With technological advancements emerging within the recruitment industry, it has various hiring professionals questioning their job security. Some argue Artificial Intelligence has the capability to replace its role with technology, to source, attract and hire candidates. But can these important hiring decisions be made with minimal human input?
Human interaction
The human element within recruitment is imperative when hiring the right candidate. Hiring professionals have acquired skills and recruitment techniques that candidates have become accustomed to. These add value to the recruitment process and can be difficult to replicate with technology. For example, job seekers are likely to put more trust into a recruiter who communicates with them and offers them help and guidance during their job search. This allows the job seeker to have any questions answered, providing them invaluable advice and assistance along the way. Human interaction between both job seeker and hiring professional provides a platform for a successful relationship to ensure the candidate’s needs are met and ultimately they acquire a role to which they are best suited.
The decision-making process
The final decision to place a candidate is a responsibility that should rest with a recruitment professional and/or the employer. This method enables a recruiter to match the right candidate to a specific role, based on their own thoughts and opinions. Through relying on human judgement, the recruiter can use their ability to understand the potential candidate on a personal level; ensuring their skills, experience and character traits align with the job role and company culture. Determine the right cultural fit requires human input and evaluation. Find out more about ‘Investing Time Into Cultural Fit – here.
The importance of communication
Recruitment is a people business and the candidate expects a level of human interaction, during the vital stages of the hiring process. They wish to stay informed and updated on the status of their job application and rely on the recruiter to understand the type of role they wish to pursue and that their needs are met. A hiring process with little communication can result in the candidate feeling ‘left in the dark’ and may cause a lack of trust between themselves and the hiring professional.
Creating a positive candidate experience is essential within recruitment to ensure the job seeker is happy and informed during the different stages of the hiring process. Communication is paramount in achieving this and reducing the risk of the candidate feeling unsatisfied or unhappy with the process and dropping out. With frequent interaction and updates, the recruiter can gain a greater understanding of who the potential candidate is on a more personal level. In turn, this can improve the candidate experience and potentially make more effective hires. A positive candidate experience has the capability to improve a recruitment agency’s brand image and overall company perception. Encouraging the job seeker to be more willing to work with the agency again in the future or recommend them to others.
A different approach…
Rather than technology replacing the need for humans it instead will enhance their role. Through having the ability to free up valuable time with automation, the hiring professional will have more time to focus on other aspects of the recruitment process. Such as candidate interaction, understanding their job preferences, personality and ultimately making more effective hiring decisions.
