Metaview has released its 2024 Year in Interviews Trends Report, detailing the key topics and trends in job interview discussions throughout the year in 2024.
The analysis, conducted through Metaview's Trends tool, examined over one million job interviews from more than 2,000 global companies. The findings indicate a significant rise in the mention of artificial intelligence (AI) across various job departments, a shift in discussions regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and an increased focus on company culture.
AI emerged as a major topic, referenced in more than 35% of conversations over the year, with mentions peaking towards the end of 2024. Candidates have been increasingly proactive in discussing AI-related skills even without prompts from interviewers. New terms such as "prompt engineering" became popular, especially within interviews for roles in engineering, product, and go-to-market departments.
A further noteworthy finding from the report is that Python emerged prominently in interview discussions, being mentioned over twice as often as JavaScript. This aligns with recent trends on GitHub, where Python has been cited as the most popular language, driven by the rise of Generative AI. Metaview suggests that AI and technical proficiency are becoming crucial differentiators for top talent across industries.
Siadhal Magos, the co-founder and CEO of Metaview, stated: "Nowhere are the motivations and driving forces of today's job market more laid bare than in conversations between interviewers and candidates.
"As AI continues to change the face of what virtually every job looks like, organizations are increasingly seeking out candidates who are future-proofing their skills. To win in today's market, it's more important than ever for employers to seek out candidates who match their working norms and values.
"We built Metaview to radically increase hiring leverage and our new Trends tool is a way for organizations to uncover actionable insights to underpin even more informed, data-driven processes."
The report also noted a decrease in references to DEI, with mentions falling by about 30% by the end of the year. This decline coincides with decisions by companies such as Boeing and Ford to eliminate their DEI departments. Conversely, discussions surrounding company culture experienced a significant rise, increasing by 45%, with emphasis on terms such as "cultural fit" and "work-life balance".
There is a growing divide in workplace preferences, with companies imposing more return-to-office mandates while candidates show a strong preference for flexible working arrangements. Remote work discussions outpaced talks of hybrid work setups, reflecting the flexibility sought by many candidates.
In terms of skills, "adaptability," "problem-solving," and "resilience" were frequently mentioned, consistent with LinkedIn's list of in-demand skills for the year. Meanwhile, terms like "recession" and "layoff" saw a decline towards the year's end, indicating improved employee confidence in job security.
The Metaview Trends Tool utilised aggregated data from anonymised interview transcripts to track the frequency of specific terms throughout the year, providing insights for recruiters and candidates. The 2024 Trends Report underscores the evolving dynamics of the job market and highlights the aspects of professional discussions that have gained prominence.
