We’ve noticed a lot of changes in recruiting over the past few years. There are more platforms designed to connect employers with potential employees, many of which use an algorithm to push “qualified” candidates to the employer. Countless companies have reached out to us, many overseas, who believe that recruiting should be outsourced to reduce the costs of “sourcing” resumes. These groups rely on artificial intelligence to scour the internet and scrape resumes. We’ve also heard from clients that they have had interviews with candidates who never interviewed with the staffing firm that sent them the candidate.
High Speed, Low Yield
It is our experience that the resumes that are pushed out by systems which allow the candidate to “apply” by simply hitting a button doesn’t provide candidates that are qualified for the position—and in many cases, the person whose resume we receive isn’t remotely interested in the position for which we are hiring. While the speed and volume of resumes provided are impressive, the efficiency is lost because the yield is so low (Yield being our term for the number of candidates we can consider for a position).
A fewer number of well-qualified candidates who are interested in a position that meets their needs is a better pool from which to elect candidates than a larger pool of people who aren’t qualified or interested in a new position.
We are horrified by the stories of companies who send their clients candidates they have never met in person, never interviewed, and who they never prepared for an interview. There is too little care in this approach, regardless of how qualified the candidate may be.
High Caring, High Trust
It has never been easy to hire well. It has always taken time, energy, resources, and a great deal of care to select the very best person for the role—and the best person for your team. The staffing industry has become too transactional, in part in response to clients who want to reduce their costs, and in part because the allure of efficiency through technology is such a seductive idea.
Efficiency is being prioritized over effectiveness. We believe this a poor trade when it comes to the most critical decision you make for your company, that of deciding who to bring onto your team. While we love technology, not everything it produces is a net positive, and we are pushing back against the current trends.
If there is a more important decision than who works in your company, we don’t know what it might be.
