Today is January 3, and perhaps you’re wondering why we haven’t published at least 9,765 articles — or even one — touting predictions for 2020. It’s because, as 6th Century Chinese poet Lao Tzu pointed out, “Those who have knowledge, don’t predict. Those who predict, don’t have knowledge.”
Plus, you don’t have to scour the internet much to “uncover” 2020 talent-acquisition prophecies like:
- Candidate experience will be more important
- User experience will be paramount
- AI will embed itself in software more
- Technology will evolve to cater to more distributed workforces
- California will continue to cause headaches around worker classification
If such predictions don’t seem all that predictive, it’s because they have already appeared multiple times over multiple years. Point is, Lao Tzu was on to something.
So here’s the deal: There’s no way that I or you or anyone can accurately predict any major events or trends (that are not already obvious) for the coming year. We’re all far better off looking toward the recent past to prepare ourselves for the immediate future — because, simply put, the future is what you make it. It is not what some random article tells you it will be. And the best way to conjure the future you want is to contemplate the past.
With that in mind, below are some of our top diversity stories from 2019.
Why diversity? Because D&I issues will continue to be forceful drivers of recruitment practices in significant ways. That’s as good a prediction as any.
Hiring Formerly Incarcerated: Shelley Winner Continues the Fight