Although most recent attention has been on firing, not hiring, there is still significant hiring activity. In fact, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there’s about 20 percent voluntary turnover in the workforce. Many of those open positions will be filled with new hires.

That said, it’s always instructive to read the findings from current surveys and studies and use the data to continuously improve and shape your recruiting strategy – even if it’s focused on relatively few replacement hires due to churn. Two interesting studies provide worthwhile insights into supply and demand:

1. CareerXroads released its annual Source of Hire Study: What Happened in 2008 and What It Means for 2009 on how corporate staffing functions measure and report sources of hires for the openings they fill. Findings include:
• Internal Transfers and Promotions were 38.8% of all the full-time positions a company fills.
• Referrals make up 27.3% of all external hires and arguably remain the number one external source.

Sources of Hire Comparison 2005-2008

2. Staffing.org published a study about candidates, Job Seeker Attitudes and Behaviors: Mastering Internet Recruiting. Among the findings is clear validation that corporate career websites have great reach among those elusive “passive” jobseekers.

Each hire you make is critical to your organization’s success. Understanding candidate behavior and knowing what sources are working best are an important part of an overall recruiting strategy.