Have you overly automated the recruiting experience at your business? Frustration is quite high, to the tune of 82 percent, says a new report from a large national staffing and human resources service organization, Randstad U.S., based in Atlanta. Through surveying about 1,200 applicants in the U.S., the report found that while candidates see value in technology, they’re frustrated when it supplants the human aspects of recruiting. The upshot? Don’t leave job candidates in a room with a computer and no human in sight to ask questions of. Frustrating is putting it mildly.

  • 95 percent of respondents don’t mind having technology assist recruiting, but don’t want it to replace humans.
  • 87 percent said technology has made looking for a job more impersonal.
  • 82 percent describe the ideal interaction with a company as employing innovative technologies behind the scenes but having human interaction as the face of the firm’s recruiting process.

No surprise really — successful talent acquisition lies at the intersection of technology and the personal touch. Add today’s intelligent machines to the staffers who can meet and greet applicants and you’ve got an experience that’s more accommodating.

So, advice?

  • Artificial intelligence programs may help improve the candidate experience because it gives consistent feedback, but too much technology and too few recruiters hurt the process.
  • Every touch point that your organization has with candidates is significant; blend new technology with a human touch. Traditional recruiting methods still have value and can make a difference.
  • Be highly responsive to candidates — it reflects back on your firm. Realize that applicants are rating your company’s recruiting experience on social media. Don’t lose potential talent due to a poor hiring experience.
  • Make sure you have one-on-one interactions with candidates.
  • Applicant tracking systems have turned what is essentially a social activity of meeting people into an automated activity. Make sure recruiters add personal notes to their communications with candidates.
  • You may want to consider a portal so that applicants can see and track the status of their applications. This is a use of technology that job seekers appreciate.
  • Make sure you make candidates feel welcome.

A blend of high-tech and high touch is the best combination to maintain competitiveness in the job market. Make sure the human touch is the differentiator in your talent acquisition process — automated recruiting tools may be ubiquitous, but when you engage candidates, you create relationships with job seekers. Your interest in an applicant’s aspirations can help in seeing the right cultural fit for your business and uncover the job seeker’s potential to succeed in the new role you’re both discussing.

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