Using Technology to Your Advantage During the Selection Process

Technology is now such a core part of our every day and work lives. The use of technology in the HR function is gaining increasing popularity, with the automation of hiring processes, payroll, digital assessment tools, feedback tabulation, and corporate climate/culture surveys, in addition to employee performance reviews.

The area of HR that we are seeing using technology the most is Recruitment and Selection. There are many solutions on the market for this department, which is becoming more strategic and no longer seen as just an applicant’s entryway into companies. But amid so many options – complete solutions, shared solutions, integrated solutions, tools and systems – how can you know what the best options are for your company to use during the section process?

To answer that question, I believe we need to look at the following points:

1. What is the business demand?

First, understand the company’s demand for new employees. There are industries where the need for new employees is greater than others, whether due to a higher turnover rate or even due to business expansion. For example, a retail company usually has a higher employee turnover than in the biotech industry. In addition to volume, it is important to understand the profile of the employee that is being sought. Some remits are very specific and more difficult to find on the market, and technology can help to monitor this type of employee. If the company has an average volume of up to 30 new hires per year, the suggestion is to have a website with a Careers area, along with a company page on LinkedIn. These online platforms must contain clear and attractive information about the type of business and market in which the company operates. For companies with more than 30 new hires per year, the number of open positions can be very high, and the Recruitment and Selection area will need help to be able to meet the demands of the company and the applicants. In this case, the company might have to consider more advanced technological solutions such as an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or even Artificial Intelligence (AI).

2. What does the company expect from the recruitment and selection function?

To think about what type of technology a company should use in its selection process, it is also necessary to understand what the company expects from the Recruitment and Selection function. The answer is not always as obvious as it seems. Some companies have strategies far beyond the traditional searching, screening, interviewing and hiring of applicants, which can take days if not months. The various technological solutions at our disposal allow for attraction, screening, and process management with visibility for applicants and managers. You are even able to fill a position and hire the applicant online. All this in a much faster and more reliable way. It is also possible to include a series of steps in the selection process so the company can make sure that the applicants who are advancing through the stages meet the requirements. There are several options for assessments, tests, assorted cases, and video and voice interviews – which ensure a different experience for the applicants and bring agility and objectivity to the screening process. In addition this results in less prejudice as subconscious bias is removed from the interviewers. Once we have considered the above points, it is easier to choose which technologies a company can use to enhance their selection processes. During a talent war, where the best job candidates are being sought in the shortest time possible, along with the need to create a positive experience for the prospective employee, technology serves as a means of support and a major competitive differential for companies seeking to evolve.

If you would like to discuss the current job market or your hiring needs, get in touch with Eduardo Saigh at ebs@elliottscotthr.com