With LinkedIn’s Talent Drivers survey data revealing a disconnect between what modern workers say they want and what actually drives their career moves, attracting top-notch candidates is harder than ever.
Today, we’re breaking down the data to help you understand what candidates truly value in a job opportunity, and what you can do to win them over. Ready to futureproof your recruitment strategy? Let’s dive in.
What candidates say vs. what candidates do
LinkedIn surveyed nearly 15,000 job seekers about their top priorities when looking for a new job. When they compared these responses to the employee benefits of the companies where members currently work, they found something interesting.
Some of the candidates’ stated preferences, like flexibility and innovation, closely matched where they ended up working. But other factors — for example, the desire to have ‘helpful managers’ — didn't always align with their career choices.
This is what’s known as “revealed preference,” or understanding what people want based on what they choose to do – not just what they say they like. And in this case, it shows that candidates don’t always make career moves that align with their top priorities.
Top 4 candidate concerns and how to meet them
Candidates’ actions reveal a lot more about their needs than a simple survey. Let’s take a closer look at which factors actually influence candidates’ job decisions. Here’s what candidates really want.
1. The holy workplace trifecta
Compensation. Work-life balance. Flexibility. According to LinkedIn, these are the top three factors job seekers prioritize when on the hunt for a new role. This triple employee benefit threat has been topping candidates' lists since 2022.
Among the three, employee compensation remains the most common shared priority, with a whopping 61% of respondents citing it as a top factor. But in reality, those who rank compensation highly are only 6% more likely to work somewhere with famously excellent pay. This shows that while salary is important, it isn’t the only thing that matters.
That honor goes to flexibility. While flexible work arrangements are the third most-cited priority, they have more than double the impact of compensation. Candidates who care about flexibility are 13% more likely to work for a company known for flexible work policies.
“This underlines the fact that for many candidates flexibility is a make-or-break factor,” state the report’s authors. According to LinkedIn’s Future of Recruiting report, there was a 146% uptick in remote job applications last year, despite a 46% decrease in remote job postings.
The takeaways:
- Prioritize flexible work arrangements. Consider expanding remote and hybrid options to attract top talent, then highlight your company’s flexible work policies front and center in your job postings.
- Match market value. Money matters, but it’s not everything. Try adjusting your baseline salary to meet the local market and adjust your bonuses and other employee benefits to appeal to your ideal candidate.
Promote work-life balance. Be vocal about the ways you encourage a healthy work-life balance. Even things like limiting after-hours communication can go a long way toward showing candidates you care.
2. More job security
With the rise of AI and increasing anxiety over how it will impact the future of work, we’ll likely see more workers start to prioritize companies that offer job security.
35% of respondents cited job security as a priority. But it turns out this factor actually has a negative influence on where people work, with those who say they prioritize job security 0.8% less likely to work for a company known for offering it.
So, what gives? While it’s hard to say for sure, the slight negative correlation likely has more to do with appearances than reality. Job security, like other factors such as positive leadership and inspired employees, is difficult to gauge from outside. The reality is, candidates may struggle to evaluate how secure a job actually is until they’re working it.
If you work in an industry facing major disruptions due to AI and automation, consider leaning into the stability angle to reassure candidates that your company is a place where they can grow and develop.
The takeaways:
- Know your retention rate. A high retention rate speaks to the stability of your workforce. To calculate it, subtract the number of employees who left from your total employee count. Divide by your total number of employees, then multiply by 100.
- Be transparent. Share info on leadership continuity and the company’s approach to navigating big industry changes like AI. This transparency can help candidates feel more confident in the longevity of your open roles.
3. Opportunities to advance
Modern employees, especially Gen Z, value career growth as a top priority when choosing an employer. And unlike some of the other self-reported influences, this one is a real needle-mover.
In fact, 34% of respondents in LinkedIn’s Talent Driver survey named opportunities for advancement as one of the top five factors they consider when job hunting. Not only that, those who consider the opportunity to advance a priority are 17.1% more likely to work at a company that provides opportunities for career growth.
For some, career development is so important, they’re even willing to take a 2% to 5% pay cut for a stronger chance to grow within a role.
The takeaways:
- Highlight career pathways. Create structured career progression plans that outline how employees can advance within your company so candidates know there’s room to grow.
- Prioritize learning opportunities. Help employees access training programs, workshops, and educational resources so they can develop new skills and stay current in their field.
- Promote internally. Make it easy for internal candidates to apply and interview for new positions, while taking advantage of faster ramp times and increased employee engagement.
4. Meaningful work
While Gen Zers prioritize growth opportunities, other candidates are looking for a challenge. And according to LinkedIn, Baby Boomer candidates might be the most ambitious yet.
32% of respondents picked the chance to do challenging and impactful work as one of the top five factors they consider when weighing up a new job. Candidates who prioritize impact are also 13% more likely to work at a company known for ambitious work.
“People seek purpose in their lives — and that includes work,” research director Caitlin Duffy writes for Gartner. “The more an employer limits those things that create this sense of purpose, the less likely employees will stay at their positions… Now, employees expect deeper relationships, a strong sense of community and purpose-driven work.”
The takeaways:
- Automate the boring stuff. No one wants to spend hours updating spreadsheets or responding to endless emails. Automate where you can and steer your team towards high-impact tasks.
- Highlight the right metrics. For employees, metrics like client retention, employee satisfaction, and social impact can speak louder than profits. Make sure to clearly communicate how these figures relate to your employer value proposition.
- Encourage autonomy where you can. Where possible, encourage employees to take ownership of tasks and make their own decisions. Because when you collaborate with your team on shared goals, you also share the wins.
Things candidates don’t actually care about
We’ve covered the key factors that inspire real action in your candidates’ career decisions. But what about the factors that seem important, but don’t actually influence their decisions?
Here are a few stated candidate priorities that decrease the likelihood of working at a company that actually offers it:
- Management: 29% of employees say it’s important, but data show that they’re 7% less likely to work for a company known for good management.
- Leadership: 25% say it’s a priority, but they're 1.2% less likely to work at a company with strong senior leadership.
- Happiness: Candidates are 0.5% less likely to work for a company based on happiness.
While these data trends can help you update and refine your recruitment strategy, the truth is every company and candidate is unique.
Candidate priorities are going to vary greatly based on your industry, ethos, company size and more. Whether it’s hiring an expert external recruiter or launching a candidate experience survey, take time to find out what really works for your ideal candidate.
Give candidates what they really want
To attract loyal, qualified candidates, focus on giving them the flexibility, balance and purpose that they crave. Remember, your talent acquisition strategy can and should change based on how the labor market is shifting.
By taking the time to review and revamp your recruitment tactics, you can build a robust pipeline of top-tier candidates, even as the competition heats up.
Find out how Breezy can help you fill roles faster, reduce recruitment spend, and increase ROI. With Breezy’s user-friendly Applicant Tracking System, you have everything you need to connect with better candidates, faster.
