4 Automation Techniques That Will Make You Rethink Recruitment Automation does the grudge work so you have more time and attention for getting to know the people who will build your company.
By Kes Thygesen Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The boom in technology is rapidly impacting every aspect of business, allowing companies to automate a lot of different practices, including the recruitment process.
However, many companies are still resistant. A 2016 Deloitte study of more than 7,000 respondents found that only 38 percent of companies are thinking about using technology for HR processes, and only 9 percent are fully ready. That doesn't mean the change won't be happening. Nearly three-quarters of companies believe this is an important priority, and 32 percent define it as very important, so it's a major area of opportunity for HR.
Is the resistance logical? Of course. Companies need to tread lightly, especially in HR, to avoid removing the human element from something as personal as recruiting.
Here's how to best use automation in the recruitment process.
Automate the application experience.
Refer to the employee experience to build an attractive recruitment process. The first step is an important one. When employees submit applications, companies need to make a great first impression to continually attract top talent.
A September 2014 study from Jibe found 23 percent of the 1,000 job seekers surveyed agreed that if they had issues filling out an online application, they would never apply for a job at that company again. Additionally, 60 percent of job seekers say they're deterred by technology hurdles.
Related: Why One Person Should Be Dedicated to Shepherding Recruitment at Your Company
When offering a streamlined application process, companies are engaging candidates with their brand in a positive way. Automation makes it simple for job seekers to set up profiles on a talent network, sign up for job alerts and quickly apply through their social media accounts. Convenience and simplicity are key to a good employee experience so providing mobile capability is another must.
Integrate features.
Integration is an employer's best friend. When platforms are integrated and bidirectional, the employer experience is vastly improved. Integrated features reduce paperwork and the labor used for filing and tracking applications.
For instance, a strong talent acquisition platform, like RolePoint Connect, links applications with applicant tracking systems (ATS) and CRMs, utilizing middleware to bridge the gaps and allow for an easy flow of information. When importing pertinent details and information, HR professionals don't hassle with ensuring the data is stored properly or that everyone has the information they need.
Related: How to Attract Awesome Talent During Employee Recruitment
Additionally, visual dashboards make it simple to access essential information at a glance. Nobody has to dig through file cabinets and sift through external hard drives anymore. The dashboard moves the entire talent acquisition process along quicker. Companies can even customize the flow of information as they scale.
Utilize analytics.
Technology provides the opportunity to track everything. This is important because when business operations like the recruiting process are tracked, organizations can gain a deeper understanding of the health of their talent acquisition program.
Analyzing data and statistics opens the door to solutions. When using analytics, companies can improve when processes need improvements. Data can provide a reading of what kinds of talent are coming from each source of hire and accurately measure the time it takes to process candidates and offer positions and even identify the success rates of employees.
Related: 4 Creative Tactics to Find and Recruit the Best Talent
Additionally, predictive analytics can forecast how talent will perform when they start their role. The advantage to knowing this cannot be overstated. These powerful tools ease the burden, and minimize the guesswork involved with recruiting.
Map skills.
Building an internal talent pipeline has never been more important than now. With so many companies struggling with retention, providing talent mobility is the ultimate tool for keeping employees engaged and satisfied. The 2014 Global Workforce Study by Towers Watson found that career advancement opportunities are among the top driving forces for employees, according to more than 32,000 respondents.
Technology paves the road for a successful talent mobility program. Map skills and interests between current employees and new roles to find the perfect pairing. By adopting this feature, organizations can focus their recruitment process within and help their A players move up the ranks and grow professionally.
These methods of automation save companies time, money and headaches from excessive paperwork, filing and manual tracking. It also simplifies the process of building a convenient candidate experience that will continually attract top talent.
