iHire has released its 2025 State of Online Recruiting Report, highlighting the explosion of AI in hiring, the future of job boards, and strategies for overcoming ongoing talent shortages.  

Key findings from the report include the following.  

• AI adoption by employers has increased by 428.7% since 2023. A quarter (25.9%) of employers say they are currently using AI in their recruitment efforts, compared to 14.7% last year. The most popular use cases include writing job ads, composing and sending messages to candidates, and screening resumes. Nearly a quarter (24.4%) of employers remain apprehensive about AI in hiring, particularly when it comes to fake or fraudulent candidates.  

• Job boards that evolve to meet users’ needs will continue to be critical for connecting employers and candidates. Most (68.6%) employers say they conduct “all” or “most” of their hiring through job boards, and 31.9% expect their reliance on job boards to continue next year. Employers want job boards to offer solutions aside from job postings, including messaging tools to communicate with candidates, pre-screening questions, skills assessments, interview scheduling features, and talent pipelining capabilities.  

• Employers are turning to alternative talent sources due to downturns in the labor market and widening skills gaps. When asked which trends they expect to impact hiring in the coming year, 54.8% of employers cite skills gaps and 31.8% point to economic uncertainty and recession fears. As a result, organizations are filling roles, closing talent gaps, and treading cautiously in the wake of a slowing labor market. Some of these strategies include hiring from within (42.3%), tapping into an existing talent pipeline (36.9%), rehiring former staff (30.8%), and upskilling or reskilling current staff (27.8%).  

“Employers and job seekers are navigating a fast-evolving recruitment landscape, where AI is reshaping how connections are made,” says Steve Flook, iHire’s president and CEO.