Let’s take a look at what 2009 has in store for recruiters; what will be the top trends, hot topics and how best to approach them?

From talking to industry professionals in Japan and throughout the world we have compiled a list of FIVE areas that both they and we believe will be important in 2009; and why wait until then, as 2008 begins to slowly wind its way down when better to start planning for next year and maybe even steal a march on your competitors.

Business Model.

Budgets are tightening, economic growth moves forward at a snails’ pace and corporations are forced under; what better time to start crying into bonenkai beers our and sentimentalizing about the good old times before recruiting budgets came under the sharp constraints they are currently experiencing.

But now is not the time for whining, take the opportunity to look again at the costs and benefits of your organization’s recruiting efforts; think in money terms of the expected return on investment for each type of employee you are looking to hire. In putting a tangible price on hiring to fill vacancies and leaving them open, you’ll be talking the language that CFOs and risk managers understand in demonstrating the importance of recruiting even during times of reduced hiring volume.

Employment Branding.

If your organization is really serious about wanting to attract and retain top talent, you simply cannot afford to ignore just how the organization is perceived by both current employees and key stakeholders in the external market.

You don’t need to be a multi-million dollar organization to effectively communicate just what a great company you are and what a wonderful place it is to work at, focus on growing your online presence, develop your ‘CSR’ brand identity and take steps to counter the negatives associated with your employment brand.

Social Networking.

With understanding of how best to analyze the strength of relationships existing between users of online social networks improving significantly, recruiting professionals are better able to picture the ‘degrees of separation’ lying between them and the candidates they’d like to hire.

At the same time, as internet-based social networking sites continuing to grow and develop they now more accurately reflect the needs of their users; better connecting people and jobs by more effectively adding the power of technology to the concept of “it’s not what you know but who you know” recruiting on social networks is becoming more and more of a mainstream concept.

Employee Blogs.

Build on the the power of your organization’s employment branding by using employee blogs to support recruiting programmes. A good business blog, however, should not simply highlight your company and products it should also answer questions and serve to make your company appear less mysterious and distant..

There are many parts of your business with stories to tell and an audience of employees and stakeholders who will are interested in finding out more, employee blogs as part your online corporate presence will help you recruit talented people but it is vitally important that guidelines are put in place.

Corporate Website.

Dull, dated and static websites serve the opposite effect they are intended for, and help convince potential candidates to stay away from your organization as opposed to driving great candidates towards you.

Revisit the job section of your corporate website and look at it again objectively, through fresh eyes and think carefully about the impression it leaves you with. Information should be fresh, relevant and up to date; and the experience of visiting the site should be positive and rewarding – just don’t overcompensate and create a page that is gimmicky, slow to load and leaves visitors frustrated, keep things simple and let the message speak for itself.