The recruitment industry’s integration with technology is on the verge of reaching fever pitch. New research from Randstad has shown how the younger generations are changing the ways in which they interact with recruiters, with 71% opting to deal directly with the employer and 59% turning to social media.

So, when looking for a job, where do the younger candidates turn? The answer is LinkedIn. The site currently hosts over 500million active users, 85% of whom it claims are passively open to new opportunities – a statistic the company has doubled down with the release of its new set of business tools, all of which are focused on offering candidates further clarity into the job searching process and their earning potential.

But with millions of prospective candidates being offered higher-paying positions on a weekly basis, doesn’t that make the job of the recruiter more complex? According to Becky Vieites, Head of Resourcing at John Lewis, if the job’s done properly, LinkedIn’s tools can still fuel a candidate search. She said: "LinkedIn has multiple benefits for us. Firstly, as a head-hunting tool for our resourcing team and additionally, as a platform for reaching active and passive candidates. It supports one of our key business aims of reaching the widest possible talent pool."

This view is supported Condé Nast International’s People Director, Zoe Walters, who believes that LinkedIn’s latest tools only pose a threat to sub-par recruiters; this is a demographic that she feels requires weeding out. “Yes, there’s a lot of ‘noise’ to cut through, but if a recruiter’s motivation is purely monetary then it does the job intended; it pushes the boundaries for the recruiter. If the individual is brand-orientated and money isn’t the only goal, then the impact is minimal.”

However, whilst the short-term effects for recruiters may be positive, a recent study carried out by Deloitte found that increased access to such tools is affecting the loyalty of the Millennial generation. The firm surveyed 10,000 professionals born between 1983 and 1994 (according to Deloitte's study although this time bracket is open to interpretation) and discovered that nearly half of respondents planned to leave their job within the next two years. In fact, only 28% planned to stay for more than five years. Whilst company ethics and career paths were noted as contributing factors, the study overwhelmingly evidenced that consistently being offered higher wages turned their heads.  

Regardless, CPS Group’s CEO, Spencer Symmons, believes that, ultimately, only sub-par recruiters will struggle to compete with such tools. “Recruitment as an industry gets a bad reputation and transparency can help with that. Candidates won’t even entertain a conversation if we can’t tell them exactly what we can offer. Transparency means everyone knows where they stand,” he concluded.