THE FUTURE OF RECRUITMENT
It seems no sector is immune from technology disruption. Over the past 5 -10 years we have seen huge operating shifts or the “Uberisation” across multiple industries, including Financial services / Healthcare / Travel & Logistics and many more. As technology evolves, many have started to question how this will affect Human Resources and perhaps even the future of recruitment.
If we look at the way that technology has changed, many of our commonly accepted practices have changed rapidly in recent times, ostensibly to make our lives easier and more efficient, from self-driving cars to robotic vacuum cleaners. Similarly, in the business world, the automation of labour-intensive manual tasks can provide significant reductions in time, costs and human error.
The recruitment industry is certainly no exception, with a multitude of technological solutions designed to improve all manner of recruitment processes. But as the automated capabilities of these technologies steadily improves, what might the future look like for recruiters?
At its simplest level, technology would certainly aid with more effective candidate screening. Though an essential part of the recruitment process, applicant screening can be painstaking, time-consuming and prone to error – especially when sifting through high volumes of applications.
Automated screening solutions can help to increase efficiency by taking over manual tasks such as cross-checking factual data, flagging gaps or errors, or reviewing against predefined criteria. However, the generally “black and white” approach of algorithms means that at present, human intervention is still a necessity.
We may also be able to utilise more effective analysis of outcomes. Using “big data” and advanced analytics we can better predict how candidates would behave in certain situations. Making the crucial decision of which candidate is most suitable for any given role is an ongoing challenge for recruiters. So, wouldn’t it be great to have an accurate insight into which applicant is most likely to prove the best fit?
By applying the advanced analytical capabilities of modern technology to the candidate selection process, recruiters would be equipped with valuable predictions to inform their decision. For example, historical data might reveal who out of a group of candidates is most likely to remain in the position for the longest time.
One thing I have personally witnessed over the past 2-3 years is the increase of video resumes. As a tool, video resumes may be challenging for the applicants, but they are great for you as a recruiter. You see the candidate’s personality without even inviting them for an interview. You can see how nervous or relaxed they are in front of the camera. You can read their body language and hear their speech. You can’t get those impressions from a written resume or CV. This trend is expanding and many candidates are willing to present themselves through video; you just need to embrace that technique.
As perhaps somewhat of a recruitment dinosaur, I have faced personal challenges in ensuring that I and we as a business move with the times. One of the things that we have really embraced as a group, and would arguably be a market leader in, is our investment in social media in building our community. Social media has practically revolutionised recruitment practices and it’s important to tap into that potential. First of all, these platforms help get the word out about a job opening. That’s not where the benefits end, though.
Social media is an entire pool of talent, however, you need to be discerning in how you access and engage with that pool. Not every follower of your organisation’s page is worthy of consideration. Not every influencer in your niche is incredibly knowledgeable and skilled. Your role is to identify the ones that are. Employers are investing resources not only in social media marketing but in recruiting through these platforms as well. They have talent hunters all over LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms.
Having said that, I would still defend more traditional practices of building deep relationships through face-to-face and genuine connections. One could argue that the “bigger” the social or online pool of candidates becomes, ironically, the greater need there is for an individual or human to sift through that talent to properly assess them. However, I cannot ignore the reality that if we don’t change, like dinosaurs, we too will face extinction.
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