5 Ways Technology Has Changed Recruiting
Technology has changed the world for both job seekers and recruiters. In this article, we explore the subtle and not-so-subtle ways technology has entirely changed the way employers fill positions. We start with the mobile experience and move on to data and the context of data. Excuse us while we check Facebook and all the other social media sites for top talent, which is also the third item on our list. The fourth stop involves the importance of being human, and our last stop is for job seekers, where we look at the power of photo editing apps.
1. Embracing the Mobile Job Seeker
Image via Flickrby miss karen
It has become imperative that job boards, recruiting websites and job announcements are all mobile friendly. Our smart devices are an amazingly large part of who we are, so the likelihood that first contact will be via a mobile device increases. Mobile users are very finicky about how web applications work. Ill-fitting photographs, bad links, and windows that do not re-size to the mobile world may cause job seekers to not bother. Embracing the mobile job seeker means better access to savvy applicants.
2. Advancements in Data and Context
Analytics talk a big talk and recruiters should listen. Every job description has data within it even if we write it out in paragraph form. Technology has changed the entire gamut of recruiting with the use of keywords and key phrases and #hashtags. Everything on the web falls into a category, and data is the key not only to understanding what you have, but also how to find what you seek. We use words to describe what we want. Have you broken down your job profiles to find the data?
3. Social Media — A Double-Edged Sword
Social media is a powerful phenomenon. Recruiters can use it to announce job openings to specific groups of people, run advertisements to draw in more job applicants, or use it to thin the list of applicants. But social media can be a double-edged sword for the job seeker. All your activity there, positive and negative, gets stapled to your résumé. Technology has made it very easy for employers to know exactly who they are hiring. It may be better to scream out loud than to post it on Facebook. But, most smartphones now are set up with social media apps, like Facebook and Twitter, right out of the box. Plus, new phones like the iPhone 6 Plus come with faster wireless performance, which when paired with a reliable network makes sharing status updates and photos a breeze. You can get more information about smartphones like the iPhone 6 Plus and how they work with social media, at T-Mobile.
4. Embracing Humanity
Technology has empowered the static response in emails and office memos, and frankly, it is a little cold. Recruiters can gain more by being human and not allowing apps and bots to manage communication. Humans respond in a more positive way to communications that seem genuine. If you want to find the cream of the crop, try a little humanity. Not only will you find a better response, but you also get a little peek at the people and their personality.
5. Photo Editing Apps for Mobile
Recently on a re-run of “Project Runway,” the designers had the challenge to give some recent grads a makeover. One designer thoughtfully created a pinstripe look for a female job seeker, and while the look was good, the judges tore it apart. One word they used was “cliché.” Have you looked over your résumé and cover letter? Is your photo too cliché? There are a ton of mobile apps out there that allow photo manipulation. Why stay with the static “professional” photo when you can show more of who you are or enhance your portfolio of work on the fly?
Instant collaborations happen all the time, and for both recruiters and job seekers, understanding how technology works is a major plus. For recruiters, how we think about finding new ways to attract top talent begins with technology. Technology is never static, so cutting-edge recruitment is in flux too. That means embracing technology so that the opportunities to reach the right candidates are stronger. For job seekers, technology such as social media apps and photo editing software help you present the image of who you are. What can technology do for you?