5 Ways to Speed Up the Recruiting Process

Technology can be a blessing and a curse. No matter how you view technology, one thing remains clear: it’s taking over, and the workplace is no exception!

Employers are increasingly using HR technology to help attract and hire the best talent. Despite the widespread adoption of these tools, many businesses leaders indicate they still want a human touch for critical moments during the recruitment process, according to a report released by global talent solutions firm Randstad Sourceright.
Based on a survey of more than 800 human capital leaders, Randstad Sourceright’s Talent Trends research found that when it comes to tasks such as searching for talent, half (51%) of employers believe initial screening should be mostly or completely automated. Similarly, the same percentage feel that automation is useful for tracking HR data/metrics and for the creation and management of HR analytics.
However, talent leaders still value human interactions because they say a personal touch at certain points in the recruitment process keeps candidates engaged. The top three functions employers believe benefit from a personal touch include shortlisting candidates by video interviews (28%), scheduling interviews with candidates (27%), and managing talent communities and engagement (26%).
No matter where employers come down on the tech vs. human touch divide, 65% believe that the candidate experience will be positively enhanced by the continued advancement of HR technologies and that these new tools will free up recruiters to focus on more knowledge-intensive work.

5 Ways to Speed Up the Recruiting Process

According to Randstad Sourceright’s findings, smart technologies that are powered by artificial intelligence, machine learning, and analytics will have the greatest impact on your recruitment process. Randstad Sourceright says that “innovation will accelerate output, aid in the selection of candidates and give you better access to talent.”
When using technology in the recruiting process, things like chatbots are a great way to enhance engagement and help connect talent with hiring managers. This results in a better candidate experience. And as we know, candidate experience is the most important thing these days. Randstad Sourceright offers the following tips for using smart technology to speed up the recruiting process:

1. Optimize your investments. There are many technologies on the market, so choose wisely. Randstad Sourceright suggests one way to ensure the highest return is to consider any acquisition holistically. Randstad Sourceright says to think beyond time and cost savings and ask yourself how a recruiting marketing platform or chatbot can lead to greater engagement and higher recruitment conversions. When building a business case for new technologies, account for all the benefits and costs that might result, this way you’re getting the most bang for your buck.
2. Know when to automate. It’s tempting to automate as many steps in your recruitment function as possible, but technology isn’t always the best option for getting work done. Randstad Sourceright suggests determining which tasks favor the human touch, such as those requiring empathy, a white-glove experience, or subjective interaction. Also, take into account that some technologies may be too cost-prohibitive at this point (over time this will likely change). For those that currently don’t make sense, Randstad Sourceright suggests revisiting their viability in 6 months, since technology development is accelerating all the time.
3. Seek help for clarity. According to Randstad Sourceright’s findings, human capital leaders are being asked to be experts across many areas: processes, operations, etc. Adding technology to the growing list is just one more demand asked of you. Randstad Sourceright suggests looking for support when it makes sense. You can gain the insights you need from industry analysts, professional organizations, technology vendors, and your talent strategy or outsourcing partners. A recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) or managed services provider (MSP) will likely have deep expertise and the implementation experience you need to help facilitate your investment.
4. Help your teams transition. One of the most promising aspects of smart technologies is their ability to free up your workforce to focus on more strategic and value-added services. Randstad Sourceright suggests helping your workers redefine their roles post-technology-implementation to keep them engaged and productive. Explain how tools will help them shift their focus to create greater value to recruitment outcomes.
5. Don’t forget the candidate. If your goal is to enhance recruitment conversions, make sure your technology strategy also accounts for the candidate experience. Tools that enhance communication, make the application process easier, provide status tracking, serve content, and engage job seekers in other ways should be part of your investment roadmap.

By using technology in the recruiting process, not only will you help to create a more memorable hiring journey for talent, but you will also greatly improve your overall employer brand. In turn, this will help create an unforgettable candidate experience and hopefully speed up your recruiting efforts.
For more information on Randstad Sourceright’s Q3 Talent Trends report, click here.