More human resources departments are focusing on new directions in 2012 because of new technology, the continued jobless recovery, and the influx millennials in the work force, according to consulting firm SIS International Research's white paper on human resources trends in recruitment and talent management.

Specifically, the research shows that companies are increasingly moving to online assessments, which are believe to be less costly and time consuming. Corporate branding is also becoming a larger part of the application experience, and HR professionals are now using data mining tools and analysis to better predict an applicant's prospects for succeeding at a new company.

Social media and mobile platforms are being used as important tools to attract applicants, the research finds, and respondents say these tools are also helpful for administering initial applicant assessments. Large employers tend to conduct assessments earlier in the recruiting process while small-to mid-size employers usually focus on candidate quality and culture matches. Still, size is not the primary determinant of objectives. In fact, employers are seemingly focusing on the volume of recruits.