Talent acquisition is never static, but right now, the changes are structural. TA leaders are being pushed to rethink how they operate, how they partner with the business, and how they prove value.
While TA has long been under pressure to deliver more for less, this year feels different. The stakes are higher, the budgets tighter, and the expectations greater. As organizations pull back on spending, they’re asking TA to step up with fewer resources, but more impact. So what do TA leaders need to focus on in this changing landscape?
With a career that spans recruiting, operations, technology, and employer branding, Julia Levy has worn many hats in talent acquisition, and reinvented the role each time. Here, she reflects on how the role of TA is shifting, how leaders can deliver value in resource-constrained environments, and why the future of TA is both more complex and more exciting than ever.
1. Budgets are shrinking. Expectations aren’t.
Many TA leaders entered 2025 with optimism – planning for growth and investment. But inflation, geopolitical tension, and economic stagnation have kept businesses cautious. Budget cuts have followed.
Yet hiring demand hasn’t disappeared. Internal teams are stretched, burnout is a risk, and service are under pressure. At the same time, the C-suite still expects TA to deliver strategically. That paradox – do more, do it smarter, and prove it – is defining the moment.
2. The AI conversation has moved from hype to reality
AI can absolutely transform hiring. But it isn’t free, and it isn’t instant. The most effective TA leaders are moving past the hype and identifying where AI adds genuine value, whether that’s automating repetitive tasks, capturing information from intake or candidate screening calls into forms or solving for multilingual hiring using real time translation tools.
3. Skills-based hiring is important, but overwhelming
Everyone’s talking about it. Fewer are doing it. Even fewer are doing it well.
The ambition is clear, but the complexity is real. You can’t shift to skills-first without transforming systems, culture, and capability. Some clients have paused or pivoted to focus on tech stack efficiency because it feels more achievable. But this is a long game. The TA leaders who stay committed, and link skills-based hiring to commercial outcomes, will be the ones who move the dial.
4. Curiosity, commerciality and credibility define great TA leaders
Technical skills matter, but there are three key things that are proving essential for TA leaders navigating this market:
- Curiosity: a genuine hunger to explore new tech, test better ways of working, and stay ahead of market shifts. Those who ask questions and look beyond “how it’s always been done” are thriving.
- Commercial acumen: understanding how TA aligns with the wider business strategy. Knowing what actually drives growth, margins and workforce agility.
- Credibility through data: you can’t influence without insight - it’s your currency. If you can use real-time data to challenge assumptions, secure budget, and influence strategy, you earn that long sought-after seat at the table.
Ultimately, it’s about backing up your strategy with hard evidence – and turning insight into influence.
5. TA and business alignment is shifting
We’re seeing business units demand more control, often pushing for speed over process. In this environment, TA risks becoming a service rather than a strategic partner.
In times of uncertainty, it’s easy for long-term strategy to get pushed aside. It’s understandable, but short-sighted. Great TA leaders hold the line. They stay flexible but firm. They adapt when needed, but protect the candidate experience and uphold the integrity of their employer brand.
Look ahead, even when you’re under pressure
It’s easy to get stuck in the grind, firefighting open reqs, juggling systems, trying to do the job of five people. But the best TA leaders I know are still looking up and out.
They’re investing in learning. Testing tech. Asking tough questions about productivity and performance. Whether you’re in a role or between roles, now’s the time to sharpen your edge.
- The evolving TA tech stack: Know what’s available, how tools integrate, and where they truly save time. Stay close to how vendors are positioning themselves and what’s worth investing in.
- Internal mobility and workforce agility: TA leaders need to understand how talent flows within the business, not just into it. Partner with HR, L&D and workforce planning to unlock internal capability and reduce unnecessary external hiring.
- Data that influences: Move beyond time-to-hire. Link hiring metrics to commercial outcomes. How does hiring impact productivity, attrition, customer success or revenue? That’s how you stay influential in the C-suite.
When the market shifts, and it will, the TA leaders who’ve stayed sharp will be the ones who lead the way.
