Specialisation

It is likely that the industry will see an increased focus on particular specialist areas. In recruitment, there is an emerging trend towards specialist agencies to support specific sectors, such as IT, fashion and marketing, etc. so it is likely that knowledge of a particular industry will become more desirable.

With regard to HR, companies are paying more attention to staff training, development and diversity, which may mean an increase in opportunities for specialist training in HR.

The introduction of new employment legislation is also likely to lead to an increased demand for HR professionals with specialist expertise in areas such as:

• compensation and benefits;
• employee relations;
• employment law;
• equality and diversity;
• graduate recruitment.

Technology

One of the biggest changes in the industry in recent years is the introduction and advancement of various technologies. These technologies allow HR departments to minimise staff time spent on manual administrative tasks and to focus more on strategy and core HR processes. Technology has been particularly relevant to recruitment. E-recruitment software, such as online application forms, now speeds up the whole selection process.

The use of technology in the sector looks set to continue at an increasing rate. Consumer technologies such as blogs, video clips, podcasting and the use of social media tools, including LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, are predicted as major new trends for recruitment and will lead to the demand for HR professionals with technical skills and expertise.