Recruiter Roundtable: What We’re Seeing in Today’s Market

One of the things I love most about leading a recruiting team is the constant flow of market insights from the front lines. Every week, my team engages in dozens of conversations with candidates and clients across various industries, and the trends they’re observing are worth paying attention to.

Here’s what Chad, Elisabeth, and Mariah have been noticing lately:

On-Site Roles Need to Evolve (Chad Cecil)

For early to mid-career candidates, fully on-site requirements can be a tough sell, especially in roles where hybrid or remote options are standard elsewhere. While there are always exceptions, flexibility is quickly becoming a differentiator in the talent market.

If a hybrid model isn’t an option right away, Chad suggests building in earned flexibility. For example, allowing remote days after a specific tenure or performance milestone. This not only widens the candidate pool but also supports long-term retention, which is increasingly important with many senior leaders approaching retirement.

Chad is also seeing more candidates become open to making a move, not because they dislike their current roles, but because industry consolidation and uncertainty are pushing them to at least take the call when recruiters reach out.

Speed Wins & Benefits Matter More Than Ever (Elisabeth Podhaskie)

Elisabeth is seeing a surge in candidates juggling multiple opportunities at once. In this environment, the company that moves fastest through interviews and gets an offer out the door first often wins the talent.

She’s also noticing a shift in priorities: benefits are playing a bigger role in decision-making than raw salary numbers. One candidate recently passed on a 20% raise because the PTO, medical coverage, and 401(k) match weren’t competitive. The takeaway? Total compensation matters. Employers can’t assume salary alone will close the deal.

Culture Concerns Are a Dealbreaker (Mariah Taylor)

Lately, Mariah has noticed candidates expressing hesitation about making a move—not due to compensation or location, but rather due to past experiences with poor culture or leadership. Many have been burned before: micromanagement, unclear expectations, lack of support, or joining a team that looked great on paper but felt very different once inside.

For employers, this means culture can’t just be a talking point in the interview process—it has to be demonstrated, backed by specific examples, and reinforced throughout onboarding and beyond.

Bottom line:

Flexibility, speed, competitive compensation, and culture aren’t just trends; they’re becoming the non-negotiables for top talent. The employers who adapt fastest to these shifts will have the edge in a competitive hiring market.