The New Year is finally here and in the world of business, there are some business trends brewing on the horizon. Knowing these trends will give you the perfect opportunity to plan ahead of time for you to use them to your advantage before others even take notice.

Leverage your venture this 2017 with the following anticipated business trends.

• Now more than ever, businesses rely on social media to get a quick sneak peek into potential candidates before their make their final hiring decision. Business owners and human resource managers alike believe that what shows up on social media sites is a tell-tale sign as to what is happening in the life of a certain candidate. The trend has some type of due diligence for companies and businesses looking for potential employees.
• Businesses go out of their limb just to attract the top talents, which makes it imperative to do everything necessary to ensure that you will make yourself a part of the cream of the crop. The most ideal way of doing this is by developing as many skills as you can to perform the task of the position you are vying for and beyond. Also, you must be willing to go above the call of duty, have the willingness to bring more to the table than what is needed and display your willingness of doing so when you communicate with prospect employers, whether on resumes, during interviews or even on social media platforms.
• This 2017, companies will lean more towards flexibility in the workplace, giving their staff members more flexible work schedules for them to perform some work duties from home.
• Another exciting business trend forming on the horizon this year is what is known as emotional intelligence, a new area that aspiring candidates must consider adapting to. Considered as a game changer in the business world, emotional intelligence involves businesses being more transparent and open. Candidates who have emotional intelligence as said to be more flexible compared to those who have not yet develop this area. It results to employers feeling more inclined to hire candidates who show this vital skill set.
• Candidates who are only good in carrying out their duties of their job merely meet the minimum requirement. However, those who demonstrate the ability of being trustworthy, outgoing and likable while still performing their job efficiently, fit better into the current corporate culture. It is what businesses are now searching for and this new trend is expected to grow more in the future.
• While it is no longer new to hire staff members according to referrals, it is definitely ramping up. This has become a more reliable trend which companies are starting to depend on. This not just shortens the process of recruitment but this also comes from a reliable source, the professionals in the micro-environment. Since 32 percent of new hires are the result of referral sources, the trend will surely spill over into this New Year.

There are more demands and business trends in the corporate world this 2017 so make sure you are up for the challenge of these game changers.