Streamlining the Hiring Process with the Aid of Technology This is how technology empowers both recruiters and job seekers, thanks to the wealth of data available for both parties.

India is in the midst of a digital flux — technology, greater access to the Internet, the smartphone revolution and the huge chunk of millennials and Gen Z'ers are factors bound to make an impact on the job market and hiring landscape.

India has a young population, with 443 million millennials and 393 million Generation Z, (those born in 2000-2001). In fact, the Gen Z will beat millennials comprising 32 per cent of the world population, according to Bloomberg analysis of UN data. The new generation will have never seen a pre-digital world. The millennials and Gen Z are also flirting with the newest trend on the block, the gig culture. This means that companies have to deal not just with a burgeoning job market but also high attrition rates. Companies need to accommodate non-monetary yet meaningful incentives such as flexi-timings, telecommuting and "bring-your-own-device' (BYOD) to match the perks that a gig culture brings.

One of the first challenges on the recruitment front is to look for the right CVs. Applicant tracking systems can be used to look for the right CVs and discard those that are not a match for what the company requires for a specific job requirement. Recruiters can set up focused online searches with specific keywords to get the right match.

The use of tracking systems to send out emails or schedule interviews can speed up screening and hiring, and save the company much manual work that is also expensive and error-prone. Online assessment forums and platforms provide recruiters tools to assess personality and skill tests.

Chatbots to keep conversations going

Any talk of technology making inroads into the recruitment process is incomplete without the mention of AI and automation. One of the biggest trends is the use of chatbots to answer queries on the status of applications, job description or company culture. Both millennials and the Gen Z population live, play, work and consume in a digitally transformed ecosystem and are used to having information on their fingertips. Lack of information or engagement can lead them to abandon a task or activity and the same applies to work as well. It is imperative that recruiters create a digital environment that matches those that aspirants are used to.

Power of effective onboarding

Onboarding is an important aspect of the recruitment process and it is not just enough to get the right CVs and hire the right people for a job; it is also important to get employees onboard in a hassle-free manner. One way to do so is provide mobile-optimised HR forms and welcome messages. Another way is to provide introductions via video. Offering digital/online workshops and training will also go a long way in making a fresh hire feel welcome.

Technology empowers both recruiters and job seekers, thanks to the wealth of data available for both parties. The right use of recruiting technology is all about bringing together and linking the talent pool with firms scouting for them, and creating a more productive environment at the new-gen workplaces.

Digitalizing Resumes

In many ways, the resume is one of the sure ways to create an impactful impression. Too much text and recruiters will have to devote additional efforts to skim through the details, too little and there could be a chance of missing out on crucial bit of information that ought to be communicated.

With the use of services offered by employment portals, candidates now have the means and sources to present their experience and expertise in a visually appealing manner. Some employment portals also help recruiters call relevant resumes.