Due to the impacts of the Great Resignation and COVID-19, candidates looking for work have been in the driver's seat in terms of choices and places to work. As a result, many employees and candidates are not being shy about their preferences.

The Lighthouse Research & Advisory report, Hiring is more Critical Than Ever: How Employers and Candidates are Evolving in the Current Market, says the most important thing to candidates during the hiring process is the starting hourly rate for the position they are applying for (more than 55%). Another top priority is a fast application process (more than 40%). Rounding out the top five priorities for applicants are transparency on the status of an application, a hiring test that lets the recruit show off their skills and finally a recruiter that makes the person feel appreciated.

And while it might be assumed that the trend toward transparency is driven by younger workers, that's not necessarily the case, according to the report. Make it well into the hiring process only to find that their time was wasted on an employer that couldn't match their salary expectations. And while pay transparency is important to all candidates, it increases in priority as candidate's age (48% of 25-34 year olds, 61% of those 35-44, and 70% of those 45 and older).