Hiring for ERP and digital roles, especially in fast-evolving areas like AI, cloud, and digital transformation, takes more than traditional recruitment methods.
As candidate expectations change and the summer months slow down hiring activity, it’s essential to adapt your approach to stay competitive.
Here’s a practical guide to help HR, talent teams, and hiring managers focus on skills-based recruitment, understand key candidate priorities, and improve time-to-hire.
It’s a candidate’s market, and they’re choosing carefully
The digital and ERP talent market remains competitive. Top candidates, especially those experienced in cloud ERP, AI integration, or digital transformation, may have multiple offers on the table. The pandemic changed many workers’ mindsets, and the tech workforce is no exception. They're no longer only looking for a job; they’re looking for a career move that aligns with their values, work-life balance needs, and long-term development. If your hiring process is slow, your benefits package falls short of competitors', or your employer value proposition (EVP) fails to stand out, you risk missing out on top talent.
Addressing talent shortages
ERP and digital roles demand specialised, hard-to-source skills. To compete, HR and TA teams must identify these capabilities and target candidates who have them. Tech employers today see the need to prioritise transferable skills due to the industry's rapid evolution.
This includes using tailored messaging across online platforms and tapping into passive talent pools. Job ads are often the first interaction passive candidates have with your business. Instead of listing qualifications, skills, and daily tasks, focus on what makes your company unique. Talk about the digital transformation projects they will be a part of.
Specialist recruiters like NU Concept Solutions can play a crucial role in this process, helping organisations connect with niche candidates who have the right skills and mindset for digital transformation.
Skills-based hiring
Traditional job descriptions won’t cut it anymore. Forward-thinking HR teams are adopting skills-based hiring models, prioritising capability over credentials. Skills-based hiring has grown as employers realise that formal qualifications aren’t always the best way to assess whether someone has the skills for the job. Some tech employers see skills-based hiring as an effective recruitment strategy for reasons including reducing hiring bias and realising that contemporary tech skills are experience-driven.
Whether you’re hiring for SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics or Workday cloud projects, focus on the core competencies:
- problem-solving
- agile delivery
- stakeholder engagement
- commercial awareness
- hands-on system expertise
The best ERP professionals might not always tick every box on paper, but many will succeed in the role if given the chance.
Tech professionals want flexibility and purpose
Digital transformation roles appeal to professionals who want to see the impact of their work. Clarity around your project’s vision, the technologies, and the business outcomes they’ll help deliver is essential. Hybrid and remote options remain non-negotiable for many tech professionals. Offering flexibility can be the difference between securing someone brilliant or losing out.
AI, automation and cloud: invest in the right areas
Many organisations are still unsure where to prioritise hiring. The answer? Follow the technology. AI and automation are changing business processes fast. Firms need the right people to manage, integrate, and optimise their systems. Cloud migration and cybersecurity expertise also remains critical, particularly as threats and data governance demands grow.
Reduce time-to-hire
According to the State of Skills-Based Hiring 2024 report by Test Gorilla, 81% of employers using skills-based hiring reduced their total time-to-hire and 91% boosted retention. Improving time-to-hire during the summer can be challenging, with both candidates and hiring managers taking annual leave. To stay ahead:
- streamline your interview process
- clarify decision-making steps
- book key stakeholders’ availability in advance
- limit interviews to two or three rounds
- consider tools like coding challenges or AI-based screening platforms to test candidates’ skills
Fast, flexible scheduling and clear communication help prevent delays and ensure you don’t lose strong candidates to faster-moving competitors.
Employer branding
A strong employer brand attracts talent. This strategy includes showcasing company culture, values, and employee testimonials on career pages and social media. Companies with a strong employer brand often see reduced hiring costs.
A strong recruiter-hiring manager relationship
A solid relationship between recruiters and hiring managers is a key ingredient for the success of tech hiring efforts. It leads to better-quality hires, faster timelines, and a stronger candidate experience. To get it right: Set clear expectations and define must-haves vs. nice-to-haves, align on timelines, and be realistic about market demands.
Partner with tech specialists to stay ahead
ERP and digital hiring isn’t a volume game. It’s about quality, speed and insight. Working with a tech-based recruitment partner like NU Concept Solutions gives you access to networks you won’t find on LinkedIn. We understand what digital professionals want and how to position your roles to attract them. We also specialise in reaching passive candidates, those skilled professionals, not actively job hunting, and engaging them in meaningful conversations that lead to interviews.
This summer and beyond, success will come to those who act fast, stay agile, and hire for potential, not only experience.