The changing requirements for HR candidates

In recent years, the dynamics of the labour market, and in particular the HR sector, have seen significant changes. There has been a decline in hiring across various sectors, particularly in the IT industry, which has impacted the number of open positions for HR Professionals. Employers are more selective and have high expectations of candidates' skills and qualifications. We invited Rosena Tssenova, Team Lead & Recruitment Excellence Partner in Sales & Marketing, Finance & Administration, and Life Science from our team, to tell us how this affects the requirements for HR positions.

How have the requirements for HR positions changed in recent years?

Rosena: HR professionals are increasingly recognised as partners to the business and from this perspective skills such as strategic thinking and understanding business models are an important part of the requirements for professionals in the sector. HR is the engine without which business objectives cannot be realised. The ability to understand financial reports and build talent development programs is key.

Communication and interpersonal skills are ever so significant. The ability to build constructive relationships are basic requirement for HR professionals. This includes negotiation skills, conflict management, and relationship building, both within the company and with external partners.

How important are technology skills for HR candidates in today's business context?

Rosena: With the growing role of digital technology, technology literacy is becoming a must. Understanding and managing human resource management software (HRMS), applicant tracking systems (ATS), and learning and development platforms (LMS) are among the essential skills. Digitization of HR processes is also a strong trend, with experience implementing such systems considered a competitive advantage.

Data management skills are also becoming increasingly important as organisations use data to build their HR strategies, including recruitment and retention analysis, performance evaluation, and employee satisfaction measurement.

In which aspects do companies expect strategic support from their HR specialists?

Rosena: The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent changes in the work environment have highlighted the need for flexibility and the ability to adapt to new working conditions. Changes towards remote working, hybrid models, and working from the office are very dynamic and are being implemented with the HR function playing a key role. New policies and internal organisation are required. Planning and expectation management skills are leading the way because this has a strong reflection on the satisfaction and retention of staff in the organisation.

The importance of HR professionals in any company is undeniable, highlighting the willingness to continuously learn, adapt, and seek innovative solutions in response to daily challenges and dynamic work environments.