#3 Reasons Why the Style of Hiring Should Change Organizations need to find more objective and cost-effective ways of finding and selecting talent

The world of hiring has changed completely. There was a time when the focus was merely on asking technical questions. Then dawned the realization that focusing only on the technical competence of an individual was an incomplete method. To ensure that a candidate was a right fit, a more balanced view needed to be taken and the behavioural aspects began to gain importance. The definition of skill itself broadened and in time became more comprehensive.

However, according to Arpita Kuila, Head - Human Resources, at NEC Technologies India Pvt. Ltd, (the Transferee Company post intra group merger and now named as "NEC Technologies India Pvt. Ltd.''), we need to be more conscious of the questions that we ask.

"We must remember in today's world that just as we are assessing a candidate, they are also assessing us through our conduct during an interview to understand whether they want to join us. Also as an interviewer, you are a representative of the organization and a window to it. Thus based on your behaviour, people will judge the entire organization. Hiring style should always uphold the organizational ethics. That way, irrespective of whether the selected candidate chooses to join or not - they will always have a positive recollection of the organization," she notified.

AI can Improve the Recruitment Process Radically

As recruiters understand, the search for talent is becoming more challenging. Globalization and digitization are reshaping economies of the world. Many professionals, specially the millennium generation are becoming digital nomads and travelling the world while they work. To address some of these challenges, organizations need to find more objective and cost-effective ways of finding and selecting talent. Companies are turning to Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies for a multitude of tasks: data analysis, digital mapping and especially automating repetitive, high volume tasks.

Kunal Sen, Managing Director, Korn Ferry Futurestep, feels AI can improve the recruitment process in three key ways-

Streamline the Process

An organization that recruits 200 people per year with a ratio of 20 applicants for each job, evaluates nearly 4,000 applicants for those positions. Processing those applications, reviewing candidates, identifying the best (and worst) applicants and scheduling and conducting interviews can be an expensive and time-intensive process. It makes sense then to deploy technology to streamline this process. AI takes a more holistic view, being able to source, analyze and collate multiple sources of data (from public websites and company's existing systems) on multiple candidates, market and industry. It can also deliver this intelligence with lightning speed and accuracy. HR professionals can return to what they do best: focus on connecting with candidates, engaging with them and getting them hired.

Identify the Best Candidates

AI can also help determine great from good and predict with better accuracy the likelihood of candidates being successful. For example, AI can enhance the Job Description by augmenting the search function with additional key words to find the best candidates. Say you're searching for a 'Web Developer.' If you use a standard keyword search across job boards, you will source a number of candidates quickly. But you're only identifying candidates who use that exact title to describe what they do. Some Web Developers call themselves 'IT Programmer' or 'Web Programmer'. AI can identify these variables, identify what variables are key and add them to your search, quickly and easily.

Enhance Candidate Experience

HR professionals often cannot respond in a timely fashion to the vast numbers of applications they receive. This process only demoralizes candidates who may share their frustrations with vast networks of friends on social media, thus colouring others' perception of the brand. AI can promptly advise candidates of the progress of their application and notify when they are no longer considered. AI has the potential to deeply transform recruiter productivity but will not replace the core functions of HR professionals.

Scientific tools to make competence assessment and selection process more objective

Amitabh Akhauri, Chief Human Resources Officer, Jindal Stainless, believes hiring has been made a lot easier now, and technology is a big enabler in this. "The old methods of scanning resumes and investing human effort in pre-screening and screening of candidates have been done away with. Technology has helped us make these more objective now, and this also reduces both time and effort. In future scientific tools will be used widely to make competence assessment and selection process more objective. This in turn will reduce effort immensely and help make finer decisions," he elaborated.

Video calls have also become very simple and have the potential to change the recruitment process expansively. There's a quicker turnaround time with video calls, the output of selection is the same, and this also supplements privacy for the candidate. Moreover, it allows a faster response time and closure.

"With technology making lives easier, it is the time to make full utilization of it and help make hiring more objective and time-saving," concluded Akhauri.