As we begin 2025, the recruitment landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace. The challenges and opportunities ahead of us require a forward-thinking, adaptive, and strategic approach.
Having recently engaged in discussions with our key partners, it is clear that the coming year will be pivotal for recruiters, employers, and job seekers. Below, I share our 2025 trends and predictions that will shape the recruitment industry.
Recruiting Industry Trends In 2025
While recruiting trends are evolving compared to 2024 trends, challenges remain, especially regarding the selection process. More than ever, the focus is on finding new markets with blue-collar workers that meet employer expectations.
The recruitment market remains heavily candidate-driven, posing a significant challenge in sourcing and engaging candidates. Despite a slowdown in some markets, job opportunities abroad continue to proliferate. One of the most important trends in 2025 will be a shift from Poland as a source market to southern European countries.
Recruiters Will Look For Alternate Sourcing Markets
The shortage of blue-collar workers is a pressing issue across developed nations, including the EU and the USA. The reliance on international recruitment will intensify with an ageing population and declining vocational school graduates.
That’s most obvious in Poland, which was traditionally a great source of a quality workforce. But with rising salaries, Polish blue-collar workers are less interested in working abroad. Also, the Polish labour market is undergoing significant changes, with fewer young people willing to relocate due to tax advantages and competitive local opportunities.
This shift necessitates a broader recruitment strategy that includes candidates from other regions, such as southern Europe, with a strong cultural alignment with Dutch work environments.
That’s why southern European countries are expected to play a pivotal role in filling these gaps, offering a culturally compatible and readily available workforce for countries like the Netherlands. Tapping into these emerging talent pools effectively demands a strategic pivot, which may be challenging initially. What’s certain is that this shift will be key for successful recruiting in 2025.
Dutch Market Will Focus on Permanent Employment
The temporary employment market in the Netherlands is facing challenges due to rising minimum wages and the increased cost of temporary job contracts. Despite these hurdles, international recruitment remains strong. Fewer and fewer employment agencies are becoming employers, focusing on facilitating foreign workers.
Employer Expectations Are Changing
It’s important to note that employers are requesting interviews and knowledge of the English language more than ever. As employer expectations evolve, more emphasis is placed on updated CVs and direct interviews with candidates. While it’s understandable that employers want to find the best workers, this won’t help the business in the long run.
It’s hard to align these processes with growing workers’ expectations, which slows the recruitment process. Additionally, there is a growing insistence on higher English language proficiency. The good news is that hiring workers abroad will be easier in the Netherlands since speaking Dutch is often not required.
While these changes aim to streamline recruitment processes, they may inadvertently complicate hiring. Most blue-collar candidates want a quick process to start working as soon as possible. Interviews and multiple rounds could discourage candidates, as they want to avoid complex procedures.
Balancing these expectations with a seamless candidate experience will be crucial. That’s especially true for in-demand jobs where hiring workers as soon as possible is essential.
Jobs in High Demand in 2025
The high demand for a quality workforce in key industrial sectors will force employers to change their hiring strategies. To meet requirements, foreign workers will have an easier way of applying for jobs.
- The logistics sector, particularly for supermarkets, is expected to maintain its current demand. However, a notable surge is anticipated in the need for truck, bus, and delivery drivers as employers increasingly turn to foreign talent to address shortages.
- The construction industry is poised for growth after years of decline. House shortages and prices are on the rise in the Netherlands, encouraging investors to plan new projects for 2025. While this trend may create opportunities for skilled labour in construction, the growth for 2025 is set only at 0.5% compared to last year. Still, after years of decline, this is a good sign for the construction industry.
AI in Recruitment Will Make a Difference in 2025
As we move into 2025, the role of automation and AI in recruitment will become even more important. The previous year served as an introduction to AI for many companies, and some felt using it was unnecessary. But in 2025, AI’s competitive advantage will become undeniable.
AI tools will enable recruiters to sift through vast candidate pools efficiently, enhancing the precision of matching candidates to roles. Additionally, new tools will emerge to assist candidates in finding the best job opportunities. They will improve the system, allowing recruiters to connect employers and foreign workers more efficiently.
It’s important to note that artificial intelligence won’t replace recruiters. On the contrary, it will become more efficient, allowing workers to get the best jobs for them faster. Leveraging AI and innovative assessment methods will make a huge difference in the recruiting industry.
- Game-Based Assessments: While larger corporations may slowly adopt game-based assessments, these tools promise to transform recruitment, particularly for blue-collar roles. As for white-collar positions, AI-driven assessments may prove more beneficial. Therefore, 2025 will likely be a year of experimentation, where industries will try to identify the most effective tools for their specific recruitment needs.
- Essential AI Tools for Competitive Edge: Recruiters must embrace technological advancements to remain competitive. Learning how to maximise AI technology to improve the matching process and enhance candidate assessment will be necessary for a candidate-driven market.
Candidate Trends in 2025
While salary remains a primary motivator for candidates seeking work abroad, secondary conditions like housing and transportation are gaining importance. Therefore, secondary conditions are becoming more important decision factors for candidates:
- Housing solutions: With high rents in the Netherlands, a job abroad with accommodation is a big bonus for workers. Getting accommodation abroad is the most crucial condition after getting a salary. Sometimes, it can even sway workers to accept a job offer with free or cheap housing instead of a bigger salary.
- Transportation/Location: The workplace location is not just related to costs. Commuting may affect quality of life if a worker needs a long time to come home. While the best solution is to offer accommodation close to work, the second best option is providing efficient transport.
- Quality of life: When workers come to work in foreign countries, how they spend time off work is essential. If they can choose between multiple offers, they’ll choose jobs where they can work with compatriots.
- Job security: Traveling to another country is a big step, so it’s important to understand the importance of job security to future workers. When an industry slows, employers who guarantee jobs will have the edge over the competition.
- Private health benefits: Additional health insurance is vital to foreign workers, especially for blue-collar jobs with increased risk of injury. If a worker has a family, they’ll appreciate additional health insurance for their children.
These factors are becoming critical decision points for candidates when choosing between job offers and highlight the need for employers to provide support beyond just finances.
Major Prediction for Recruitment in 2025
Constrained by limited resources, traditional recruitment agencies will struggle to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving marketplace. The future belongs to those who embrace platformisation and AI, enabling more efficient, scalable, and sustainable recruitment practices. As a result, we anticipate consolidating the industry, with smaller agencies (that do everything themselves from A to Z) either adapting or exiting the market.
Advice for Preparing for the Future
To thrive in this dynamic environment, recruiters and employers must prepare their organisations for the future. This involves adopting new technologies and reimagining recruitment strategies to anticipate how the market will look a decade from now. By taking proactive steps today, businesses can position themselves for long-term success in an increasingly competitive landscape.
2025 promises to be a transformative year for the recruitment industry. By staying ahead of these trends and embracing the opportunities they present, we can navigate the challenges and emerge stronger, more agile, and ready for the future. We at Hire Abroad are committed to supporting our partners through this journey, ensuring we make international recruitment accessible to everyone.
Hire Abroad Will Continue To Evolve
Hire Abroad is well-positioned to adapt to changing market dynamics. It is very future-proof, as it’s independent of local legislative changes. Moreover, it fits exactly the needs that recruiters and employers are looking for.
Our focus for the coming year is to introduce Hire Abroad’s platform to new markets, diversify our reach, and capitalise on the growing demand for international recruitment solutions. We aim to support various industries and regions and ensure our clients can access the best talent available.
What to Expect in 2025
The recruitment landscape in 2025 will be characterised by significant transformations influenced by technological advancements, evolving candidate expectations, and shifting labour markets. As organisations and recruiters navigate this changing environment, a proactive approach to sourcing, hiring, and candidate experience will be essential for success.
As we look ahead, the landscape may be challenging, but it also presents an exciting opportunity to reshape the future of the recruiting industry. If you have big goals for 2025, make sure you reach out to us so we can grow together.
