Companies must move quickly when it comes to recruiting new employees in order to fill employment gaps.
However, the increasing demands of the recruitment process can take their toll on HR professionals, with Forbes finding 98% of professionals have experienced burnout. Throughout the pandemic, in particular, HR departments have shouldered the challenges of transitioning to hybrid setups and maintaining employee engagement.
Utilizing technology to streamline hiring processes can thus relieve the burden on HR professionals, leading to a healthier, more efficient workplace.
Online job boards
Also known as recruitment portals, job boards are websites where employers can post and advertise their job openings. While mainstream sites like Indeed and Glassdoor can reach a large pool of applicants, niche job boards are a viable option for targeting job seekers within specific industries like sales, marketing, or advertising.
Job boards can lighten the recruitment workload through their advanced filtering systems, which match job requirements with the applicants’ credentials. To effectively promote job postings, hiring managers must craft clear job titles and use keywords that are both appealing and reflective of key responsibilities and benefits.
Applicant tracking Systems
Reading resumes and tracking applicants can be tedious and time-consuming, but Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) help recruiters digitally manage the entire hiring process. Using an ATS can automate workflows from screening to job offer acceptance.
Our review of The Application Manager (TAM) details how this particular ATS can easily manage a large volume of applicants through drag-and-drop selections and quick searches. TAM can be synchronized with work calendars, emails, and social media channels for a seamless user experience. It also collects feedback and ratings, which is especially useful for recruiters who seek to assess and improve hiring processes based on the candidates’ reviews.
Virtual screenings and interviews
Keeping up with the demands of the post-pandemic labor market also means decentralizing your workforce, in some cases including global talent— even for startups, it’s increasingly possible to do this remotely through service providers like Remote. But while this type of service will streamline the onboarding process, casting a wider net is bound to lead to an expanded pool of candidates, requiring more effort and resources during the sourcing and hiring stages.
A report by LHH on shortening hiring processes notes that 56% of the organizations surveyed can both save time and retain the rigorous standards of recruitment through virtual screenings and interviews. Organizations can thus remain competitive without compromising the quality of new hires. Video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams can be an alternative for in-person interviews, although employers must remember to balance personal and virtual interactions to keep their recruitment strategies effective and engaging.
Chatbots
Conversing with job candidates while still freeing up time for other recruitment activities can be done through chatbots. Recruiters can use chatbots driven by AI to automate responses to pre-determined questions, which makes them available for the job candidate anytime and anywhere.
An article by the Business Wire on chatbots states that it is the most successful method for contacting and communicating with candidates, according to 36% of the HR professionals surveyed. Beyond answering the candidates’ concerns and accelerating the process from application to onboarding, chatbots can also be engineered to schedule interviews and send real-time updates. Chatbots thus manage both the logistical and communicative aspects of the recruitment process.Recruiters must keep themselves abreast of the latest developments in workforce management and solutions. No matter which cutting-edge technology is integrated into hiring processes, it is essential to remain people-oriented.
These digital platforms and software do not exist to replace the skills or expertise of human recruiters. Using technology is meant to enhance the experience for employers and candidates alike. By complementing efficient hiring processes with competitive benefits, career pathways, and work-life balance, companies increase their chances of hiring and retaining the best talent.