Blogs for recruiters are a dime a dozen. We're turning the tables: The following article is aimed entirely at applicants. Are you wondering why a single job interview is often no longer enough, why you're suddenly being invited to video interviews or why you're receiving automated emails? We explain the reasons and, above all, the opportunities that Digitization offers in Recruitment.
Collecting company information, adapting your CV, writing a letter of motivation, answering knockout questions, submitting a video or completing an assessment - when looking for a job, you spend a lot of time and reveal a lot about yourself before you even come into personal contact with a company. It's not surprising that not all applicants understand modern Recruitment. At first glance, the effort on the applicant side seems very high. At the same time, critical questions arise, such as: Will anyone even read the application?
Does everything have to be automated?
Automation software raises concerns that you will be reduced to age or years of experience or that missing keywords in the documents will be fatal. Some also wonder whether HR doesn't want to focus more on people. But the opposite is true: due to cost and time pressures, it makes sense for HR to automate as much administrative work as possible. A short questionnaire in the application form or an automatic confirmation of receipt are part of this. This is the only way to leave time for direct contact with potential employees.
Personal contact between companies and job seekers is essential for successful, sustainable recruitment and cannot be replaced by a machine. This is why many companies rely on supporting solutions rather than fully automated HR software. Knockout questions or assessments, for example, are used to pre-select applications that do not fulfil certain core criteria.
Advantages of video interviews
The new technologies are an opportunity for you as an applicant. Companies with a good digital recruitment programme offer you two decisive advantages:
- Speed in the recruitment process: the invitation to the video interview follows a few days after your application has been sent. Companies know that the best talent won't wait for them. For you, the applicant experience is more reactive and the interaction is even greater than in the traditional application process.
- Early cultural match: You can find out more about the company from home without having to take half a day off work for a face-to-face interview on site. This allows you to see whether the company culture appeals to you in less time.
You should therefore definitely consider the invitation to the video interview a partial success. It gives you the opportunity to find out more about the company at an early stage. There is already a cultural comparison, where you can meet managers and employees and perhaps even get an insight into the office.
And as for the video: the HR department is most likely not looking for the next Jimmy Fallon or Ellen DeGeneres. They are happy to learn more about you as an applicant in a simple and authentic video.
Why applicants should "stalk" companies
But if you're going to get involved, you want to be sure that the company is the right fit for you. We therefore advise you to get as good a picture of the company as possible before you apply:
- Use the company website, social media presence and Kununu reviews to find out more about the company culture.
- Check your LinkedIn network and talk to someone who has already gained work experience with the company.
- Research the company's successes and possible missteps and check how they have reacted.
Only if the corporate culture appeals to you and seems authentic will it be worth the effort of applying. It could be your dream job with the perfect development opportunities.
How HR can create a positive Recruitment experience
Of course, it is also up to HR to treat applicants as equals and with humanity in digital Recruitment. In order for companies to attract the best talent, they need, among other things, an authentic Employer Branding . Applicants must be able to identify with the company even before the first interview. But how can a careers page be made more human? For example, by taking interested parties on a virtual tour behind the scenes and letting employees tell their stories. To give applicants a sense of the corporate culture, the company should be transparent and authentic throughout the entire recruitment process. Prompt communication is also important. Candidates deserve to always know where they stand in the recruitment process and what is still to come.
Digitization can and should make administrative and repetitive work easier. This improves the Recruitment experience for job seekers and enables companies to secure the best talent. The following tools help to credibly demonstrate the corporate culture in the Recruitment process:
- For Employee referrals: With tools like Radancy's Employee Referral Programme, employees can refer others and share job postings with just a few clicks. Find out more at here .
- After the application: A candidate experience survey allows you to collect valuable feedback. The cloud-based platform Qualtrics , for example, can support fact-based decisions with simple surveys and insightful reports.
We encourage HR to harness the power of Digitization by combining a healthy dose of humanity with smart technologies.