The Technology of Recruitment

This article is provided for us by Samantha McGawley, Marketing Manager at Online Resourcing. Online Resourcing is an award winning online recruitment solutions business who specialise in using technology in the recruitment process.

 

The world of recruiting is becoming more and more technological.

In today’s crowded job market, it’s not easy to pick out the perfect candidate early on. Companies can find themselves losing a lot of time just trying to sift the wheat from the chaff at the very beginning of the recruitment process; this is why technology is lending a hand in recruitment.

Given that more and more employees are applying online, it goes without saying that a screening process needs to be put in place to save recruiters time from going through inappropriate candidates.

Applicant Tracking

Applicant tracking systems are becoming the norm when it comes to online applications. At the very first hurdle, the software decides if candidates are appropriate to move on to the next level.

While smaller firms may be slow in taking up applicant tracking systems, most – if not all – big companies use this software. It takes the time out of the long process of sifting through thousands of applications.

For those who don’t make it through, there’s a chance of being offered interview later on. Applicant tracking software is capable of looking back through previous applicants and pick out candidates for another job opportunity.

Already, recruiters like Online Resourcing are praising the pros of the software. For their electronic selection process, Online Recruitment has chosen Talent Match as their chosen software providers. It’s an applicant tracking system used by clients such as Bank of Ireland, Peak Scientific and Arco.

On the use of electronic selection, Oliver Adderley, Managing Director, said: “This product was a no brainer. We spoke to our clients and asked them what they needed.

“It made no sense to create software that didn’t actually answer HR professional’s recruitment needs, that’s why we worked closely with our clients to create it and make it perfect.

“Talent Match strives for optimal relevance, total transparency and an easy process.”

Playing Games

Bringing in another level of recruiting, some firms have taken to finding good candidates early on by way of an interactive game.

According to the BBC, Talent consultancy The Chemistry Group offers a screening service via an interactive video game. Faced with various, appropriate dilemmas, potential employees can direct their avatar to rectify each situation as appropriate.

Another agency named SHL offers a series of online simulations, where an angry boss demands solutions to a variety of problems.

Offering even less scope for employees to prove themselves right away is another agency which employs the use of video interview. Allowing applicants to answer three questions over a webcam, recruiters make snap decisions on who they will take to the next level.

Social Media

Social media is getting in on the recruiting game too. According to Forbes, 98% of surveyed staffing professionals reported that they had gone to social media to recruit employees.

At the moment, LinkedIn is the main go-to for social media recruiters. The social website offers employees the chance to upload their CV and endorse other job-seeker’s abilities. It’s a great tool for finding the right staff at the right time.

It looks like other social networking sites are starting to get their line share of use, too. Facebook is about to launch a powerful searching tool, Graph Search, a searching engine which will allow recruiters to find appropriate candidates by way of appropriate phrases.

Another thing Graph Search helps out with is searching where people work and who works at a specific company. Facebook currently does not accommodate searching for employees of companies, whereas Linkedin instantly shows who is working for each company.

So it’s certainly time for Facebook users to scrub up their pages for prospective employers.

Oliver Adderley added:  “The key to online recruitment is balance.

“Although social is important, it is vital that it is combined with the right media. Employers need to understand the job board and social market place before making a decision.”

While it may seem that technology is starting to take the humanity out of recruitment, the simple fact of the matter is that recruitment can take up a lot of time; for both parties involved. These quick and easy processes cut the time needed short. Leaving face to face interviews to the very last step save both employee and employer plenty of time.