Recruitment: Insights from 2024 and 2025 predictions

2024 was marked by the “Great Stay” trend – facing recruitment challenges an uncertain job market, and a strong desire for work-life balance, many people chose to stay in their current role as opposed to look for a new one.

As we look ahead to 2025 we are expecting to see several trends come to light: including AI, hiring for critical thinking skills, developments in pay transparency, and more movement in the labour market in general.

In this blog post, we will reflect on what happened in the job market in 2024, and explore hiring trends that will help you stay ahead in 2025’s competitive recruitment environment.

Data from 2024

Let’s start with a brief overview of the Dutch labour market for the end of the last year, 2024. According to the data provided by Eurostat, the Netherlands had the most open jobs in Europe (job vacancy rate of 4.3%) closely followed by Belgium. In the Netherlands, the amount of open jobs did not change much from 2023.

We also have statistics provided by the UWV (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringe), who is the Employee Insurance Agency in the Netherlands. The number of open jobs remained steady throughout the year. The most number of jobs opened up in Q2 of 2024 which then gradually saw a decrease until the end of the year.

Multiple sources indicate that the most challenging positions to fill were in the public sector, such as healthcare workers and teachers. However the most sought after roles in 2024 were sales, marketing and business development managers , according to the number of online advertisements posted about these jobs.

What about online demand?

Online continued to be the most-used channel for Recruitment in 2024 – and we at Octagon, as well as many of our partners, utilize LinkedIn to source and advertise these positions.

According to LinkedIn data insights, the positions with the fastest-growing demand include ‘collections specialists’ , ‘tax accountant or consultant’ , ‘business manager’ and ‘business partner’ . Tax and collections specialists are especially sought-after in the Netherlands, due to the strict official requirements in which these roles are subjected.

To check all the positions and their ranking, we invite you to check the article that LinkedIn prepared with these insights in detail.

What’s coming in 2025?

“The Big Stay” continues

Opposite of the “Great Resignation” rampant in 2021 – 2023 where people were leaving their roles in search for more flexibility, the “Big Stay” marked 2024 where low job prospects meant more people were staying in their position. In 2025 we expect the job market to stabilize further, however job search challenges from last year have created uncertainty in job seekers.

AI and automation in hiring

According to the University of Southern California, “55% of companies are investing more in automated recruiting measures that use AI.” After a year in which the trend of implementing AI and automation in recruitment processes has been stronger than ever, one of the conclusions circulating is that the system is not exempt from the bias often experienced in the industry. AI follows human patterns and sometimes fails to select candidates neutrally. We are expectant to see how this tool will be further developed and fine-tuned and how it will be regulated, as the European Union has already started to publish the AI Act, the world’s first comprehensive AI law, and a provisional agreement has been reached on it. 

Focus on critical skills (versus technical)

Aside from the clear demand for AI-related skills (because it is a hyper-growth field), it is expected that organisations are going to focus more on leadership development and employees who can demonstrate strong critical-thinking skills.

According to a 2025 Kornferry report: “Leaders want to hire for skills but many don’t know where to start. There’s no need for a complete overhaul. Instead, focus on critical skills that will drive business impact.”

Pay transparency

In 2024 the EU Directive on Pay Transparency came into full effect: meaning companies advertising must indicate their salary range on jobs posts.

This directive states that companies should switch to a more transparent hiring procedure as soon as possible. The new rules aim to make procedures more transparent, protect candidates and ensure a fair application process. The aim of the Directive is to combat pay discrimination and reduce the gender pay gap in the EU. EU companies must now share pay information and take corrective action if their gender pay gap exceeds 5%. 

Preparing to hire in 2025?

At Octagon Professionals, we take a forward-thinking approach to recruitment, recognizing that hiring is about more than filling a position—it’s about finding the right people to address business challenges and drive success. If you are planning to hire in the coming year, or need support planning your workforce for the coming year, send us a message today.