The world of recruitment is changing . . .

New technologies are changing the way we work and interact, and recruitment practices are no exception. Job boards now make it much easier for organisations to market their vacancies. Candidates can apply for a job with a single click. Applicant tracking systems capture and collate more information than ever before. In essence, technology allows candidates and companies to connect in ways unimaginable just a few short years ago.

...but is it changing enough?

All this is undoubtedly progress. But some problems are seemingly intractable. These include:

• Spending too much time sourcing candidates – it’s just one of the many routine tasks that stretch your resources with little return.
• Receiving high volumes of applications – it’s a nice problem to have, but how do you efficiently separate the wheat from the chaff?
• Relating to candidates in line with company brand values – the recruitment process should enhance your reputation in the marketplace, but that’s a lot to ask of hard-pressed recruiters.

Research shows the scale of the problem. A study by CareerBuilder showed that a staggering 77% of workers submitting applications still face the black hole of never hearing back from the potential employer. On the other side of the desk, a survey by Inavero found that 60% of recruiter time is spent on essentially repetitive tasks such as sourcing candidates, screening them and gaining a clear understanding internally of job needs, rather than on face-to-face interviews.

There must be scope for technology to make the whole recruitment process more streamlined, efficient and less stressful for all concerned.