In part one, we looked at what continuous candidate engagement (CCE) is and why it’s so important to focus on in the recruiting process. Here, we’ll look at how to use artificial intelligence (AI) and other technological tools to help recruiters provide CCE in your company.
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Using information parsed from Jobvite’s recent report, The New Model for Modern Recruiting: Continuous Candidate Engagement, we’ll uncover ways AI is helping recruiters improve candidate engagement.
Reduce Time on Mundane Tasks
How much time do you, or your recruiters, devote to searching for candidates, scheduling interviews, or doing background checks? These are all simple tasks that technology can assist you with, which ultimately would increase your time interacting with candidates.
According to Jobvite, “By automating routine recruiting tasks, AI frees up time for recruiters and hiring managers to devote attention to the human aspects of the job that will create high-quality interactions throughout the candidate journey.”
However, there are some tasks recruiters say they prefer to keep unautomated, such as managing the interview process, doing phone screens, and salary negotiations. Jobvite also highlights other areas recruiters would like to focus on in order to improve CCE. These include:
- Spending time with top candidates;
- Collaborating with hiring managers to level-set expectations;
- Evaluating candidates in new ways (e.g., algorithms), opening up opportunities to the best candidates with less bias;
- Increasing speed to hire; and
- Creating a continuous feedback loop of performance and recruiting data that algorithms—and, in turn, the business—can learn from.
Provide an Overall Better Experience, Which Leads to Continuous Engagement
Not only does CCE allow for a faster, easier, and cheaper recruiting process, but it also allows recruiters to focus on what matters most—the candidate. When recruiters are free to engage with the candidate, rather than focusing on mundane tasks that AI can handle, it can leave every candidate (even the rejected ones) with a positive brand impression.
Jobvite points out that with the time saved doing mundane tasks, “recruiters can strengthen their relationships with hiring managers to hone in on exactly what they are looking for and really get to know candidates.”
As for hiring managers, AI allows them to fill positions faster without having to evaluate hundreds of unqualified candidates. Hiring managers can also use a mobile app, such as Jobvite Text powered by Canvas, to find out where the candidate is in the process.
By utilizing mobile technology, hiring managers can even view and respond to interview feedback while on the go. Not only does this type of technology make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers, but it’s also providing timely feedback to the candidate, which will leave him or her with a positive experience.
When using AI for online or mobile applications, it’s important that your technology is easy to use, doesn’t require a lot of steps, and doesn’t consistently crash. Jobvite uses the following example to explain this further:
Let’s say you’re choosing between two companies. Company A made you log in and complete 20 questions before the application crashed and you had to do it all over again. Company B’s online application took five clicks to complete, and you received a lovely thank-you note that set expectations regarding when they’d be getting back to you.
Jobvite also uses this example to showcase how you can potentially improve CCE by using mobile technology and company-branded swag:
Company A gave you the wrong directions and no parking instructions for the interview. Company B not only sent you a map to the office via text but also welcomed you at reception with a smile and a gift bag filled with branded material, including a very cool t-shirt.
It’s not surprising that a candidate would choose Company B in both of these examples. Not only is Company B engaging with the candidate at every stage, but it’s also offering something of value to improve the experience. According to Jobvite, “Great engagement makes great experiences and ultimately helps a candidate decide whether to accept or reject a job offer.”
With all the information provided above and in yesterday’s article, using AI can help improve the candidate experience, and focusing on CCE in your company is the perfect way to attract today’s top talent.