New Approaches in Recruitment
5 min read
The rapid progression of technology, the evolution of social dynamics, and the challenges brought by a globalized economy are radically changing the recruitment processes. So, amid this swift transformation, which direction the criteria and processes of recruitment processes will take to evolve? Traditionally, the recruitment process has followed a set of standard steps, from analyzing the needs of the position to onboarding the new employee. However, in recent years, there has been a growing trend of diversification and innovation in these processes across various sectors, especially among major tech companies. This is due to the lack of a standard recruitment process in the industry, which has led companies to develop their unique criteria and processes. As a result, candidates can have different experiences depending on the company they are applying to.
Objective Evaluation
Many companies struggle with objective evaluation. Intangible criteria such as diplomas, school grades, or graduation from prestigious schools might not reflect one’s job performance accurately. Laszlo Bock points out that these intangible criteria can often be misleading in measuring job performance. Artificial intelligence and data analytics are becoming some of the most important tools to assist employers in this process. Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic suggests that artificial intelligence has the potential to evaluate candidates' skills and personality traits objectively.
Social Skills
However, the value of social skills is not diminishing. Reports from LinkedIn indicate that hiring experts give as much, if not more, importance to social skills than technological skills. Technological advancements are increasing the value of social skills because emotional intelligence and communication abilities that can’t be found in machines are found in humans.
Diversity
The importance of diversity and inclusion is on the rise worldwide. Diversity means representing different age groups, genders, ethnicities, religions, education levels, and many more factors in companies. Inclusion ensures every individual feels they contribute and are valued with their unique experiences and perspectives. Research by McKinsey & Company highlights that diversity is not just an ethical requirement but also possesses economic value. Diversity facilitates the fusion of different perspectives, innovative ideas, and problem-solving abilities.
Hybrid Work
The pandemic era has introduced remote work, flexible hours, and hybrid work models, which necessitate the transformation of recruitment processes. Digitalization is setting new norms in recruitment, with the ability to identify talents suitable for remote and hybrid work models, mastery of technical infrastructure and communication tools, self-control, discipline, and effective remote communication skills becoming prominent skills and talents.
New Norms in Recruitment Processes
Recruitment processes and criteria are continuously changing and being updated. The evolving structure of the business world affects the relationship between employers and job seekers. Employers are now compelled to find suitable candidates for job positions more quickly and efficiently. Therefore, recruitment processes and criteria are constantly reviewed and updated by employers.
Recruitment processes are expected to become faster and more efficient shortly. This can be achieved by improving communication between employers and job seekers and by more transparency in recruitment processes. Another trend in the business world is making recruitment criteria more flexible. Key expectations include employers being able to choose from a broader pool of candidates and recruitment processes becoming more technologically advanced. Video interviews, online tests, social media screenings, automated reference checks, and improving candidate experiences are becoming the new norms in recruitment.
Recruitment processes do not only rely on talent and skills. Many companies pay attention to how well their employees fit into their company culture. According to reports from Deloitte, employees who don't fit into the company culture are more likely to face performance issues. Additionally, the digital competence of candidates is becoming crucial. It's pointed out that candidates without digital skills might miss future job opportunities.
An article in the Harvard Business Review indicates that some companies evaluate potential hires based on how they can increase the company's brand value, thereby positioning employees as brand ambassadors for the company. During recruitment processes, assessments are also present on whether candidates possess empathy, self-awareness, and social skills. Carol Dweck's "Growth Mindset" concept, which examines how individuals react to challenges and obstacles, indirectly plays a role in recruitment processes.
According to the McKinsey Global Institute's report, the number of freelance workers is increasing. Recruitment processes are evolving to also include temporary and project-based positions. Recruitment processes pay attention to whether candidates are aware of data security and ethical issues. Especially for tech positions, awareness and knowledge of this issue are very crucial.
Another significant change is paying more attention to the experiences of candidates. In the past, candidates were typically evaluated based on their job experiences. However, nowadays, different experiences of candidates such as volunteering, internships, and project works are considered, and methods that better reflect the experiences of candidates are being developed.
In recruitment processes, not just the education of candidates is taken into account but also their inclination towards learning and their continuous learning capacities. Due to technological changes and the rapid evolution of sectors, in a world where current knowledge and skills become obsolete quickly, the ability for continuous learning has become an advantage. Whether candidates possess this capacity or not has started to become one of the critical factors evaluated during the recruitment process. In a global economy and a continuously changing business world, flexibility and adaptability have become of vital importance. Employers prefer candidates who can quickly react to uncertainties and unforeseen situations and can work in various tasks and roles. This is a critical factor for companies to respond quickly to changing market conditions and customer needs.
Recruitment processes and criteria are constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of the business world. Employers must adapt to these changes and develop new methods to hire the right candidates.
References:
Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, "The Talent Code" (2013)
Laszlo Bock, "Work Rules!" (2015)
LinkedIn, "The State of Talent 2022" report
McKinsey & Company, "Why Diversity Matters" report
Deloitte, "The State of the Global Workplace 2022" report
Harvard Business Review, "The Future of Recruiting" (2022)
Carol Dweck, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" (2006)
McKinsey Global Institute, "The Future of Work" (2019)
