Unleashing Potential: The Impact of Recruitment Technology on Talent Acquisition

Keeping up with the Joneses – why keeping on top of your recruitment technology matters… 

From social media to chatbots, the way we communicate has changed, and the rate of change shows no sign of slowing down. Whether we’re swapping memes, uploading a reel, or sending another text that includes several eyeroll emojis (we’ve all done it!) life moves fast when it comes to technology and communication.

But how does this impact the world of recruitment? Does it matter if your hiring process is the same as it was ten years ago? If it works, maybe not. But when you’re hiring people who consume media differently, you’re going to need to change your approach to attract them. And that’s where ATS recruitment technology (and a healthy dose of candidate attraction expertise) comes in. 

Whether you’re the proud owner of an ATS or considering making your first proper foray into the word of applicant tracking software, keeping up with the latest developments in recruitment technology is a necessity for anyone working in HR. 

So, with that in mind – how about a speed audit on your hiring technology? 

Recruitment Strategy

Are you making data-informed decisions when it comes to your hiring strategy, and where is that data coming from? Is it working hard enough for you? 

Applicant tracking systems are built to allow you a data-driven approach to recruitment.  With at-a-glance analysis of live vacancies and a variety of standard and customised reporting techniques – your approach to talent attraction should be based on your up to the minute data. 

Seamless connectivity

Hiring technology relies on connectivity. Is your range of HR software working together well? Does it work alongside your HRIS? Does your ATS cope with interview scheduling and video interviewing? Can it help you manage DBS checks or embed power BI feeds? 

If your ATS can’t handle mainstream software and other hiring tech, then you need to consider the savings in time and money you could make by investing in more capable recruitment technology. With the continuous modernisation of new technology in recruitment, it’s important your software integrates well. 

Personalised, not impersonal

In this candidate-driven environment, your tech needs to relieve your admin burden without alienating your candidates. Does your software enable automation AND personalisation? Can candidates apply for jobs easily through an intuitive and welcoming candidate portal? Are you losing candidates during the application process? 

Keeping your candidates interested requires regular personalised communication. It shows them you’re invested from the get-go. By automating communication, nudging them to complete applications before deadlines close and offering them multiple ways of applying, you make sure no one slips through the gaps. 

Hassle free advertising

Is your hiring tech able to post to job boards? Is it offering you a complete advertising service? Is it able to cope with both standard and one-off ad templates? Does it offer access to all major job boards? 

Good quality applicant tracking software makes a real impact when it comes to advertising. From automating hiring manager approvals to posting to job boards it speeds up what can be a lengthy and somewhat laborious process. A really good ATS will come with access to a candidate attraction service too, to help you fill those more specific roles. 

A nuanced approach

What workflows have been improved by your recruitment technology? And which are still suffering? Are there things you hoped your tech would help with that still seem to fall to your team? Where are the gaps?  Would more tech help? Would better tech help? 

Hiring technology can’t do everything. And don’t believe any company that tells you it can. It should be flexible; it should fit with your workflow, and it should help automate and speed up the hiring process. More than anything, it should free up your team to do what they do best – find the right people.  

The last word…

Hopefully those few points have given you a little food for thought. It’s easy to put up with the tech you have, covering up the gaps, working round the glitches in the systems, because change feels like an unnecessary upheaval, right? 

But would your competitors do that? What are they doing to attract candidates? How are they using recruitment technology to meet their needs and streamline their processes? 

In a workforce-led market, talent attraction goes beyond offering a nice job package, it’s about being out there on the front line, communicating with candidates on platforms they use, and utilising all the tools in your toolkit: both tech and human.