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Key points: 

• Technology such as AI and machine learning make job applications and recruitment as simple as clicking a button
• Technology enables better methods for recruitment, such as referrals apps via Microsoft
• Recruitment is no longer limited to old channels and sources. It’s easier than ever for businesses to expand their reach when recruiting. 

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With COVID-19 necessitating that almost everything go online, it’s hardly any surprise that recruitment is no exception. As work moves remotely, the process of finding new candidates, vetting them, and then onboarding qualified ones must also follow suit. One can clearly see the effect of technology in requirement in the rising popularity of online job portals, online networking platforms like LinkedIn, virtual interviews, and much more.

In this article, we’ll explore how technology is changing requirements, and how companies can leverage new tools to make sure changing practices are to their advantage. 

 

Faster, more convenient application

Previously, applying for a job meant a tedious process of filling out several forms, submitting credentials, and then hoping for a job interview. For the recruiter, they’d have to coordinate interview schedules, scan every single application, and then contact qualified candidates.

Automation via tech such as artificial intelligence (AI) reduces the application process to just a few steps on both sides of the equation. For example, automated tools can use AI to source candidates, administer assessments, schedule interviews and provide regular updates to candidates as the recruitment process moves along. 

There are real-world examples of businesses using tech to speed up applications. In 2019, McDonald’s used social media platform Snapchat to allow job seekers to instantly apply for a career at McDonald's restaurants through the Snapchat app, videoing themselves and giving reasons why they want to work for the company. This way, both applicant and recruiter save precious time.

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Better, faster referrals

Referrals have long been acknowledged as one of the best avenues for recruitment. For one, 45% of employees sourced from referrals stay for over 4 years, saving businesses a ton on turnover costs. Second, 82% of employees rated employee referrals above all other sourcing options to yield the best ROI.

The effectiveness of referrals is why it’s important that businesses have tools that enable quick and efficient referrals online that also provide the best referral experience for both employee and recruiter. 

HR solutions firm Recruitday, for example, has leveraged Microsoft technologies to create various apps designed to encourage employees to make referrals for job openings at their own companies. Using Microsoft Teams, an employee can refer their friends to job openings, track their referrals, and rewards. The recruitment team, on the other hand, can efficiently manage these referral campaigns through the Microsoft Power Platform. In the case of one BPO services firm, they’ve reported seeing an uptick in engagement and an easier time recruiting talent.

With the job market tougher than ever, referrals are the best way for a company to immediately get the best possible ROI when recruiting. Boosted by tech like Microsoft Teams and the Power Platform, businesses may never go back to inefficient systems ever again. 

  

 

Bigger pools to source from

In the past, companies were limited to hiring within their immediate vicinity. That’s no longer the case—with remote work now the norm, many businesses have no qualms outsourcing certain functions to overseas workers or hiring team members who will exclusively work remotely. 

Additionally, there are simply more channels to source from. Aside from referrals, many companies use social media to spread the word about job openings and get closer to their target audience. Some businesses even use their own apps to recruit top talent. Pizza chain Domino’s, for example, created a pizza-making game that allows people to directly apply to Domino’s through the same app. 

By expanding the potential talent pool, businesses can spark more competition between prospects, ensuring that roles go to people who are best qualified. With technology, companies are no longer limited to recruiting whatever talent is around—instead, the world is literally their oyster.

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Data as a game-changer

The use of data isn’t a new concept when it comes to hiring. However, technology sees to it that businesses these days have access to more data than ever.

LinkedIn alone makes it easy to see the detailed job history of a potential candidate, on top of the endorsements, certificates, and awards they’ve earned. Used correctly and to its full potential, data usage can be a game-changer for recruiters. Having access to more data allows recruiters to make more informed and intelligent decisions when it comes to hiring, potentially saving on turnover and recruitment costs in the long run. 

Data-driven recruiting, sometimes aided by AI and machine learning, carries several benefits. According to Forbes, data-driven recruiting results in better decision-making, ensuring metrics align with business objectives. Using data also eliminates the odds of human error, with algorithms to screen candidates freeing HR personnel to concentrate on other business-critical tasks.

Overall, technology has changed recruitment for the better: it’s become more efficient, easier, and arguably more inexpensive. Anyone looking to succeed in the ‘New Normal’ needs to take note—or else risk falling behind their competition. 

 

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JUNE 04, 2021

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