers.

However, besides being great salespeople, top recruiters will also need to become strong career coaches for their talent. Which leads to the final point...

3. Not all employers provide professional development.

Raised by helicopter parents and participating in organized activities their entire lives, millennials don’t just welcome career coaching - they expect it. Unlike the generations before them, millennials don’t see career coaching as a sign of weakness, but a path to greatness.

Unfortunately, many employers may not see the value in investing heavily in the skill development of workers they know will leave them. [In fact, this article shows why there’s a rise in the number of millennials getting fired for lack of professional skills, validating why employers don’t want to train them.]

So, who will be responsible for the millennial workforce’s professional growth? Staffing agents, who will need to be able to support their talent throughout their career journey, helping them see how to stay at the top of their game and relevant to employers so they can stay employable for a lifetime. This means top recruiters will need to be exceptional at career coaching. Or, at least be part of a company that offers that kind of support to talent.

If I ran a staffing agency today…

When I think of the incredible opportunity the staffing industry has right now to transform, I get really excited. There’s a chance to empower an entire workforce; to help them embrace the business-of-one mindset.

By helping them learn to be successful as independent contractors, they will gain valuable insight into what it takes to run a successful business. This will make them more understanding and appreciative of employers. The mutual respect between both sides will increase. Something that’s been missing for a long time now.

And, by the way, I got my start in recruiting and HR at a boutique temporary staffing agency in the 1990’s. It was eventually acquired by Randstad, the second largest staffing company in the world. The experience played a pivotal role in my career. [You can read what happened in this LinkedIn article.]

PS  – If you are a staffing industry professional, let’s connect on LinkedIn. I’d love to meet you. Also, I invite you to come learn more about my company, CAREEREALISM’s *free* Recruiter Directory and how you can get featured to 1,000,000+ job seekers. Additionally, we hold weekly "Top Recruiter" contests that can help you get even more exposure for your open positions. Learn more.

*Image from Crazy, Stupid, Love.

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