For the last five years, Lighthouse Research and Advisory has provided the talent acquisition industry with one of its most comprehensive data sets: the Talent Acquisition Trends Study. Based on input from around 1,000 employers and 1,000 candidates, the study gives a full-spectrum view of how both sides of the hiring table are thinking—and shifting—each year.
From employer branding to budget planning to candidate behavior, top organizations use the Lighthouse report as a north star for HR strategy. And in 2025, one theme stood out loud and clear: the future of hiring is skills-first.
Top Skilled and Top Performing: A Strategic Imperative
According to Lighthouse’s 2025 findings, the number one priority for employers isn’t brand awareness or recruitment marketing. It’s capability. Specifically, 41% of employers ranked selecting the best and most skilled person for the job as their top objective, a higher percentage than those focused on attracting talent. Organizations are becoming more focused on better predicting candidate success, not just based on resumes, but on measurable ability.
Skills-Based Hiring Gains Ground
Another key takeaway from this year’s study is that employers and candidates alike are warming up to skills-based evaluations. While the adoption curve has been steady, the report found that 84% of employers are either actively using or seriously considering a skills-first hiring approach.
What’s more telling? A quarter of candidates surveyed said they were comfortable participating in an AI-powered skills assessment. In a world where automation and efficiency are paramount, this mutual alignment could mark a tipping point in how talent is identified.
Measuring Abilities at Scale: Assessments Lead the Way
When it comes to managing high applicant volume, assessments are emerging as the clear favorite among hiring teams. In fact, the 2025 Lighthouse data shows that assessments were listed twice as often as video interviews when employers were asked how they plan to handle scale.
One in four companies is actively looking for new assessment tools—and not just any tools, but those that can deliver measurable insights on communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and other soft skills. HiringBranch, for example, helps global organizations deliver AI-backed soft skills evaluations with 98% accuracy, making high-volume screening not just faster, but smarter.
Implications for Talent Leaders in 2025 and Beyond
The shift toward skills-first hiring is not a trend—it’s a transformation. As talent acquisition functions become more accountable for quality and performance metrics, tools that offer predictive insight at scale will be foundational to success.
For leaders building their 2025 strategy, the Lighthouse report offers a compelling case: prioritize performance, lean into AI-supported skills assessments, and don’t be afraid to reimagine the way candidates are evaluated. Because at the end of the day, what matters most isn’t how polished a resume is—it’s whether someone can actually do the job.
Image Credits
Feature Image: Unsplash/ Lukas Blazek
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