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Sign Up NowIf you thought the 1920s were lively, get ready for the fast-moving 2020s.
Initially, remote work became the norm, later shifting into hybrid arrangements.
When offices asked employees to return, the Great Resignation took off.
This was soon followed by layoffs at major tech companies like MAANG.
Around the same time, the term “quiet quitting,” popularized on TikTok, started to gain attention.
Now, in 2025, another workplace trend is emerging—quiet hiring.
Analysts at Gartner predict that quiet hiring—a practice reportedly used at Google—will influence the work environment significantly.
At the end of 2022, Gartner forecasted nine workplace trends for 2023, and quiet hiring was one of them.
This article is designed to help you understand:
Stay with us, because OfferLanded is here to help you make sense of current hiring trends and workplace dynamics.
Quiet hiring has already stirred conversations among employers, recruiters, and employees.
Some praise it as a clever short-term solution to address talent shortages.
Others are skeptical, questioning whether it is a method for “employee exploitation.”
We won’t take sides in this debate, which has spread across LinkedIn, Twitter, and Reddit.
Instead, we’ll let you form your own view on this emerging practice.
First, let’s set the scene for the 2025 workplace.
Reports indicate that in December 2022, the U.S. unemployment rate reached a record low of 3.5%.
Sources like CNBC and Trading Economics have documented this trend.
At the same time, global inflation and rising living costs are forcing companies to rethink their hiring plans.
Even when departments need new talent, many organizations are slowing or pausing recruitment.
This is where quiet hiring comes into play.
It enables companies to add skills and capabilities without hiring full-time staff.
Employers must reassess their workforce and focus on the most urgent business needs.
Quiet hiring often involves moving existing employees to new departments, tasks, or roles temporarily, or hiring short-term contractors for specific projects.
There’s a lot of ambiguity around quiet hiring.
In an ideal scenario, it serves as a short-term measure to keep operations running while supporting internal promotions.
Employees given these opportunities gain training, experience, and new skills.
They shouldn’t simply fill someone else’s role; they should also receive fair compensation for added responsibilities.
This creates a win-win situation—companies cover talent gaps ethically, and employees gain experience and rewards.
Now, let’s explore quiet hiring in internal recruitment.
You might notice shifts in your department or role.
Even if you don’t want to be quietly reassigned, you may choose to take control of your career instead.
After reviewing policies and discussing with your supervisor, it’s time to prepare your resume for the internal role.
These five tips will help you craft a strong internal resume.
One advantage is your familiarity with the recruitment process.
You may have interacted with HR or hiring managers before.
Your resume should be clear and easy to follow, whether read by a person or an applicant tracking system (ATS).
You can structure your resume in three ways:
This is your chance to demonstrate that you’ve earned this internal move or promotion.
Being an insider gives you specific knowledge of workloads, departments, and company structure.
This familiarity is a major advantage.
Start your resume with this strength in your headline.
Highlight achievements such as:
Your summary should match the role you’re targeting.
Go further by tailoring it to the readers assessing your resume.
Consider which accomplishments would impress supervisors, hiring managers, or colleagues in that department.
Use three to five sentences to highlight your top achievements and results.
Often, colleagues applying for internal positions come from the same or similar departments. Their roles might overlap, with comparable responsibilities and achievements.
So, how do you differentiate yourself in this situation?
Focus on these three resume sections to stand out:
The experience section should reflect your personal journey in your current role.
Describe honestly your years in the department, focusing on:
This part of the resume is also an opportunity to show why you enjoy your work.
Choose examples that highlight your deep understanding of the organization and the contributions you’ve made to improve the workplace.
For example, here’s how one candidate updated her resume while moving from administrator to recruiter:
Are you hoping to expand your experience in a certain niche this year? Or have you dreamed of contracting with a major company?
Quiet hiring could serve as the boost you need. Companies use this method to bring in outside contractors for specific skill gaps, giving access to prestigious roles that might otherwise seem unreachable.
All that’s needed is relevant experience, a targeted resume, and a bit of persistence.
When thinking about your resume, keep in mind three key areas recruiters and ATS systems will focus on:
The top section of your resume is critical. Include links to a current portfolio, whether on a website, LinkedIn, or GitHub.
This lets potential employers see your technical skills and practical work firsthand.
To highlight your work further, dedicate a section to one to three projects you are proud of.
Choose projects that:
Skills
Both technical and soft skills are important.
Technical skills show your proficiency with tools and systems.
Soft skills cover communication, problem-solving, and teamwork—your overall professional value.
Include skills throughout your resume by:
Also, remember ATS systems scan for relevant keywords, but demonstrate how you applied your skills. Avoid making your resume just a list of tasks; focus on accomplishments and results.
You may suddenly find yourself in a private meeting with HR, receiving an offer out of the blue.
Initially, it’s natural to question, “Why me?”
Quiet hiring is an opportunity to gain new skills and responsibilities. You’ll also meet colleagues from other departments and potentially move to more rewarding roles.
Before accepting, gather all details to understand the full picture.
After your discussion, clarify:
Quiet hiring is a chance to grow, but consider if this shift aligns with your career goals. Not everyone, for instance, wants to move from coding to team leadership.
Understand the KPIs for your new responsibilities. Once you know the expectations, plan how to meet them.
Keep a record of your achievements and performance on your resume. New opportunities may arise unexpectedly.
With your new role defined, consider the personal benefits.
This is also when questions about ethics and fair compensation come into play—making sure your effort is recognized appropriately.
Will your salary increase? Or will you gain flexible working hours and extra time off? Maybe this could even make you eligible for a monthly bonus?
In the end, do your added responsibilities contribute toward annual performance reviews or a potential year-end promotion?
After finishing your negotiation, always ensure that everything is documented in writing, so both sides are clear and accountable.
Before accepting this opportunity, think about how it might affect your work-life balance.
In a few months, you might have taken on even more responsibilities on top of an already full workload. Suddenly, you may realize it’s impossible to manage everything at the same time.
Feeling overwhelmed by all your “to-dos” and facing burnout, you could eventually decide it’s time to move on to a new role.
This scenario is all too common in many workplaces.
Keep your resume updated and ready. Because when one door closes, another job opportunity may appear that brings greater satisfaction and less added pressure.
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