Companies receive 250 applications for each profile on average. Imagine having to go through each and every application! The advent of online job portals, social media platforms, along with new tools and software have changed how recruiters hire, and how candidates look for a job. Recruitment, assessment, and selection are critical yet tedious processes across organisations. Manually sifting through resumes and shortlisting applications can be time-consuming. Technology can make the entire process faster and more efficient. 94 per cent of recruiters and hiring managers see a positive impact on their hiring process with technology.


How The Evolution Of Technology Changed The Way We Hire


From the 1990s, when newspapers and referrals were the primary sources of finding a job, to today, where increased Internet penetration, the emergence of online job portals, and the use of technological devices like smartphones, laptops, and tablets have entirely changed the way we work. Real-time mobile app notifications mean employers and employees can connect without a hitch. 


The Rise Of Remote Hiring


While technology connected employers and candidates, the pandemic acted as a catalyst and paved the way for employers to integrate technology into their hiring processes. With the social restrictions, employers were forced to resort to virtual means like video interviews and online assessments. Candidates can be assessed for their technical, communication, and behavioural skills — all online through AI-powered tools and software that make the process quicker and bias-free. 


Also, what was once introduced as an emergency measure to keep things operational, soon became a rave as people realised that with the right technology and stable internet, they could work from home or anywhere else and still be as productive! Remote working soon became the norm. Employers must adapt and switch to remote hiring, with employees preferring to work remotely.


A Tech-Driven Future


It isn't just remote hiring; fully embracing technology would mean automating menial tasks to improve the hiring process. The use of ATS makes it possible not just to store a huge set of CVs across diverse jobs but also to categorise them in the right way. As the number of skills and job roles increases and the next generation of the workforce enters the pool, manual sourcing and screening become obsolete. 


Using AI and ML algorithms, matching the resumes with the job requirements would be highly accurate, easy, and efficient. In the future, candidates' profiles, accolades, and breaches will be put in an immutable blockchain to establish proof of trust. And at the same time, platforms that help candidates find the right employers for them would also become equally accessible. 


Reviews and approvals of the management and employee experience will become immutable and authentic. Thus, every aspect of hiring — from sourcing to screening to evaluation and eventually verification and background checks would be driven by technology. 


It isn't just the recruiters alone who benefit. Technology in recruitment and selection would help streamline the entire candidate journey and make it more user-friendly. The automated emails and messages help improve communication by keeping candidates updated about the status of their applications. With technology driving each stage of the hiring cycle, candidates would learn about the hiring intent of the recruiters. 


At the same time, the recruiter would also be able to know the probability of backouts. Data around past behaviours of the candidates such as repeatedly accepting the offers but not joining the organisation would be captured through AI. 


Additionally, instances like employers delaying candidates from joining, not offering jobs aligned with job descriptions, etc., would be minimised. 


Organisations today are at various stages of technology adaptation, and those which leverage these technologies in the best way possible within the shortest time frame are likely to thrive and get ahead of the curve faster than others. While technology can help with cost and time savings, finding the right balance between technology and human interaction is essential. 


Recruiters cannot rely on AI alone to understand how the candidate's skills align with the organisation's goals. Recruiters and hiring managers must take care to engage with candidates on a personal level. Technology isn't and may never be ready to replace humans entirely. HR, recruitment, and line management is an inherently people-centric task and will remain so.


(The author is the Founder and COO, Uplers, a technology talent matchmaking platform enabling Indian tech talent to land global remote jobs)


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