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In this week’s Recruitment Marketing Roundup, we discuss how Gen Z-ers are eschewing office life for blue-collar work—but really it’s about content creation. This is a welcome trend to trade industries, which have seen a declining workforce for the past few years.
We also reveal how job seekers are cheating the system in this competitive job market.
But first, we hosted our very first Hire Innovations webinar this week! Check out our summary below, followed by the latest news in talent acquisition like recent layoffs and mergers.
Recap of our Inaugural Hire Innovations Webinar
This week, we kicked off Hire Innovations—a live event series featuring new products across AI, market data intelligence, video tools for employer brands and candidate conversion tools. Missed out? No worries, check out the full recording at the link above! Some highlights:
- “AI cannot replace human connection. So my recommendation is to allocate resources, budget and time for in-person employee activities. Build experiences together, because that will give you much better results.” – Linda Lee, Talent Partner at AI Fund
- “In my humble opinion, I’d say that employer branding is not an option. It’s a choice in order for us to remain competitive.” – Deidra Cox, Founder and Head of Brand Strategy at Career Imagery
Thank you to our sponsors, Dalia, Jamyr, Public Insight and Teamtailor for their support in making this event possible! And save the date for our next event on October 2!
Gen Z Plumbers and Construction Workers Are Making #BlueCollar Cool
Young social media stars are making blue-collar work cool and profitable. Lexis Czumak-Abreu, an electrician, has 2.2 million followers on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, earning $200,000 annually from brand deals, while continuing her full-time job. Skepticism about four-year degrees is growing, leading to a rise in vocational program enrollments.
Influencers like plumber Evan Berns and welder Chloe Hudson are changing perceptions of trades with engaging, stereotype-busting content. Hashtags like #bluecollar are trending on TikTok, reflecting increased interest and higher wages in trades compared to some professional services.
Despite challenges, including physical strain and social media pressures, these influencers inspire new recruits and drive business, showing that rewarding careers don’t require a bachelor’s degree.
How job seekers are ‘cheating’ in the hiring process
Job seekers are increasingly “cheating” in the hiring process, according to a survey of 1,250 professionals. The Resume Templates survey found that 15% of respondents admitted to always cheating, and 20% said they occasionally did.
Common cheating methods include:
- Having someone else complete online skills assessments (over 10% of respondents)
- Searching online for answers (17%)
- Using ChatGPT for help (37%)
- Receiving answers via text or having someone assist during video interviews (10%)
Resume falsifications often involve exaggerating experience, skills, previous employers and education to pass resume screening software. However, this dishonesty can backfire, with one-third of cheaters facing consequences such as rescinded job offers or termination after being hired.
State of the Global Workplace: From Suffering to Thriving
Employee engagement is crucial for global economic productivity and mental health. The 2024 State of the Global Workplace report by Gallup reveals that 41% of employees experience significant stress, particularly in poorly managed workplaces. This low engagement costs the global economy $8.9 trillion, about 9% of global GDP.
Mental health is declining, especially among younger workers, with one in five employees experiencing daily loneliness, most notably remote workers. Managers play a vital role, accounting for 70% of team engagement variance. Engaged managers lead to engaged employees, enhancing organizational performance.
Good job markets and strong labor protections improve engagement and well-being. Engaged employees in countries with robust labor laws report the best emotional health. Effective strategies include prioritizing manager development, integrating engagement across the employee lifecycle and emphasizing overall well-being. Organizations that do this see the most significant improvements in engagement and success.
Tech hiring intent at highest point since last year, CompTIA reporting shows
Tech hiring hit its highest point since June 2023, with 209,000 new job postings in May, a significant increase from April. The tech sector added 2,181 jobs, bringing total employment to nearly 5.6 million, while the unemployment rate for tech occupations dropped to 2.5%.
Key roles with the most significant job posting increases include data scientists, database administrators and software developers. Major states like Texas, California and Illinois saw notable growth, and many metro areas, including Lansing and Indianapolis, experienced significant rises in postings.
Notably, 45% of tech job postings did not require a four-year degree, showing a broader search for talent. This trend is particularly evident in network and IT support roles. CompTIA’s report highlights increasing demand for tech talent to support digital growth initiatives.
Mergers & Acquisitions this Week
- ClearCompany Acquires Learning Management Tool
- JobGet Acquires Wirkn
- Kelly Services Sells Ayers Group Business to Keystone Partners
- Cognizant to Buy Belcan, 10th-Largest Engineering Staffing Firm
Layoffs this Week
- Paytm Layoffs: Fitench hands pink slip to employees after RBI ban on Paytm Payments Bank services
- Bootstrapped SaaS startup Kissflow culls 11% workforce
- Kenyan e-commerce startup Copia Global lays off 1,060 employees
- Revel to lay off 1,000 staff ride-hail drivers, saying they’d rather be contractors anyway
- MoonPay lays off 10% of staff despite having ‘years of runway’
- SoftBank-backed grocery startup Oda lays off 150, resets focus on Norway and Sweden
