Recruiting and retaining talent is one of the biggest challenges facing business today. Smart companies know they are only as good as their best employees, and will prioritise seeking out the best of the best for their teams.
 
As we become more cemented in the digital age, technology is playing an increasingly important role in the way companies approach the talent search and hiring process. In a recent article, Nicole Fallon Taylor, Business News Daily Managing Editor, asked hiring managers and HR experts for their thoughts on the future of recruiting and their predictions for the future for this pivotal area of business operations.
 
We live in a digital world
 
Back when LinkedIn and online job applications first entered the scene, they were seen as a supplement to the traditional paper CV and in-person interview. However, these days, the world of recruiting has gone nearly 100% digital.
 
"From the résumé to the search to the interview, we're moving toward a digital hiring model," said Bob Myhal, director of digital marketing at CBC Advertising and former CEO of NextHire. "Résumés will be displaced by constantly evolving representations of individual experiences, skills and aptitudes that exist purely in the digital realm. Innovative tools that use social media, big data and other technologies to give tremendous insight into individual job seekers will [be] the primary screening method."
 
Jon Bischke, CEO of Entelo, added that digital profiles have the potential to provide far greater insight into a candidate than a traditional CV.
 
"Twenty years ago, the résumé was a piece of paper," Bischke said. "Now, it's a collection of all [candidate] data that can be found online, like participation in online communities, conferences and meet-ups. Recruiters can assess whether a person will fit, and learn if he or she has the right skills for a job."
For first round interviews and out-of-area candidates, the phone call is quickly being replaced by the more-high-tech video interview.
 
"More and more employers are leveraging webcam and video interviews to streamline the hiring process," Myhal said. "We are already seeing a steep uptick in one-way videos where applicants record their interviews for later on-demand viewing. Live, two-way webcam interviews will also experience tremendous growth over the next three to five years."
 
Candidates expect a fast, easy application process
 
Particularly among the youth of today, it is uncommon to see one singular job or career as a life long prospect. Job seekers see opportunities everywhere: they know their worth and are aware of the competitive landscape. If one prospective employer takes too long to respond or makes the application process difficult, they will swiftly look elsewhere.
 
"Talent acquisition has become a seller's market," said Laura Kerekes, chief knowledge officer of ThinkHR, a provider of human resources solutions. "For employers, it's all about maximizing the candidate experience through the job application process."
 
"Some small employers can't afford sophisticated technology, but they can make it easy," Kerekes added. "They've got a website — make the process engaging and simple."
 
Your employment brand is a key selling point
 
Smart candidates, the ones you’re looking for, will be evaluating you as much as you’re evaluating them. They know they are in high demand and will measure your company against others in much the same way as a consumer would compare brands at a shopping centre. Your company website is therefore an important tool for engaging talent.
 
"Company websites [are a top] job hunting source for candidates," Hyatt told Business News Daily. "These company storefronts serve as a one-stop shop where job hunting begins, so it's imperative [to have] a well-designed career site to deliver a cohesive brand image that reflects the company mission, vision and values. The company brand experience, in combination with detailed job descriptions and an online application, engages job seekers and helps them determine proactively if they are a cultural fit to the organization, and whether to apply."
 
Kerekes added that companies should take note of how they're being reviewed on sites like Glassdoor and, if possible, incorporate that into their employment brand.
 
Employers need to focus on passive candidates
 
While some companies have no shortage of applicants who reach out as soon as an opportunity is posted, this is not the norm for many companies. The importance of passive candidates – those that are not necessarily actively job seeking but are nevertheless open to opportunities – can therefore not be understated. Recruiters must be proactive and reach out to prospective candidates, regardless of whether they are presently employed or not. To do this, recruiters should look through candidates’ social media profiles and anywhere else they have a web presence. The best candidates expect this as they take their online branding and positioning very seriously.