The growing skills gap, aligning TA with business objectives, and the importance of evaluating your employer brand

Welcome to Advanced Talent Trends, your monthly source for expert insights on hiring challenges, workforce trends, and innovative strategies shaping the future of talent acquisition. Each edition features thought leadership and timely content from the experts at Advanced RPO.

The skills gap is growing. Are you still chasing the “perfect” candidate? 

The widening skills gap is forcing employers to rethink how they define the right hire. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, over 50% of open positions in the U.S. remain unfilled because candidates lack the right skills. Waiting for the “perfect” résumé isn’t just unrealistic—it’s a hiring risk. 

Forward-thinking companies are shifting to skills-based hiring: identifying transferable capabilities, training where it counts, and prioritizing potential over pedigree. If you're still screening out great candidates because they don’t check every box, it may be time to update your approach. 

🔗 Read the blog: Rethinking Recruitment: The Right Hire vs. the Perfect Candidate 

The missing link between business goals and talent strategy 

In many organizations, talent acquisition is reactive -- focused on backfilling roles or addressing immediate needs without a clear line of sight into broader business priorities. Whether you’re navigating change, preparing for future growth, or simply trying to do more with leaner teams, aligning your talent strategy with what the business needs next is essential. 

When TA leaders are part of strategic conversations early on, they can better anticipate hiring needs, plan for skills gaps, and contribute to more informed workforce decisions. It’s not just about what roles to fill—it’s about building the right capabilities to support the business. 

Shifting from “who” to “why” fundamentally transforms talent acquisition’s role, positioning your team not as order-takers but as strategic advisors. This allows your TA function to proactively advise the business on talent market trends, workforce planning, and resource allocation.

Justin King | Solution Design Director, Advanced RPO

Wondering what might be missing from your talent strategy? Check out our blog post to find out. 

Employer branding: The talent magnet for 2025. 

With a slower pace of hiring, now is the perfect time to revisit your employer brand—so when the market picks up, top talent picks you.

Many organizations haven’t revisited their employee value proposition since before the pandemic. But what you offer employees—and what they’re looking for—has likely evolved. From flexible work to purpose-driven culture, the expectations of candidates in 2025 are far different than they were five years ago. 

Refreshing your employer brand now ensures it reflects your current reality and future ambitions. It positions you to attract and retain the right people when hiring ramps back up. 

🔗 Read: The Promise Behind a Strong Employer Brand 

Reshoring is accelerating. Is your talent strategy keeping up? 

Rising tariffs, global instability, and U.S. federal incentives are fueling a major reshoring wave—69% of manufacturers have already begun moving operations back home. But even as companies invest in infrastructure, a critical challenge looms: labor. Each month, more than 100,000 manufacturing jobs go unfilled. And over the next decade, 3.8 million roles will need to be filled. 

In this economic climate, talent strategy is a business imperative. Manufacturers who factor hiring into site selection, workforce planning, and training strategy from the start are the ones seeing real ROI from reshoring efforts. Waiting too long means paying more later—in both talent costs and lost productivity. 

📊 Get the full picture in our Q2 HIRE Report 

The latest from Advancing Talent Acquisition

🎙 We’ve dropped two new podcast episodes you won’t want to miss:

DEI in the Hot Seat: Reframing the Conversation in 2025

Why Candidate Experience Is Your Hidden Hiring Advantage

These quick-hit episodes are packed with practical tips and fresh perspectives to help you hire smarter and lead stronger—no fluff, just real talk from experts in the field. 

🎧 Listen now on our podcast page or find Advancing Talent Acquisition on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.