Redefining the Job Market in 2025: From the Competition for Talent to the Competition for Trust

The job market in 2025 looks nothing like it did just a few years ago.

We live in a time when people no longer look for just a job,  but for a place where they can contribute, grow, and belong.
At Antal International, working every day with hundreds of professionals and leaders from Romania and across the region, I’ve seen this shift not only in numbers but in attitudes, tone, and the way people frame their questions about the future.
In fact, 2025 is the year when the relationship between companies and talent has been rewritten: it’s no longer about who offers first, but about who listens better.

From Degrees to Real Skills

The best employers are no longer chasing perfect CVs  but real skills and the right mindset.
According to LinkedIn Global Talent Trends 2025, 73% of HR leaders in Europe say that “skills-based hiring” is now their number-one priority.

This is also evident in Romania. From what we observe in Antal projects, companies are re-evaluating what success looks like, not just what you studied, but how you think, how you communicate, how you handle pressure, and how adaptable you are.
At the same time, more and more candidates understand that they can no longer rely solely on their past experience. They need to actively invest in upskilling, certifications, and cross-industry exposure.

Those who have founded start-ups, launched products, even unsuccessful ones, are increasingly appreciated and sought after. Because that says something: courage, determination, belief in an idea, the ability to take risks, learn, and evolve.
And when you join a new professional project, these inner resources are reactivated, you approach things differently, with experience and resilience.

“Skills first” is no longer a slogan, it’s a reality. Companies that adopt this approach reduce time-to-hire by 36% and improve retention by nearly 20%.
(Source: LinkedIn Global Talent Trends 2025)

When Candidates Choose with Their Hearts, Not Just Their Wallets

In a world where salaries have increased by 10–14% across Europe (Antal Europe Hiring Report 2025 – request the full report at [email protected]), the paradox is that money is no longer the main decision factor.

Yes, compensation remains important (92% of respondents still list it as a decisive factor), but almost as many prioritize balance and purpose.

What do I hear more and more often from the candidates I talk to?

“I want to feel useful.”
“I don’t just want a job, I want a place where I matter.”

This trend is confirmed by Glassdoor Hiring Insights 2025: companies that offer clarity, feedback, and empathetic leadership have a 19% higher offer acceptance rate.

Recruitment Time – A Lesson in Respect

A seemingly small detail, but one with major impact: the duration of the recruitment process.
In Romania and Central Europe, 37% of candidates withdraw after the second interview, and 46% drop out completely if they don’t receive feedback within six weeks (Antal Europe Hiring Report 2025 – based on over 10,000 respondents).

This percentage says everything about what trust means today: not just salary, but how companies treat people during the hiring process.
Many organizations seem to forget that a selection process involves two equally important sides, the employer and the candidate.

Even a candidate who is not selected will talk about your employer brand, based on how they perceived the entire process.

Romania, A Market Full of Potential, but Also Contradictions

Romania remains one of the most attractive markets in CEE for investment and expansion, thanks to a well-educated, adaptable workforce with strong technical skills.
But the Antal report also shows a less comfortable reality: slow processes, lack of clarity, and talent migration directly affect competitiveness.

Our market is “technically mature,” but “emotionally fragmented.” Many professionals feel they give a lot, but are not recognized proportionally. And that makes all the difference between a company that attracts and one that loses valuable people.

Empathetic Leadership – The New Competitive Advantage (for Those Who Dare)

People don’t leave companies, they leave managers. This sentence, repeated for years, has never been truer than in 2025.

In an uncertain economic environment, with pressure on costs and restructurings in multiple industries, empathetic leadership has become the true currency of retention.

Data from LinkedIn Talent Trends shows that leaders who provide clarity, authentic feedback, and personal support have teams that are 32% more stable.
And in our conversations with clients in the banking and financial sector, we can feel a real desire to rebuild relationships from within, moving from control to trust.

In a World Obsessed with AI, Numbers, and Algorithms, People Still Make the Difference

A slogan, or a truth? Time will say..but 2025 proves that innovation doesn’t come only from technology, it is also how companies choose to build experiences for people: candidates, employees, and the leaders who inspire them.

Antal International remains at the heart of this conversation, connecting local expertise with global exposure. With over 130 offices in 35+ countries, we aim to be more than a recruitment partner, we want to be part of the growth story of every organization that chooses to see people not just as resources, but as strategic advantage.

If you’d like to discuss how we can adapt your attraction and retention strategy to the new realities of the market, you can reach me at: