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If you’re wondering why hiring is so hard right now, you’re not alone—many of your peers are grappling with the same question. Organizations across industries face a tight labor market in 2025. A shortage of highly skilled talent and other challenging hiring trends are leaving many roles unstaffed while negatively impacting employee workloads and morale. According to Robert Half’s Demand for Skilled Talent report, 91% of managers say they’re facing difficulties securing skilled professionals, with more than one-third describing their recruitment efforts as “very challenging.” Traditional recruitment approaches are becoming less effective, complicated by changing workforce preferences and the increased need for technology expertise, especially in the field of AI. Firms must implement innovative tactics that balance careful resource management with the pressing need to keep projects on track. A majority seem to be willing to try. Research for the Demand for Skilled Talent report indicates that 63% of managers plan to look for candidates for new permanent roles in the first half of 2025, while 34% are recruiting to staff vacant permanent positions.
Five Strategies to Overcome Today’s Hiring Challenges   1. Show them the money 2. Add perks and benefits 3. Move quickly (but not too quickly) 4. Be flexible 5. Establish contingency measures

Obstacles company leaders face

Intense talent competition. Skilled professionals remain in high demand, with supply falling well short of employer needs. This hiring trend forces companies to either delay strategic projects or proceed with understaffed teams. Growing skills gaps. 63% of managers say they have skills shortages on their teams, jeopardizing work quality and project schedules. Budget constraints. Many organizations face headcount budget restrictions affecting their ability to hire needed talent. Technical debt burden. Companies that have failed to modernize their systems face mounting technical debt, making it harder to attract tech professionals who often prefer working with current technologies and clean code bases. Cross-functional collaboration. For businesses that operate in silos, it’s harder to attract talent who increasingly join the job market to seek environments that foster teamwork and cross-functional innovation. Employee engagement. Low employee engagement drives higher turnover as workers seek more meaningful and fulfilling work experiences. It also makes it harder to attract new talent, as poor engagement visibly impacts company culture and shows up in employee reviews.

Five effective strategies to attract top talent

In today’s competitive job market, attracting top talent requires more than just a job offer—it takes a compelling mix of competitive pay, enticing perks and a hiring process that balances speed with strategy. Here are five strategies to implement to attract top talent to your organization:

1. Show them the money

Compensation remains crucial in candidates’ decision whether to accept your job offer. Organizations offering below-market packages will struggle to attract high-caliber professionals who have entered the job market. Use comprehensive resources like the Salary Guide From Robert Half to ensure your compensation aligns with or exceeds industry standards.

2. Add perks and benefits

Top candidates typically fall into two categories: candidates actively looking in today’s job market and passive candidates currently employed. Either way, you have your work cut out for you. You’ll need to offer in-demand professionals a better deal than they have at their current employer or may be offered by a competitor of yours. How can you up the ante? Start by digging into the data. Workers say the benefits that are most important to them are health insurance, PTO and retirement savings plans, according to Robert Half research. They also say the perks they value most are flexible schedules, remote work options and wellness perks. When you know what matters most to employees today, you can craft offers that stand out. Also, consider what your competitors are up to. What are other companies that seem to be snapping up talent offering new hires? Signing bonuses? Innovative employment benefits on par with Silicon Valley startups? A four-day workweek? Talk to contacts in your network and read the business press to see what you can learn about benefit offerings that are working for other firms. A recruiting agency can also provide valuable insights because they are in constant communication with job seekers and employers.

3. Move quickly (but not too quickly)

Top candidates remain available only briefly. Streamline your recruitment process by: Minimizing interview panels to include only critical decision-makers Organizing consecutive interviews to enhance candidate experience Securing pre-authorization for compensation packages Implementing video interviewing solutions and AI-powered screening tools One word of caution: Don’t move so quickly that you skip key steps in the hiring process. You still need to do your due diligence before bringing anyone on board. Take time to conduct thorough reference checks and assess whether the candidate is likely to thrive in your organization’s workplace culture. Otherwise, you risk making a costly hiring mistake.

4. Be flexible

Here’s an essential truth about the hiring market that surprises many employers: Your ideal candidate may not exist. And some of the hiring challenges you currently face may be of your own creation. Think of it like buying a house. Your wish list might include four bedrooms, a large yard, and a prime location. But you'll likely need to compromise on some criteria to find a home that fits your core needs and budget. Similarly, when hiring, focus on the skills and qualifications that are truly essential for success in the role: Consider which criteria are "must-haves" versus "nice-to-haves." You may be able to hire a candidate who doesn’t check all the boxes of your job posting but still shows great potential and an eagerness to upskill with your company. By being flexible and prioritizing potential over credentials, you can widen your talent pool and potentially uncover excellent candidates who might have been overlooked with more rigid criteria.

5. Establish contingency measures

Even as you take pains to hurdle hiring challenges and bring skilled talent on board quickly, have a plan in place so you’re not caught flatfooted if the hiring process drags on. To manage workloads and prevent current employees from becoming overwhelmed during an extended candidate search, consider these options: Engage professionals to handle immediate needs Bring in interim management consultants for senior-level roles Use managed services providers for critical initiatives and functions According to the Demand for Skilled Talent report, 63% of managers plan to increase the use of contract professionals within their department in the first half of 2025. This approach can help you stay on top of business demands as you search for the right permanent hire. Though hiring is challenging, the right strategies can help you succeed. By staying aware of market trends, understanding what candidates want, and using new technology effectively, you can build stronger teams—whether hiring remotely or locally.