The ever-evolving way technology has come into our lives has affected how people learn, study, work, communicate, think, and reflect. As a result, it plays a vital role in society today. We are living in an era where technological advances are standard. And humanity itself can only flourish by innovation. This includes occupational and how technology makes it easier to do specific tasks. And from the employer’s side, the hiring process can be influenced by technology that makes more efficient ways to build their teams.
Think of online platforms like Indeed and Glassdoor. Complete with employment portals for employers to vet job candidates. And even more, with ResumeFree™, employers can set up screening parameters that take away the purpose of having to include a resume – saving time and eliminating any biases that come from reading dull resumes.
Tech plays such a significant role in every aspect of the hiring process:
- Sourcing
- Screening
- Interviews
- Reference Checks
On average, it takes three months to fill a position. Let’s look at each component of hiring and how innovation speeds up the process.
Sourcing/Recruitment
From professional networking sites like LinkedIn and job boards to online applicant systems, technology has revolutionized recruitment, profoundly changing how employers and recruiters find potential candidates. Our previous blog talked about Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and how this AI can help HR and hiring management departments manage the influx of resumes they receive daily.
One significant benefit of an ATS is capturing data and matching resumes of previous applicants to current job openings. It can also help provide a more thorough look at potential candidates and at the same time help provide your potential candidate a look at the employer.
Let’s not forget about employer branding. As we mentioned in our “Recruitment Trends of 2022” blog, creating a well-rounded and appropriate company brand will attract candidates and keep the employee turnover rate low. And when you think about the workforce members of Gen Y and Z, an innovative and streamlined recruitment process can help bring in open-minded candidates and embrace technological improvements.
Screening
The most crucial stage in the recruitment process is identifying suitable candidates based on their skills, knowledge, and experience. And simply assessing a candidate on the skills mentioned in a resume aren’t enough to get a good sense of the potential hire. Technology has made it possible for recruiters and hiring managers to assess and hire job-fit candidates quickly.
The most significant pain point in the hiring process is an increased number of applicants, time and cost consumption methods, risk of poor hires and higher staff turnover. Screening technology can help speed up the process and evaluate candidates based on their job skills, personality traits, and logical reasoning.
Imagine eliminating the risk of bad hires while also saving time and resources by automatically using a platform to screen, grade and shortlist candidates for you.
Interviews
Especially now that most are working-from-home, some of us have been using technology in our everyday workday (Zoom calls, Slack chats, Microsoft Teams, etc.). So although the Pandemic may have been the catalyst, this also allows folks to meet quicker and for employers and candidates to align their busy schedules much easier because you don’t necessarily have to meet face-to-face anymore.
Imagine, for example; the candidate is away during the first round of interviews. You can suggest using Skype or Zoom to interview wherever each participant is in the world. This helps streamline the process for both parties.
Reference Checks
Checking candidate references has traditionally been a valuable part of the hiring process. Typically conducted through a lengthy phone interview to ensure that you’re finding the most qualified person who has a good work history with no failed probation periods and a work ethic you can trust.
These days, employers are using technology in different ways to check references. It’s no longer just about the phone calls. Employers are going on LinkedIn to find common connections with applicants. In a recent article on Channel Futures, Ashwin Krishnan, SVP of Product Management at HyTrust, says, “The first thing I do is ignore all references a candidate provides.”
The reason for this is that the list of references may not have the value that the six degrees of separation might have. Of course, the candidate will always send you the best references (friends, colleagues, etc.) who will, of course, say good things about you. But what about the mutual connections on LinkedIn? “It allows different managers, colleagues and direct reports to weigh in on a candidate’s contribution, attitude and perception across various organizations.”
From a time perspective, reference checking software exists to help recruiters and hiring managers automate or expedite the lengthy process of manually contacting a candidate’s references.
There are two reasons why technology needs to be embraced during your hiring process. The first is that innovation improves a function you already have in place. From an ROI standpoint, tech is helping businesses save time, resources, and, in turn, money. And for candidates, this improves an employer’s ability to find, screen, interview and hire the best talent. Because whatever you want to call it, “The Great Resignation” or “The Great Awakening,” candidates can be more selective in where they apply. But if your hiring process is innovative and makes it easier and faster for the company to make the best hire, your candidates will notice and want to work for a business that embraces new technology.
