The Emerging Trends Shaping Talent Acquisition in 2025

Talent acquisition (TA) is in an era of rapid change, certainly the fastest that I’ve known within my 25 year career. Today, as businesses navigate the agile, and sometimes fragile, talent landscape, TA leaders are faced with evolving workforce demands, AI-driven technologies and shifting hiring strategies—all new changes that they must adapt to. Recently, I had the privilege of moderating the Emerging Trends in Talent Acquisition for 2025 webinar where industry experts from AMS and The Josh Bersin Company shared key insights on how organizations are tackling these challenges head-on. In this article, I would like to share four major trends defining TA in the coming year, trends that you need to know of to propel your talent strategy forward:

Skills-based hiring is gaining momentum—slowly but surely

As our panelists discussed, skills-based hiring is increasingly becoming a priority. Yet, you might be surprised to learn most companies are still struggling with full implementation, with only 20% of organizations effectively using skills data in hiring, and even fewer—just 9%—establishing internal skills marketplaces to facilitate internal mobility. Our experts highlighted that companies leading the charge in skills-based hiring are moving beyond traditional credentials and instead using AI-driven insights to expand their talent pools. One example to really stand out involved a healthcare organization that successfully sourced candidates from the auto industry. How did they do this? By targeting transferable skills rather than simply focusing on job titles.

AI is reshaping the TA tech stack

Like the world evolving around us, AI is also transforming and reshaping the talent landscape. With AI technology making strides in TA, organizations remain at vastly different stages of adoption. Some of our panelists noted that enterprise companies are already leveraging internal AI-driven tools for job descriptions, candidate screening and interview analysis, while others are still exploring how AI fits in their TA process. The discussion underscored that AI is not replacing recruiters but rather enhancing their capabilities by automating administrative tasks to free up time for strategic work, like forming highly valued people connections. However, a key challenge remains: organizations must learn to seamlessly integrate AI across their TA tech stack to ensure data flows efficiently between tools and platforms.

Companies are taking an all-around approach to talent gaps

You might wonder, how are organizations rethinking the way they fill critical roles with the ongoing talent shortages? Our panelists discussed the “build, buy, borrow” approach—a multi-faceted approach that leading companies are embracing to help organizations maximize internal talent, reduce reliance on external hiring and future-proof their workforce. The conversation highlighted that TA leaders must work more closely with learning and development teams to create effective internal mobility and reskilling programs.

• Build – Investing in upskilling and reskilling current employees.
• Buy – Recruiting externally where skills are scarce.
• Borrow – Leveraging contingent workers, consultants, and gig talent

Upskilling and transforming the TA function for the future

One of the strongest themes from the webinar was the elevation of TA as a critical business function. Our panelists emphasized that modern TA leaders must shift from being reactive recruiters to proactive workforce strategists. But how can this be achieved in an ever-evolving talent ecosystem? Panelists explained, to enhance hiring efficiency and drive long-term organizational advantage, TA teams need to embrace the following skills:

1. Develop business acumen to align hiring with company goals.
2. Use data analytics to provide insights on hiring trends and workforce planning.
3. Adopt a consultative approach to influence broader talent strategies.

As one panelist noted, TA is no longer just about filling positions—it’s about shaping the future of work.

Looking ahead

As AI adoption accelerates, skills-based hiring evolves and workforce strategies become more holistic, I trust 2025 will be a pivotal year for talent acquisition. Insights from our report reveal companies that invest in technology, strategic workforce planning, and TA upskilling will be best positioned to navigate hiring challenges and secure top talent. In an era of rapid change where adopting the right strategic outlook is crucial to understanding emerging trends, are you prepared to propel talent into the future?

Want to learn more? Download the full Emerging Talent Trends 2025 report or watch the recording and stay ahead of the curve.