The labour market in Ukraine has changed due to the war and its consequences. Some companies have lost part of their teams and are experiencing staff shortages, while job seekers are being forced to relocate and are seeking greater flexibility from employers. At the same time, the need for inclusive approaches to hiring new employees is growing.

This handbook is a practical complement to the online course Modern Recruiting, which we developed together with State Employment Service in spring 2026 as part of Inclusive Employment project. The course helps master the full cycle of modern recruiting – from vacancy analysis and candidate sourcing to inclusive selection and working with analytics. In this handbook, we expanded on the course topics by adding more real-life examples, case analyses, and tools for recruiters’ day-to-day work.

“Modern recruiting is increasingly focused on skills, potential, and willingness to learn. In this handbook, we have compiled practical solutions that will help employers adapt to new realities and create opportunities for a wider range of professionals – including internally displaced persons (IDPs), veterans, candidates aged 50+, and people with disabilities. Each of them is experienced, motivated, and full of ideas,” says Olha Voitovych, PMP®, Civil Society Development and Support Cluster Lead and Project Manager of Inclusive Employment project.

The modern recruiting handbook consists of seven thematic chapters:

• Chapter 1. Fundamentals of Modern Recruiting
  Chapter 2. Inclusive Recruiting
  Chapter 3. Preparing Job Seekers for Negotiations with Employers. Elements of Career Counselling in Recruiting
  Chapter 4. Innovative Recruiting. Use of AI in Recruiters’ Work
  Chapter 5. Social Media Work for State Employment Service Recruiters
  Chapter 6. Cooperation with Partners
  Chapter 7. Recruiter Time Management and Self-Organisation in Conditions of Multitasking and Intensive Work

“The role of Employment Service specialist is to act as an intermediary between the reality of the candidate and the needs of the employer, provide guidance in the labour market, and create equal opportunities. The modern recruiting handbook is practical support for those who help people find jobs and employers find talent every day,” adds Yuliia Zhovtiak, Director of State Employment Service.

The handbook reflects the profile of a modern recruiter on three levels:

Technical Level – “I know how it works and I know how to use it”

• This refers to proficiency with tools – such as job profiles, analytics, AI, social media, and more – that help make recruiting a manageable and structured process.

Values Level – “I work with people, not vacancies”

• This includes an inclusive approach, understanding candidate motivation, career counselling, and post-employment support.

Organisational Level – “I build a sustainable environment for my work”

• This level covers cooperation with employers, engagement with partners, and skills in self-organisation and time management.

The handbook will be useful for recruitment professionals, Employment Service staff, HR teams, employers, and anyone seeking to implement modern and inclusive hiring approaches.

The handbook is available free of charge and can be viewed and downloaded via the link (UA).

The Inclusive Employment Project is being implemented by East Europe Foundation within the framework of the Multi Donor Initiative Skills4Recovery, which is financed by the European Union, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Denmark, and is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL).