Approach People turns 25: a look at the evolution of recruitment
This March 2025, Approach People Recruitment is celebrating its 25th anniversary! 25 years of adventures, discoveries, and successes alongside the companies we support across Europe, helping them recruit the talent they seek while continuously adapting to new recruitment trends and technologies. And there have been plenty of changes since 2000! We have witnessed recruitment processes evolve dramatically, just as job seekers’ journeys have transformed.
To mark this special occasion, we invite you to take a trip through time with us, following the story of Maxime, a job seeker in France in 2000, 2025, and 2050.
25 years of recruitment: the processes of yesterday, today, and tomorrow
The year 2000: a humane yet tedious job search!
In the year 2000, Maxime, a recent graduate, embarks on his job search. No LinkedIn, no online CVs: every week, he heads to the newsstand to scan the classified ads for opportunities. He highlights promising job offers and compiles a list of companies to contact.
The application process is paper-based: Maxime prints his CV and cover letters, places them in envelopes, and mails them at the post office—when he is not able to deliver them in person. At the same time, temp agencies are essential stops. Maxime visits them weekly to browse job postings displayed on bulletin boards. He also attends job fairs and recruitment events where he can hand in his CV directly. These in-person events take time, but he enjoys the human interaction and knows he is building his network.
Weeks pass, and responses come slowly—if at all. It is common for Maxime to receive no reply. When companies do respond, it is often by mail or even by fax. Finally, Maxime lands an interview! He arrives in a suit and tie, the standard dress code regardless of the job level. Success! After months of effort, he secures a position at a company he admires and envisions building his career with.
If Maxime had needed to resign, he would have had to draft a resignation letter and hand it in personally to his manager, often during a meeting to discuss and negotiate his departure terms. He would have been released after serving a notice period, the duration of which would have depended on his contract. The process would have been quite rigid and inflexible, and it would not have been uncommon for tensions to arise with his employer by the end of this process.
2025: a more efficient but highly competitive job search
Twenty-five years later, technology has completely transformed the recruitment landscape, and AI plays an increasingly important role for both candidates and recruiters. In 2025, Maxime can manage his entire job search online, from his smartphone or computer.
He browses key job platforms that use advanced filtering systems and AI algorithms to suggest job offers tailored to his profile in real time. To prepare his applications, Maxime can use AI-powered tools to optimise his CV and cover letters—though cover letters are becoming less necessary. These tools help him tailor his application to ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems), which scan submissions for relevant keywords.
Once his applications are ready, Maxime applies with just a few clicks. Responses arrive quickly, often via automated messages. Interviews are mostly conducted via video calls from the comfort of his home. If needed, Maxime can even use AI to simulate interview scenarios and refine his responses. Thanks to these advancements, Maxime completes the recruitment process in just a few weeks.
He submits his resignation via his company’s HR portal, and his request for a shortened notice period is approved. Maxime then joins a new company where he envisions himself for the next three to five years!
2050: a fully digitalised recruitment process?
By 2050, job searching is smoother than ever, powered by cutting-edge technology. In fact, Maxime’s job search does not even start with him! His personal AI assistant, Neura, detects a drop in his engagement at work and suggests exploring new opportunities:
“Max, I’ve analysed your recent activity and noticed a decline in engagement. It seems your priorities have shifted. Would you like to explore opportunities that better align with your current aspirations?”
With Maxime’s approval, Neura updates his blockchain-verified professional profile and begins searching for opportunities.
A notification pops up: five companies are looking for a candidate like him. Neura has already filtered the options based on his professional and personal preferences. Maxime explores these companies in the metaverse, where digital avatars present the job roles, teams, and company cultures in real time. He can even assess his potential job satisfaction based on his values and work environment preferences.
One company offers an immersive skill assessment in virtual reality. Maxime puts on his VR headset and is instantly placed in a simulated work scenario where he must solve a complex problem. During the exercise, AI analyses his emotional responses, initiative, and decision-making under pressure.
The interview process itself uses holograms, allowing Maxime to meet the company’s CEO, who is based in Tokyo. They speak different languages, but AI-powered translation enables seamless communication. Everything aligns perfectly, and within hours, Maxime secures the job via a blockchain-based smart contract.
Resigning is an almost instant, automated, and fully digital process. Through a dedicated app, his status updates in real time, and his employer is automatically notified. Administrative procedures like notice periods and severance pay are managed by AI systems. No waiting times: Maxime can immediately transition to his new role without lengthy departure processes. He joins his new employer, likely staying for just a few months before moving on again.
25 years of remarkable change
Over the past 25 years, we have witnessed dramatic changes in recruitment, and we have evolved alongside them. Since 2000, we have helped thousands of talents and companies navigate the hiring process, constantly adapting to new technologies and market demands.
One thing remains unchanged: Maxime’s job search demonstrates impressive technological advancements, but the human element remains essential. Recruitment firms like Approach People play a critical role in supporting both businesses and candidates. They bring expertise and assess aspects that are hard to measure, such as cultural fit and emotional intelligence, ensuring long-term hiring success. While technology optimises and automates recruitment, it has not (yet?) replaced human relationships, and that is what sets our approach apart.
So, what will recruitment look like in 25 years? Are our predictions accurate? Only time will tell! But one thing is certain: we will be here, ready to support companies and support candidates in their recruitment journey!
A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to these 25 years of success: our teams for their dedication and expertise, our client companies for their trust and collaboration, and our candidates for their ambition and engagement! Each of you has played a vital role in our success, enabling us to grow and adapt to the ever-changing recruitment landscape.
And since we are celebrating our own anniversary, we wish ourselves an equally exciting and opportunity-filled future as the past 25 years!
Happy anniversary, Approach People Recruitment!
