More than half of Irish HR professionals surveyed said finding applicants with the right technical skills is a constant pain point.
A new survey has found that while there are major barriers to recruitment in Ireland, for example a lack of skilled professionals, optimism among hiring bodies remains high. As evidenced by 66pc of responding experts saying that in comparison to last year’s numbers, they intend to increase hiring figures throughout 2025.
Earlier this month, in partnership with Censuswide, LinkedIn surveyed 500 Ireland-based HR and talent acquisition professionals and more than 1,000 adults of varying working status, to identify the challenges currently impacting hiring.
A mixed bag
Two-thirds of recruiters said that they actively plan to hire more people than in the previous 12 months, however, it’s worth noting that 75pc of recruiters experienced significant challenges sourcing suitably qualified professionals last year.
Increased hiring demands often come with additional hurdles. For example, 70pc of HR professionals surveyed explained that they spend more time actively searching for candidates, due to a lack of qualified applicants, with on average only 40pc of applicants all of the preferred criteria.
In fact, 73pc of recruiters believe too many Irish professionals are leaving full-time education lacking several of the crucial soft skills needed to successfully navigate the modern working environment.
But, as shown by LinkedIn’s research, challenges in recruitment and balancing responsibilities, isn’t solely impacting HR and talent acquisition professionals. Candidates too are having negative experiences during the process. Almost half of applicants reported never hearing back from an organisation, with 72pc of recruiters admitting that the sheer volume of submissions has placed them under significant pressure.
According to the report, “this communication gap risks damaging employer reputation, with 69pc of HR professionals acknowledging that failing to respond could harm their company’s image. More than three-quarters (76pc) flagged the need for additional tools and resources to improve candidate communication.”
Rolling with the times
Technologies are advancing at an almost supersonic rate, but often people, organisations and institutions aren’t as quick to catch up. As workplace tools evolve, the skills needed to stay on top of it all evolve too and for 76pc of the HR professionals, helping employees to upskill is going to be a core focus of 2025.
71pc of experts stated that their role has evolved to the point that they have taken on a broader range of strategic responsibilities, such as internal mobility, learning and development. A skill that they are likely to oversee, as it is further introduced into working life is of course AI, which to the surprise of no one is of great importance to both employees and recruitment leaders.
AI-powered tools are also having an impact on how recruiters engage with candidate selections. More than 7 out of every ten hiring experts explained that advanced AI applications have helped them to source candidates in a quicker time frame, reducing costs and leading to improved efficiency.
Commenting on the insights, LinkedIn head of Ireland, Sue Duke said: “The tight labour market in Ireland continues to present challenges for employers, especially when it comes to finding candidates with the right skills. However, we’re seeing a positive shift with companies focusing on upskilling their teams as a solution to close these gaps.
“AI is rapidly transforming the workplace and with it comes both challenges and opportunities. At LinkedIn, we’re committed to supporting both businesses and professionals in this shift, with free LinkedIn Learning courses available to help HR teams and job seekers stay ahead of workplace changes.”
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