As experts in the ever-changing recruitment advertising and marketing industry for over 35 years, SCG has been on the forefront of bringing new ideas, strategies, and technologies to our clients in their quest to hire the best people. With rapid changes in the job market and the ever-expanding media landscape of how and where people look for jobs, it is our mission to make sure our clients stay ahead of the curve in their recruitment efforts.

Here are a few things you’ll need to know to be successful in 2025.

Get ready for a shift: I know this is not what the Gen Z’s what to hear, but the truth is the at-home and hybrid work model will be on the decline this year. Recent studies by Indeed/Glassdoor show that over 35% of businesses are already planning to extend their return to office (RTO) requirements to five days per week by early 2025, as they seek to re-establish in-office collaboration and productivity. Get those work clothes ironed and start planning for the commute.

1. Use of recruitment automation and AI will expand tenfold. According to the LinkedIn Future of Recruiting 2024 report, 62% of recruiters are optimistic about AI’s impact on recruitment. 27% say they are actively using or experimenting with generative AI. These numbers will spike as at least 30% of businesses plan to invest in AI-driven recruiting solutions in the next 24 months. If your HR team is not learning how to use these tools effectively in its daily hiring process, you will lose top talent to companies that are. SCG has been experimenting with this technology since its inception, and we have an outline of how you can get started.

2. Omnichannel advertising: Unified campaigns across screens. To get through the noise and reach candidates where they consume data, in 2025, recruitment advertising will focus on delivering unified campaigns across multiple channels and devices, including mobile, desktop, connected TV (CTV), and digital out-of-home (DOOH). Recruitment advertisers will prioritize consistent messaging and strong employer brands to ensure a seamless experience for users no matter where they engage with content. It’s already happening, but this will become the standard in the new year and beyond. Our team of experts are ready to help you prepare.

3. Merging programmatic and influencer marketing. Influencer marketing is on the verge of becoming a powerful tool for recruitment. By 2025, combining well-planned programmatic advertising with specific influencer campaigns, it will break through the clutter and make it easier to connect with the right candidates for hard-to-fill positions. Platforms like Flockity are already showing how this works. They use influencers – trusted voices in their communities – to promote job opportunities and reach experienced passive candidates who aren’t actively job hunting. This builds trust and helps recruiters attract a wider, more engaged pool of candidates. And yes, at SCG we can develop this strategy specifically for your needs, brand, and budget.