This week on Disruption Interruption, Avetis Antaplyan, Founder & CEO of HIRECLOUT, unpacks the shift from a candidate-driven to an employer-driven market, how it is transforming hiring strategies, and why companies must be selective in both hiring and withholding hires. Discover why economic downturns present unique hiring opportunities and how companies need to rethink leadership and organizational strategies to succeed in today's world.
TAMPA BAY, Fla., Oct. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- J.P. Morgan Research recently raised the probability of a U.S. recession by the end of 2024 to 35%, prompting companies to adopt more strategic, selective hiring standards. This week, Disruption Interruption podcast host Karla Jo Helms (KJ) sits down with Avetis Antaplyan, Founder & CEO of HIRECLOUT, also known as the "Scale & Retention Architect." They discuss the shifting recruitment landscape and the new norm of hybrid work amidst an unofficial recession. "It was a candidate-driven market for more than 10 years. They decided where they went, they had multiple offers, and they could ask for whatever price tag," Antaplyan notes. "Now, the tables have turned."
The Shift from Candidate-Driven to Company-Driven Market
From 2010 to 2020, the hiring market was largely candidate-driven, with numerous job openings prompting companies to compete for talent by offering high pay, diverse options, and remote flexibility. Businesses grew rapidly and often overpaid to meet demand, creating a high-stakes environment led by candidates.
"What we're seeing now is a company-driven market. The companies have decided we are only going to hire the best. We are going to set the expectations", Antaplyan states.
A quiet recession has shifted control back to employers, especially in tech. Companies are no longer hiring en masse and remote roles are gradually declining as a new in-office norm of three to four days per week takes shape.
Missing Out on Superstars? Why Companies Are Failing to Attract Top Talent
Many companies remain hesitant to use consulting or executive search firms due to the high volume of applications they receive. However, Antaplyan explains that, among hundreds of applicants, only 2-3% are true top performers. The rest are typically "B Players"—productive and capable but not necessarily "Superstars."
He emphasizes that A Players rarely show up in applicant pools; instead, they secure new opportunities through connections or direct outreach. "By the time companies sift through hundreds of applicants and complete lengthy hiring processes, top talent is often already off the market," warns Antaplyan.
Surviving Economic Uncertainty: Lessons from Key Market Shifts
Over the past 17 years, Avetis Antaplyan has navigated three major market shifts that have redefined his approach to talent acquisition and company growth. Reflecting on the 2008–2009 recession, he notes that while his firm survived, the experience taught him the importance of being prepared for recovery, as they weren't ready for the surge in demand that followed. With COVID-19, he adopted a different strategy, taking significant risks to anticipate the rebound. This proactive approach fueled substantial growth for HIRECLOUT and its clients, earning them two appearances on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list.
"We took a ton of risks in 2021, and for six months, we got our butts kicked because of it, but when the market turned, we were ready to capitalize," he shares. "We shrank in the number of people, but we grew in size, knowledge, and the level of talent we could bring on. We just got smarter and smarter."
Links
Disruption in the Talent War: How Avetis Antaplyan at HIRECLOUT is Changing Tech Recruitment https://omny.fm/shows/disruption-interruption/disruption-interruption-1
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hirefasthireright/
X: https://x.com/hireclout
Company Website: https://hireclout.com/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hireclout/
Disruption Interruption is the podcast where you will hear from today's biggest Industry Disruptors. Learn what motivated them to bring about innovation and how they overcame opposition to adoption.
Disruption Interruption can be listened to in Apple's App Store and Spotify.
About Disruption InterruptionTM
Disruption is happening on an unprecedented scale, impacting all manner of industries— MedTech, Finance, IT, eCommerce, shipping, logistics, and more—and COVID has moved their timelines up a full decade or more. But WHO are these disruptors and when did they say, "THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT!"? Time to Disrupt and Interrupt with host Karla Jo "KJ" Helms, veteran communications disruptor. KJ interviews badasses who are disrupting their industries and altering economic networks that have become antiquated with an establishment resistant to progress. She delves into uncovering secrets from industry rebels and quiet revolutionaries that uncover common traits—and not-so-common—that are changing our economic markets… and lives. Visit the world's key pioneers that persist to success, despite arrows in their backs at http://www.disruption-interruption.com.
About Avetis Antaplyan
Avetis Antaplyan is the Founder and CEO of HIRECLOUT, a two-time Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing company and a leading tech recruiting and consulting firm focused on empowering people and organizations through results-driven relationships. Known to clients as the "Scale & Retention Architect", Avetis has helped over 250 tech companies scale. He's a recognized CEO, speaker, advisor, investor, family man, and go-giver. HIRECLOUT provides top-tier tech and go-to-market recruiting and consulting services, supporting the growth of the world's best companies. Avetis also hosts The Tech Leader's Playbook podcast and contributes to Inc., Entrepreneur, and the Forbes Technology Council.
About Karla Jo Helms
Karla Jo Helms is the Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR® Strategist for JOTO PR Disruptors™. Karla Jo learned firsthand how unforgiving business can be when millions of dollars are on the line — and how the control of public opinion often determines whether one company is happily chosen, or another is brutally rejected. Being an alumnus of crisis management, Karla Jo has worked with litigation attorneys, private investigators, and the media to help restore companies of goodwill into the good graces of public opinion — Karla Jo operates on the ethic of getting it right the first time, not relying on second chances and doing what it takes to excel. Helms speaks globally on public relations, how the PR industry itself has lost its way, and how, in the right hands, corporations can harness the power of Anti-PR to drive markets and impact market perception.
References
1. Kasman, Bruce. "What Is the Probability of a Recession? | J.P. Morgan Research." Jpmorgan.com, J.P. Morgan, 15 Aug. 2024, http://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/global-research/economy/recession-probability.
Media Inquiries:
Karla Jo Helms
JOTO PR™
727-777-4629
Media Contact
Karla Jo Helms, JOTO PR™, 727-777-4629, [email protected], jotopr.com
SOURCE Disruption InterruptionTM
Share this article