What Will They Think of Next?
Over the last 5 years, it is no secret that recruitment technology has made incredible advancements, staying on track with our ever-evolving digital world. Recruiting technology is no different. I recently attended a conference discussing the latest and greatest Recruiting Software. THIS amateur was in shock and awe, to say the least!
I’ve been in the recruiting industry for enough years to know the major players (or so I thought). I mean, didn’t we just get email addresses? Gosh, I’m old.
The buzz last year revolved around “Employer Branding” and “Recruiting Metrics”; this year technology is King. According to a survey I conducted with my subscriber list (of almost 17,000 people), 87% feel that technology is improving the recruiting industry, while the other 13% feel that it is creating a hyper-competitive market and slowing the process.
A Whole New Ball Game
The presenter had an entire slide full of software names I have never heard of – technology that contacts large numbers of candidates, conducts automated phone interviews (based on questions and benchmarks the Human Resource Department or hiring authority creates), screens candidates (all the way down to their voice inflections), and forwards qualified applicants to the appropriate contact within the company. All without any employee having to pick up the phone! Other software detects levels of engagement among employees, even signaling when an employee may be considering a career move!
I couldn’t decide if these advancements excited or concerned me. Is Big Brother taking over? What are the proper uses of these software programs, and how should Recruiting professionals use them without crossing an ethical line?
The type of software is called API (or Application Program Interface). It is a SaaS-based interface that is designed to work with your company’s current software, rather than in place of it. And – it is not something you need a major ERP system to run, so it is relatively affordable and available to organizations smaller than the Fortune-sized frontrunners.
Just a Couple of the Players in the Recruitment Technology Space
Technology companies like Hire Vue cover digital interviewing, digital assessments, scheduling, and even predictive analytics. They will coach your current employees and provide insights – all through their software!
Another company, Text Recruit, has an artificial intelligence chat bot, named Ari, that utilizes their technical platform and corresponds with potential candidates, all via text. Companies don’t have to use Ari – they can utilize the program to correspond (almost immediately), with potential qualified candidates coming through their portal, or even to build upon the engagement of current employees.
Getting With the Program
Back to the presentation I attended. The attendees consisted of Human Resource professionals, other Recruiters, and Consultants. To my surprise, most of them were familiar with either some of the software being described, were already using it, or were in the process of evaluating several providers. Guess I had better fine tune my skills!
What are some of your favorite “innovative” recruitment technologies? How did you discover them?
Natalie Lemons is the President of the Resilience Group, LLC, and the author of The Resilient Recruiter. Please follow her blog for more articles like this, plus helpful free downloads for recruiters or those starting a Recruiting business. For job seekers, please follow her sister site, Need a New Gig for interviewing and job seeking advice.
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