Top Hiring Techniques Used by Experts in 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a bigger role in revolutionizing the recruitment space. McKinsey’s 2024 analysis shows hiring time reduced by 30% and retention increased by 20%, as reported by Manatal’s Recruitment Signals report. Not only that, we are also seeing all-time high numbers of AI-related jobs, a staggering 373.6% surge in demand for AI-related jobs (specifically GenAI roles) from Q1 of 2023 to Q4 of 2024. So, if you are attracting and sourcing talent, you need the right hiring techniques to do so. In this article, we will explore how you can master and implement them.

Hiring Techniques From Experts In 2025

Adopt Skills-Based Hiring

Skills-based hiring is about evaluating candidates based on their abilities, rather than where they previously worked or where they went to school. Adopting this technique transforms recruitment by prioritizing candidates’ abilities over traditional credentials, ensuring a more inclusive and effective talent acquisition process. Here is how you can do that to evaluate candidates’ capability accurately.

• Focus on defining clear, role-specific skills requirements and designing assessments, such as practical tasks or scenario-based questions.
• Update job descriptions to emphasize required skills.
• Use tools like skills-mapping software to align candidate profiles with organizational needs.

Once you have to sort through thousands of candidates’ profiles, Manatals’ AI Recommendations feature with its Recommendation Engine compares and ranks candidates, and assigns scores based on parameters like skills, experience, and languages extracted from the job description. Customize the scoring criteria by assigning weights to critical skills, enabling the platform to rank candidates objectively and highlight top matches from your talent pool. This way, you can refine scoring parameters, reduce bias, and attract diverse, high-quality talent, scaling company-wide for optimal results.

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Provide Transparent Salaries

A company that is transparent with its pay is more popular among job seekers. According to a report, 60% of respondents say they would switch to companies that have more pay transparency.[2]  It is not surprising to see this number as providing transparent salaries is seen as building trust, enhancing efficiency, and attracting top talent. In fact, in 2024, we can see 58% in US job postings on Indeed that clearly include salary information, an increase from 52% in the previous year.[3] To do this, you can mention the salary range for each role in job descriptions, ensuring alignment with industry benchmarks. In addition, HR leaders can train their teams to discuss compensation openly, addressing candidate questions confidently. Start by applying transparent salaries to one job posting, gather feedback, and refine before expanding across all roles to reduce negotiation friction and strengthen your employer brand.

Leverage AI in Hiring

Integrating AI-driven tools allows you to process applications faster, enhance candidate experiences, and promote fairer hiring practices. To implement this, adopt platforms like applicant tracking systems (ATS or candidate management systems (CMS), regularly audit algorithms for bias, and maintain human oversight to ensure cultural fit.  Start by piloting AI in one hiring cycle, track performance metrics, and scale across roles to optimize workflows while prioritizing equity. Below are real-world cases illustrating AI’s impact.

Amazon

This tech company leverages AI and machine learning to enhance its hiring process, improving efficiency and candidate experience globally. AI automates resume screening, matches candidates to roles, and supports virtual interviews, while machine learning identifies top talent and reduces bias through audits. These tools enable Amazon to handle millions of applications annually, promote skills-based hiring, and ensure a positive, scalable recruitment process.

How Amazon Uses AI in Recruitment:

• Candidate-to-Role Matching: Machine learning algorithms match applicants to roles based on qualifications, improving fit accuracy.
• Virtual Interview Support: AI-powered virtual interviewing platform schedules and conducts interviews, offering candidates flexibility.
• Real-Time Interview Feedback: AI provides immediate feedback during interviews, enhancing decision-making efficiency.
• Bias Mitigation: Regular audits of AI algorithms ensure fairer hiring by reducing bias in candidate selection.[5]

Electrolux Group

The appliance manufacturing company adopts an AI-powered platform to address talent shortages and streamline recruitment. The platform automated key tasks, reduced time-to-hire, and improved candidate and recruiter experiences. They enhance efficiency and innovation, and build a robust talent pool by integrating with other tools and focusing on internal mobility.

How Electrolux Uses AI in Recruitment:

• Fit Scoring: AI-driven scoring matches candidates to roles based on qualifications, improving hiring accuracy.
• One-Way Video Interviews: AI facilitates video interviews, enabling faster candidate evaluations and better collaboration.
• Instant Hiring from Talent Pool: AI identifies and hires top candidates, like a silver medalist, from a 126,500-candidate pool built in six months.
• Internal Mobility Support: AI accesses over 50% of workforce skills data to promote internal talent, streamlining role fulfillment.[6]

Hilton Worldwide

The hospitality company transformed its recruitment process by adopting an AI-powered video interviewing platform to address a lengthy 42-day hiring timeline, significantly reducing it to just five days. This approach enhanced efficiency, improved candidate experience, and strengthened Hilton’s competitiveness in attracting top talent.

How Hilton Uses AI in Recruitment:

• On-Demand Video Interviews: AI enables candidates to record interviews at home, allowing recruiters to review multiple candidates simultaneously without scheduling conflicts.
• Communication and Gesture Analysis: AI evaluates candidates’ verbal and non-verbal skills, ensuring alignment with role requirements.
• Customer Service Simulations: AI-driven simulations test candidates’ responses to scenarios like handling an angry customer, assessing suitability for service roles.
• Talent Sharing Across Departments: AI facilitates sharing candidate videos with other departments, matching candidates to alternative roles efficiently.
• Executive Panel Interview Support: AI streamlines remote panel interviews, enabling global leaders to collaborate seamlessly in executive hiring.[7]

Engaging Passive Talent

In 2024, there is a large pool of passive talent who take the “wait-and-see approach” to their careers. Experts also confirmed that the pool is growing as they prefer the stability of their current role. However, they also added that these employees are at risk of attrition as job market conditions improve, likely due to better opportunities elsewhere. So, how can you engage this talent?

• Be proactive: Keep engaging your talent pipeline with consistent and personalized communication.
• Create or improve employer branding: Showcase your company’s culture, values, and growth opportunities to make your organization a better option.
• Tap into your current employees’ network: Find potential candidates by leveraging your current employees’ connections. However, be cautious not to rely on the method too much as it may create bias or an overly homogenous team.[8]

Buy, Then Build Talent

Hiring has slowed in fields like marketing and software development, but demand remains high in healthcare, home care, and civil engineering compared to pre-pandemic levels. Immigration restrictions and aging workforces are worsening talent shortages. To address these challenges, you can hire talent externally (buy) to meet immediate needs and then train or develop (build) the remaining skills internally to meet organizational needs. Here are the steps to implement this approach effectively:

• Hire Smart for Immediate Needs
  • Use data tools (e.g., LinkedIn) to find talent in high-demand roles.
  • Reach out to passive candidates with personalized messages.
  • Partner with staffing agencies for quick hires in healthcare or engineering.
• Attract the Right Candidates
  • Offer appealing benefits like bonuses or flexible schedules.
  • Write clear, inclusive job descriptions to draw diverse applicants.
  • Promote your company culture on social media or career sites.
• Develop Internal Talent
  • Train current employees for high-demand roles (e.g., healthcare tech).
  • Start apprenticeship programs with local schools for future hires.
  • Pair new hires with mentors to share knowledge.
• Navigate Immigration Challenges
  • Sponsor skilled workers through visa programs like H-1B.
  • Connect with immigrant talent networks for underemployed professionals.
  • Help foreign workers with licensing or credential processes.
• Keep Talent Long-Term
  • Offer clear career growth paths for key roles.
  • Provide wellness programs or mental health support.
  • Check in with employees regularly to prevent turnover.

Incorporate Gamification Into Skills Assessments

Gamification involves integrating game-like elements into non-game contexts to boost engagement and motivation. In recruitment, this technique transforms traditional skills assessments into interactive, enjoyable experiences, reducing candidate stress while providing recruiters with deeper insights into their abilities. By 2025, gamification will be a key tool for assessing talent dynamically and innovatively.

Examples of gamified assessments:

• Coding challenges: Platforms like HackerRank create game-like environments where candidates solve problems, earning points for accuracy and speed.
• Customer service simulations: Candidates interact with virtual customers, showcasing communication and problem-solving skills.
• Leadership games: Virtual projects test candidates’ ability to manage teams and resources effectively.

How to implement gamification effectively:

1. Identify key skills: Pinpoint the essential competencies for the role.
2. Choose or design assessments: Select existing tools or create custom gamified tests that measure those skills.
3. Ensure fairness: Confirm assessments are unbiased, inclusive, and accessible to all candidates.
4. Guide candidates: Provide clear instructions and feedback throughout the process.
5. Evaluate holistically: Combine gamified results with other data points, like interviews, for a complete assessment.

Offer Flexible Work Options

Flexible work options have become a cornerstone of talent attraction, especially as remote and hybrid models have gained traction post-pandemic. In 2025, offering flexibility, such as remote work, adjustable hours, or job sharing, is essential to appeal to diverse candidates, including those prioritizing work-life balance or unable to commit to traditional schedules.

Types of flexible work arrangements:

• Remote work: Employees work from home or other locations.
• Flexible hours: Staff choose their start and end times within set limits.
• Compressed workweeks: Longer hours over fewer days (e.g., four 10-hour days).
• Job sharing: Multiple employees split a full-time role’s duties.
• Contract work: Project-based hires offer flexibility for both parties.

How to implement flexible work options:

1. Assess feasibility: Identify roles suitable for flexibility without sacrificing productivity.
2. Set clear policies: Define guidelines and include them in job postings.
3. Support with tech: Provide tools like video conferencing and cloud systems for seamless work.
4. Train teams: Equip managers to lead flexible or remote staff effectively.
5. Review regularly: Collect feedback and tweak policies to optimize outcomes.

Ways to Implement Effective Hiring Techniques

A structured approach is key to weaving these cutting-edge techniques into your recruitment strategy. Here’s how to bring them to life:

1. Analyze needs: Review current hiring processes to pinpoint challenges, such as slow timelines or poor retention.
2. Choose techniques: Match solutions, like AI tools or gamification, to your specific goals.
3. Plan strategically: Outline steps, timelines, and resources for rolling out each technique.
4. Train recruiters: Educate your team on using these methods ethically and efficiently.
5. Leverage technology: Use AI platforms or applicant tracking systems (ATS) to automate and refine workflows.
6. Track progress: Monitor metrics like time-to-hire and candidate satisfaction, adjusting as needed.

This roadmap ensures your hiring process evolves with the demands of 2025, balancing innovation with practicality.

Reasons to Leverage Manatal as Your Next Hiring Tool

Manatal empowers recruiters to execute modern techniques efficiently, making it an ideal partner for staying competitive.

1. AI-driven skills matching: Its Recommendation Engine ranks candidates by skills and experience, aligning perfectly with skills-based hiring.
2. Task automation: Resume screening and interview scheduling are streamlined, freeing recruiters for strategic work.
3. Powerful analytics: Gain insights into hiring trends and performance with detailed reports.
4. Seamless integrations: Connects with job boards, HR tools, and social platforms for a unified process.
5. Intuitive design: Simplifies navigation for recruiters and candidates alike.
6. Custom workflows: Tailor the platform to your organization’s unique needs.

Conclusion

As we move deeper into 2025, AI and innovative hiring techniques are reshaping recruitment. Skills-based hiring, transparent salaries, gamified assessments, flexible work options, and tools like Manatal enable organizations to attract top talent faster and more fairly. These strategies cut hiring time, boost retention, and meet the rising demand for AI-related roles. To thrive in this talent-driven market, companies must adapt. Embracing these methods, supported by AI-driven platforms, ensures you build diverse, skilled teams while enhancing candidate experiences. Start small, pilot a technique, measure its impact, and scale up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the best way to conduct remote interviews?

A: To conduct effective remote interviews, plan carefully by scheduling at a convenient time, considering time zones, and using reliable video conferencing tools. Send clear instructions, maintain a distraction-free environment, ensure clear communication, and allow time for candidate questions. Follow up promptly with feedback or the next steps to maintain a good relationship.

Q: How do we balance speed and quality when hiring for urgent roles?

A: Balancing speed and quality in hiring for urgent roles involves streamlining the recruitment process while maintaining high standards. Clearly defining role requirements and utilizing technology for quick screening can enhance efficiency. Involving multiple team members in interviews ensures quality, and maintaining a talent pipeline allows for faster recruitment by accessing pre-vetted candidates when needed.

Q: How can employers identify the key skills needed for a role during the hiring process?

A: Employers can determine the key skills needed for a role by conducting a job analysis that includes studying tasks, responsibilities, and goals associated with the position. They gather insights from current employees, managers, and team leads, align skills with the company's strategic objectives, and consider industry trends. These skills are then clearly listed in job descriptions and assessed during the hiring process through interviews and tests.

Q: What assessment techniques can hiring managers use to test both technical expertise and soft skills?

A: Hiring managers use various techniques to evaluate candidates' technical skills and soft skills. For technical expertise, they may employ coding challenges, technical tests, or project-based assignments to assess problem-solving and proficiency. To evaluate soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and adaptability, they can conduct behavioral interviews with situational questions and organize group exercises or role-playing in assessment centers. This comprehensive approach helps identify candidates with the necessary technical and interpersonal skills for success in the role.

Q: What data points should recruiters track to evaluate the success and efficiency of their hiring techniques?

A: Recruiters should monitor key metrics to assess the success of their hiring strategies, including time-to-hire, quality of hire, candidate satisfaction score, conversion rates, and cost-per-hire. Analyzing these data points helps recruiters optimize their processes for greater efficiency and effectiveness.

Citations

1. MIT Sloan Management Review
2. Beqom
3. Hiring Lab
4. Paradox
5. Amazon
6. Phenom
7. LinkedIn
8. LHH