What should recruiters focus on in 2025?
In 2025, recruiters must fundamentally redefine their roles. The era of transactional recruiting is over, and the focus must shift to becoming strategic talent advisors. Recruiters should prioritize building authentic relationships, leveraging technology to enhance decision-making, and providing hiring managers with the tools and insights to make smarter, faster decisions autonomously. The focus should be on flexibility—embracing everything from gig work to fractional roles—and on delivering value where it matters most: driving business outcomes and creating exceptional candidate experiences. Diversity, inclusion, and data fluency should underpin everything recruiters do, making them indispensable in shaping the future of work.
If you could give one piece of advice to the industry, what would it be?
Get real about where the world is going. Stop clinging to outdated processes and roles that no longer serve the rapidly evolving workforce. The future belongs to those who see change not as a threat but as an opportunity to lead. My advice is simple: lean into technology and rethink everything. Be the one driving innovation in hiring, not the one left behind. Recruiters need to redefine their value as talent strategists and business enablers. Adaptation isn’t optional—it’s the key to survival.
What would be the one lesson you would share from 2024 based on your professional activities?
The biggest lesson from 2024 is that transformation waits for no one. Organizations that embraced technology and reimagined their hiring strategies thrived, while those that hesitated struggled to keep up. I’ve learned that it’s critical to act quickly but intentionally—adopting new technologies and frameworks that align with long-term goals. It’s not enough to automate; you have to innovate. Success in 2024 came from balancing human ingenuity with technological precision, proving that recruiters and AI can work in tandem to create truly exceptional outcomes.
What is your opinion on AI? Is it taking away from recruiters' jobs? Where can you add value in recruitment selection?
AI isn’t just reshaping recruiting—it’s fundamentally dismantling the outdated roles and processes that defined much of the industry. Let’s be honest: AI is taking away most recruiters' jobs because far too many recruiters have relied on being transactional button-pushers. Screening resumes, scheduling interviews, and basic candidate matching? AI does it faster, smarter, and without human bias. Those processes weren’t just outdated—they were full of holes that AI has now solved. This isn’t a threat; it’s a wake-up call. The recruiters of yesterday, clinging to “that’s the way we’ve always done it” mindsets, are obsolete. It’s time to be bold, get honest, and start redrafting a role that’s actually needed. Recruiters who lean into recruitment marketing, relationship-based talent scouting, advisory roles, and enabling hiring managers to work autonomously will carve out a meaningful path into the future. Those who doubled down on outdated ideas—like thinking recruiters are the only ones who can screen candidates “properly” or access talent effectively—are dead in the water. The future demands strategic, tech-savvy, and adaptable recruiters, not those stuck in the past. The choice is clear: evolve or fade into irrelevance.
What was the motivation or goal that started you on this path?
My motivation has always been the belief that recruiting is about so much more than filling roles—it’s about shaping futures. I saw an industry bogged down by inefficient processes and resistance to change, and I knew there had to be a better way. My goal has always been to help recruiters reframe their roles, leaning into technology and redefining themselves as strategic partners who deliver real value. We’re at a crossroads where recruiters can either lead the charge into a smarter, more inclusive future or be left behind. I’m here to ensure we choose the former. The world of work is changing, and I’m passionate about equipping recruiters to change with it.
Köszönjük a válaszokat Allyn Baileynek, a SmartRecruiters Executive Director Hiring Successének!
