Technology and Human Connection Will Drive Recruiting Success

HR analyst Josh Bersin recently observed that while HR technology is rapidly changing across the board, the most dynamic area of growth is in recruiting technology.

New advancements in AI, assessment, sourcing tech and mobile functionality have radically altered the recruiting experience for both recruiters and candidates, thus challenging organizations and their talent teams to strike a balance between the need for automation and human interaction.

We expect these advancements to pave the way for significant change and predict these six trends will take the spotlight this year:

1. Persuasive Candidate Experiences
   

   Early impressions are crucial to long-term retention. Today’s candidates want more than just a paycheck, and their experiences (think consumer-level) during the application and interview process can make or break their decision to stay with your company. Our 2019 Job Seeker Survey found that candidates are looking for an easy, straightforward application process, timely communication from recruiters and a career site that answers their questions and connects them with relevant opportunities. According to Deloitte, almost 90% of candidates say that a positive interview experience has the power to change their minds about a job. For recruiters, this means that designing engaging candidate experiences can give you a competitive edge when it comes to recruiting top talent.

2. Advances in Recruitment AI

   Recruiting technology is rapidly evolving across the board, but we’re seeing the biggest gains in the areas of automation and AI. AI can help employers identify and remove bias during the interview process, screen candidates based on specific requirements, interact with candidates via chatbots and assess candidate responses during video interviews. With so many new applications hitting the market, companies will need to have a firm understanding of their needs so they can evaluate new tools. This will require a ‘best of class’ mentality that considers tools on a case-by-case basis and implements the ones that support company objectives most effectively. On the candidate side, AI can also be used to create personalized job recommendations, automated communications and custom experiences based on previous interactions with your career site.

3. Mobile Job Search Experiences
   

   Researchers at the World Advertising Research Center predict that within five years, almost three-quarters of Internet users will access the web exclusively by smartphone. That means your mobile job site and mobile application process should be a top priority as we head into the next decade. As consumer tech becomes increasingly intuitive and user-friendly, candidates will expect the same capabilities from the tech they use to find an employer. Mobile-optimized career sites and applications will be key to connecting with the next generation of workers.

4. Demand for Essential Skills
   

   In this age of rapidly changing technology and skills requirements, soft skills are shifting from “nice-to-haves” to “essentials” – so much so that the nomenclature has followed suit. Many companies now refer to abilities like critical thinking, leadership, problem solving, communication and teamwork as essential skills, and they sometimes take precedence over hard skills that can be taught later. Driving this trend is an explosion of new technology that is expected to permanently alter the workforce. Companies with teams full of critical thinkers who can adapt quickly will find themselves at the forefront of their industries, while those who are married to old methodologies will lag behind. These essential skills also set human workers apart from AI, making them a valuable asset to candidates entering the workforce.

5. Culture-First Hiring and Better Employer Brand
   

   Three-quarters of job seekers will consider the reputation of your company as an employer before applying for a job. Known as your employer brand, this reputation includes your culture, perspectives, and values, and it has the power to attract or repel your most desirable candidates. But it’s not enough to create a desirable brand on paper. Your brand has to infuse the employee experience, and it should also align with the ethos of the company as a whole. As competition for top talent remains fierce, your ability to communicate culture and brand effectively can be a deciding factor for many candidates.

6. Predictive Analytics Drive Recruiting Decisions
   

   Recruiters rely on data to source, screen, interview and assess candidates, and that means companies need clean, accurate data as well as a clear analytics strategy for the best results. Data capture and analysis can tell you the “what” and “why” of your recruiting strategy, but you’ll need to go one step further to transform decision-making. That final step involves AI, and it uses previous data to make future predictions. Known as predictive analytics, this capability will be a differentiator for companies looking to make the most of their data moving forward.

As you consider recruitment strategies for the next decade, we foresee additional advancements in technology – particularly in the area of AI – to remain a driving force. But you can’t overlook the human component of recruiting, especially for engagement and retention. Candidates still want to interact with real people, and interpersonal communication remains a vital aspect of engagement. By effectively integrating cutting edge technology with the essential skills of human connection, you can position yourself as an employer of choice for 2020 and beyond.