Are You Using HR Technology the Right Way?

The recruiting industry has been rather welcoming to new HR technology, but in the rush to reach candidates, have we forgotten that technology should enhance — not replace –human connections? Candidates don’t join organizations because their HR technology replaces a personal experience; they join organizations because of connections. These connections are formed during the candidate experience.

The question you need to ask yourself is this: Are you using your HR technology to make real connections?

Make Memorable Connections

Nowadays, there are tech innovations to solve nearly every recruiting pain. As handy as HR technology can be, there is danger in relying upon software to do what you do best: connect with candidates and make hiring decisions.

As an HR technology company, we at GreenJobInterview love innovation — but we also recognize them for what they are: opportunities to enhance personal connections. All the bells and whistles in the world won’t persuade a candidate to choose your company over another, and no amount of algorithms can replace your recruiting instincts.

So, what are the best ways to use HR technology? We suggest making memorable connections with candidates by using the following strategies:

1. Show Up for the Experience

The job hunt is personal for candidates. Unfortunately for recruiters, it can be difficult to engage with each and every candidate on that personal level. When there are hundreds of applications sitting in front of you, it can be next to impossible to treat every single candidate like an individual.

Many recruiters have turned to their applicant tracking systems to help them communicate more efficiently with candidates via automated emails. While such emails are preferable to no communication at all, they don’t often provide a personal experience for candidates.

It’s important that the recruiter show up for the candidate’s experience. It’s vital that recruiters get involved in the hiring process early in order to present their employer brands in the best possible light. They should also stay involved, whether by providing insights into company culture or communicating about the hiring process.

Communication can be as simple as sending candidates a welcome video that highlights the company culture or writing a quick note to let candidates know you’re still working with your team to make decisions. No matter how simple you keep your communications, they should always feel personal. The key is to leverage the power of your HR technology to build stronger relationships.

2. Get Some Face Time

Whether you’re hiring down the street or across international borders, no recruiter can make a decision without personally meeting a candidate. Video interviews give recruiters and hiring managers the chance to meet candidates no matter where they are — and they also allow allow recruiters and hiring managers to make the meeting a personal and memorable experience.

Candidates may be impressed by your video interviewing platform, but they’re even more impressed when you use that platform to really get to know them. You can find out a lot about candidates when you dive deeper than their resumes and really talk to them about who they are. Don’t rely on automated question banks during interviews: Customize your questions so that they speak to you candidates as individuals.

3. Collaborate

There’s a new trend in hiring that focuses on using algorithms to judge corporate fit. While algorithms can offer a lot of important data, they’re impersonal and cold. We’ve found they largely ignore the idiosyncrasies of candidates that can endear them to their teams.

If cultural fit is high on your list, get some team members involved in the hiring process.  Panel interviews are a great way to assess cultural fit and get personal. Many of our customers have found this injects diverse opinions and experiences into the assessment process. Video interviews allow team members to connect from anywhere, whether that’s a remote office, a home, or a vacation spot. Candidates are often delighted to see team members in these diverse environments. It allows them to picture their life at the company through the power of HR technology.

4. Make Your Team Part of Your Employer Brand

Companies are starting to embrace the power of incorporating their teams into their employer brands. Career pages used to offer job postings, company mission statements, and little else. Now they’ve become engaging, personal, and inviting.

Many career pages today feature pictures of the team at work and at play, opportunities to ask questions of real employees, and insights into corporate culture. Candidates love this transparency, and you can’t let their excitement fizzle.

This is where HR technology comes in: Our customers often use custom videos to further enhance the personal feel in video interviews. Many other businesses also feature custom portals to further personalize the career page experience.

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HR technology makes many recruiters’ and hiring managers’ lives much easier. The key is to insert some personalization and personality into these impersonal tools. Try out our suggestions to make memorable human connections and give your candidates a wonderful experience with your company.