Across many workplaces, employers, employees and job seekers are pointing fingers at one another regarding the challenges associated with hiring. This blame game can leave people on all sides wondering about the cause of challenges in recruiting and finding talent. But instead of placing blame, take a look at why hiring is getting tougher (backed by recent Indeed research), and explore how to simplify your hiring process.
Hiring Challenges: Who’s to Blame?
Although it’s easy to say that a labor shortage or low employment rate is causing the issue, the reality is that there are multiple factors influencing recruiting. Over 40 percent of managers surveyed by Indeed reported that a lack of skilled applicants is the top challenge.
But what they might be missing is that nearly a third of job seekers reported frustration with a lack of pay transparency in roles. Why waste time applying for a job that may not align with financial expectations? This disconnect is just one of the ways that employers and prospective employees are on different pages.
Here’s another: 56 percent of employers indicate that the toughest part of skills-first hiring is understanding the strategy and how to implement it effectively. A majority of employers in Germany and France have opted for a skills-based approach to recruiting, as skills often bring more value than other qualifications. Job seekers want to find jobs that value their skills, but employers are inconsistent when it comes to promoting and adopting this approach to hiring.
If you asked 100 job seekers, you’d likely hear an overwhelming majority report that employers are to blame due to poor transparency and unclear requirements. By contrast, employers would likely report frustrations with a lack of talent. If the two sides can come together, meeting the other halfway, things could get a lot easier.
Using the Right Tools
If you’re among the nearly 50 percent of employers using the same number of or fewer tech tools in hiring (compared to three years ago), you are putting your organization at a significant disadvantage. Automation in hiring can transform the process for everyone involved.
In 2018, approximately one-tenth of businesses were using recruitment tools with automation features for candidate screening. Just three years later, that number jumped to 45 percent of companies. But over half were still relying on manual or outdated efforts.
Automation in resumé screening reduces the time spent manually reviewing submissions by 75 percent. Plus, incorporating automation into your hiring process can help you hire up to 40 percent faster while improving precision.
ApplicantStack: Automation in Action
ApplicantStack offers automation that boosts hiring efficiency and helps you get in contact with applicants sooner. The texting integration enhances communication efforts, with text messages getting responses approximately 85 percent quicker than emails. Automating communication with triggered texts and emails also keeps candidates informed and engaged from the moment they submit their applications.
Plus, you can stay on top of compliance regulations, including federal and state laws associated with fair hiring practices, with an audit trail of all hiring activity. ApplicantStack can help you overcome the difficulties associated with hiring in 2025. Get started with a free trial and post your first job today!
- How to Build a Hiring Process From Scratch - August 5, 2026
- Skills-Based Hiring in Hourly and Frontline Roles: A Practical Guide - July 29, 2026
- How to Reduce Time-to-Hire Without Cutting Corners - July 22, 2026
