GITNUXREPORT 2025

Recruitment Industry Statistics

Recruitment adapts with AI, soft skills, remote work, and candidate experience.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

72% of job seekers have applied to more than 10 jobs in the last 6 months

Statistic 2

78% of candidates said that a positive interview experience influenced their decision to accept a job

Statistic 3

54% of recruiters reported that candidate ghosting increased in 2023

Statistic 4

40% of candidates drop out during the hiring process due to a lengthy procedure

Statistic 5

82% of passive candidates would change jobs for the right offer

Statistic 6

72% of recruiters believe that employer branding significantly impacts their ability to attract candidates

Statistic 7

80% of HR professionals believe that improving candidate experience is key to successful recruiting

Statistic 8

34% of recruiters report that their greatest challenge is engaging passive candidates

Statistic 9

The global gig economy contributed $4.5 trillion to the economy in 2023

Statistic 10

The global recruitment industry was valued at approximately $439 billion in 2022

Statistic 11

The average time to fill a position in 2023 was 42 days

Statistic 12

45% of companies in North America report difficulty in filling roles due to talent shortages

Statistic 13

The average recruiter has 29 open reqs at any given time

Statistic 14

73% of HR professionals believe core recruitment data is underutilized

Statistic 15

The median annual salary for a professional recruiter was $58,000 in 2023

Statistic 16

The average cost per hire in 2023 was $4,700 globally

Statistic 17

The median age of recruiters in 2023 was 42 years old

Statistic 18

The global recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) market was valued at $6.2 billion in 2023

Statistic 19

The most popular industry for recruitment in 2023 was healthcare, accounting for 27% of placements

Statistic 20

The top reason for candidate rejection in 2023 was poor cultural fit, cited by 43% of recruiters

Statistic 21

The average salary increase after a successful hire was 8% in 2023

Statistic 22

65% of recruiters say their top challenge remains candidate quality

Statistic 23

87% of recruiters believe that soft skills are just as important as technical skills

Statistic 24

69% of recruiters say hiring volume increased in 2023 compared to the previous year

Statistic 25

The use of AI in recruitment increased by 25% in 2023

Statistic 26

52% of companies plan to increase their recruitment marketing budgets in 2024

Statistic 27

65% of recruiters are using social media platforms to source candidates

Statistic 28

31% of all new hires in 2023 came from internal promotions

Statistic 29

Temporary employment accounted for 16% of total employment in the US in 2023

Statistic 30

The average recruiter spends 17 hours per week sourcing candidates

Statistic 31

44% of employers stated that the main challenge in hiring tech talent is a lack of qualified candidates

Statistic 32

The use of video interviews increased by 66% in 2023

Statistic 33

58% of recruitment firms reported increased adoption of remote hiring practices in 2023

Statistic 34

68% of recruiters use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to manage recruitment pipelines

Statistic 35

55% of executives consider hiring technology skills as critical for their organization’s success

Statistic 36

Recruitment advertising spend increased by 15% in 2023

Statistic 37

43% of organizations use chatbots to streamline initial candidate screening

Statistic 38

23% of employers plan to increase their use of virtual reality/augmented reality for candidate assessment

Statistic 39

67% of recruitment agencies report an increase in placements in the healthcare sector

Statistic 40

Recruitment firms that implement AI report a 35% reduction in time-to-hire

Statistic 41

54% of recruiters use data analytics to improve hiring outcomes

Statistic 42

53% of job seekers feel that the hiring process is impersonal and outdated

Statistic 43

62% of companies have reported difficulty in hiring senior-level executives in 2023

Statistic 44

29% of recruiters ranked candidate experience as the most important factor in hiring decisions

Statistic 45

54% of companies plan to increase their use of flexible work arrangements in 2024

Statistic 46

25% of hiring managers say they are planning to adopt more automation in recruitment processes in 2024

Statistic 47

48% of recruitment firms expect to expand their operations internationally in 2024

Statistic 48

56% of companies are using automation tools to handle repetitive tasks in recruitment

Statistic 49

65% of candidates prefer a mobile-friendly application process

Statistic 50

70% of organisations say technology has improved their recruitment efficiency in 2023

Statistic 51

36% of recruiters reported increasing reliance on employee referral programs in 2023

Statistic 52

40% of remote job postings received applications from candidates outside their local area

Statistic 53

63% of HR leaders believe that automation will significantly reduce recruitment costs in 2024

Statistic 54

60% of recruiters believe that diversity hiring is a top priority for 2024

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Sources

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Key Highlights

The global recruitment industry was valued at approximately $439 billion in 2022
87% of recruiters believe that soft skills are just as important as technical skills
The average time to fill a position in 2023 was 42 days
45% of companies in North America report difficulty in filling roles due to talent shortages
69% of recruiters say hiring volume increased in 2023 compared to the previous year
72% of job seekers have applied to more than 10 jobs in the last 6 months
The use of AI in recruitment increased by 25% in 2023
52% of companies plan to increase their recruitment marketing budgets in 2024
65% of recruiters are using social media platforms to source candidates
31% of all new hires in 2023 came from internal promotions
78% of candidates said that a positive interview experience influenced their decision to accept a job
Temporary employment accounted for 16% of total employment in the US in 2023
The average recruiter spends 17 hours per week sourcing candidates

The recruitment industry is undergoing a seismic transformation in 2023, driven by technological advancements, shifting candidate expectations, and a fierce fight for top talent amid record-breaking market valuations of over $439 billion worldwide.

Candidate Behavior and Engagement

72% of job seekers have applied to more than 10 jobs in the last 6 months
78% of candidates said that a positive interview experience influenced their decision to accept a job
54% of recruiters reported that candidate ghosting increased in 2023
40% of candidates drop out during the hiring process due to a lengthy procedure
82% of passive candidates would change jobs for the right offer
72% of recruiters believe that employer branding significantly impacts their ability to attract candidates
80% of HR professionals believe that improving candidate experience is key to successful recruiting
34% of recruiters report that their greatest challenge is engaging passive candidates

Candidate Behavior and Engagement Interpretation

With nearly three-quarters of job seekers applying to over ten roles in half a year and a striking 82% ready to switch for the right offer, it's clear that the modern talent pool values a positive experience and employer branding more than ever, while recruiters grapple with ghosting, lengthy procedures, and the elusive goal of engaging passive candidates—making the quest for top talent a high-stakes game of perception, patience, and persistence.

Market Size

The global gig economy contributed $4.5 trillion to the economy in 2023

Market Size Interpretation

The $4.5 trillion boost from the gig economy in 2023 underscores how freelance and temporary work are no longer just side gigs—they're now major players shaping the global economic landscape.

Recruitment Industry Metrics and Market Size

The global recruitment industry was valued at approximately $439 billion in 2022
The average time to fill a position in 2023 was 42 days
45% of companies in North America report difficulty in filling roles due to talent shortages
The average recruiter has 29 open reqs at any given time
73% of HR professionals believe core recruitment data is underutilized
The median annual salary for a professional recruiter was $58,000 in 2023
The average cost per hire in 2023 was $4,700 globally
The median age of recruiters in 2023 was 42 years old
The global recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) market was valued at $6.2 billion in 2023
The most popular industry for recruitment in 2023 was healthcare, accounting for 27% of placements
The top reason for candidate rejection in 2023 was poor cultural fit, cited by 43% of recruiters

Recruitment Industry Metrics and Market Size Interpretation

With a $439 billion market, recruiters juggling an average of 29 open reqs at a median age of 42, and nearly half in North America struggling to fill roles amid underutilized data and high costs, it's clear that even in a booming industry—where healthcare leads placements—finding the right cultural fit remains the ultimate challenge, proving that talent acquisition is both a numbers game and a delicate art.

Recruitment Outcomes and Performance Indicators

The average salary increase after a successful hire was 8% in 2023
65% of recruiters say their top challenge remains candidate quality

Recruitment Outcomes and Performance Indicators Interpretation

Despite an 8% salary bump post-hire signaling some reward for success, recruiters' ongoing struggle with candidate quality—cited by 65%—suggests that even pay raises can’t always compensate for the challenge of finding the right talent in a competitive market.

Trends in Hiring Practices and Technology Adoption

87% of recruiters believe that soft skills are just as important as technical skills
69% of recruiters say hiring volume increased in 2023 compared to the previous year
The use of AI in recruitment increased by 25% in 2023
52% of companies plan to increase their recruitment marketing budgets in 2024
65% of recruiters are using social media platforms to source candidates
31% of all new hires in 2023 came from internal promotions
Temporary employment accounted for 16% of total employment in the US in 2023
The average recruiter spends 17 hours per week sourcing candidates
44% of employers stated that the main challenge in hiring tech talent is a lack of qualified candidates
The use of video interviews increased by 66% in 2023
58% of recruitment firms reported increased adoption of remote hiring practices in 2023
68% of recruiters use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to manage recruitment pipelines
55% of executives consider hiring technology skills as critical for their organization’s success
Recruitment advertising spend increased by 15% in 2023
43% of organizations use chatbots to streamline initial candidate screening
23% of employers plan to increase their use of virtual reality/augmented reality for candidate assessment
67% of recruitment agencies report an increase in placements in the healthcare sector
Recruitment firms that implement AI report a 35% reduction in time-to-hire
54% of recruiters use data analytics to improve hiring outcomes
53% of job seekers feel that the hiring process is impersonal and outdated
62% of companies have reported difficulty in hiring senior-level executives in 2023
29% of recruiters ranked candidate experience as the most important factor in hiring decisions
54% of companies plan to increase their use of flexible work arrangements in 2024
25% of hiring managers say they are planning to adopt more automation in recruitment processes in 2024
48% of recruitment firms expect to expand their operations internationally in 2024
56% of companies are using automation tools to handle repetitive tasks in recruitment
65% of candidates prefer a mobile-friendly application process
70% of organisations say technology has improved their recruitment efficiency in 2023
36% of recruiters reported increasing reliance on employee referral programs in 2023
40% of remote job postings received applications from candidates outside their local area
63% of HR leaders believe that automation will significantly reduce recruitment costs in 2024

Trends in Hiring Practices and Technology Adoption Interpretation

As recruitment rides the digital wave—from AI-driven hiring and virtual reality assessments to social media sourcing and mobile-optimized applications—it's clear that savvy organizations are balancing technological innovation with a renewed emphasis on soft skills and candidate experience, aiming to streamline processes while tackling talent shortages in a competitive, global marketplace.

Workforce Diversity and Inclusion

60% of recruiters believe that diversity hiring is a top priority for 2024

Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Interpretation

With 60% of recruiters prioritizing diversity in 2024, it seems the hiring game is finally shifting from token gestures to genuine inclusion, or at least that's the buzz in the hiring hive.