Artificial Intelligence: The Change Agent
And how A.I. could change recruiting forever
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. ... We need not wait to see what others do.”
More than likely, he wasn’t talking about technology and the changes each quantum leap is bringing to both personal and professional lives. But for better or for worse, changes as a result of technology are here, they’re staying, there will be more to come – and you must be part of the change, as well.
The latest whispers are about artificial intelligence or A.I., a traditional sci-fi concept that is now a part of everyday life. And for the recruiting industry, the technology will alter both workdays and work ways.
Things to come
Recruiters have traditionally been an intermediary between those seeking employment and those seeking employees. As a result of this position, the introduction of A.I. technologies, automation, and other advances still in the planning stages will force recruiters to understand and address these changes in order to serve these two parties.
Since the Industrial Revolution, workers have been slowly replaced by machines. Our Digital Age is simply history repeating itself, although now both unskilled and skilled labor are facing replacement.
Recruiters will not only have to understand the technology, but also how it is impacting corporations. As technology evolves, employees and perhaps entire departments will be replaced. Recruiters will have to translate the new skill-sets necessary in a tech-altered world – and to become familiar with any new re-training and education programs to keep clients relevant.
Recruiting also requires an eye toward tomorrow, to better grapple with advances that may be down the pike. In the present day, that pike isn’t so long a road – and it would be a detrimental to all involved to have clients learn a new skill that will be obsolete by the time he or she becomes certified in that skill.
While the recruiter is keeping an eye on tomorrow, the other eye will have to keep aware of job candidates that possess two key traits: resiliency and agility. These are the employees who are willing to learn and adaptable to changing jobs, job titles, and descriptions. These are the workers who are most likely to not only be hired, but to also survive and thrive.
At the same time, employers will be also experiencing the push and pull, human losses and gains in an ever-changing world. As they grapple with their own changing needs and plan for future growth, recruiters will need to be aware of how best to fill those needs.
Robo-recruiter
Just as the world outside of the recruiter’s office is changing, so too is the world within that office. No matter if he or she is working independently or is part of a larger firm, A.I. advancements will, without a doubt, alter the recruiting landscape.
According to a recent Forbes article, 85% of applicants do not hear back after submitting an application, while 71% claim they can’t find a candidate with the right skill set.
Several factors may be at play here:
Limited and/or antiquated data systems that make it difficult to screen and connect candidates with jobs
An overwhelmed recruiter, working in a rapidly-changing job market, who has either limited time or limited resources (or a little bit of both) to be fully successful at his or her job.
Hear that? That’s A.I. knocking at the door.
With more sophisticated capabilities, developers are bringing forth newer and more powerful –even “smarter” – technologies into an ever-increasing number of fields, including recruitment. Imagine an A.I.-powered recruiting assistant, a frontline “employee” who can:
Manage the data collection and its translation into quantifiable intelligence in order to match the candidate to a position
Create reports to help the human recruiter better understand the markets in which he or she is operating
Respond to each candidate’s inquiries, and provide next-step feedback
Create reports for clients to make the recruitment process more transparent
And A.I. can do it all in an emotive and friendly manner to make the interaction between client and machine not so cold. In agencies already using the technology, recent findings indicate a 38% increase in recruiter efficiency, as well as a 150% increase in client engagement.
Close encounters
While developers are busily creating A.I. platforms with human names, there can be no replacement for “you.” Human interaction remains an integral part of the recruitment process.
With A.I. handling much of the grunt work, recruiters can prove their own adaptability in a changing workplace by allowing their humanness to shine – taking time to develop rapport with candidates and employers, learning new skills to better serve their audience, and sealing the deal with a handshake.
If you’re looking for a refreshingly human recruiting connection that also stays abreast of the latest technological trends, contact Capital Markets Placement to begin your search.
