Comments on: Technology: Recruiters’ Friend or Foe?

By: Sylvia Dahlby

Sylvia Dahlby — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 02:42:29 +0000

Great article! Technology will never replace “old school” recruiting skills for two reasons:

1) Technology is only a tool, and any tool is only as good as the hand that uses it – Facebook or text-messages never hired anyone or accepted a job, humans still have to make the decisions. All the technology in the world will not make you a better recruiter if you lack sales & people skills, it will only help you do more work, faster.

2) Technology allows for greater deception and a good recruiter will always need to make human contact to discern the truth. Think of it as “false packaging” of a product – what you see on a resume, Facebook profile or in an email is not always what you get.

By: Keith Halperin

Keith Halperin — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:54:03 +0000

Technology-
Good: if it allows for the elimination/automation of low value-add, low touch recruiting functions.
Bad: if it allows us to do much more of what should never be done to begin with

IMHO, some of the comments have a curiously dated quality. What kind of candidates are likely THESE days to say: “Oh, I didn’t receive the proper amount of human interaction and respect due to me as a person, so I’ll take myself off to one of the other 85 places that are just BEGGING for me to work for them. Hmmmph!” So the employers say:
“OK, Sunshine, go on your way. We’ll talk to the other 85 folks who are better and cheaper than you who are just BEGGING to go work for us!”

As I see it, some employers (none of those employing our Gentle Readers, of course) will revert to the historic pattern of treating candidates and recruiters like dirt- BECAUSE THEY CAN. Others will end up treating candidates poorly not through any conscious intent, but because the remaining recruiters are so overwhelmed that people get lost in the shuffle.

As a candidate, I don’t care if I’m contacted by phone, email, or a note flown in by Hedwig- I just want to hear what you’ve got and kept in the loop. As a recruiter, I try to treat candidates politely and decently, because that’s how I want to be treated myself.

As far as sourcing candidates (which I usually do as all or part of my functions), whether they are located on a job board, internet, SNA site, or cold-called the old-fashioned way won’t really matter too much to us, because (except in rare circumstances) you won’t have to pay more than around $3,000-$3,500/month for someone to do that (and often a lot less if they don’t have to cold call). However, there will still be a need for people who can successfully build relationships and close. (Better hope you’re one of those!)

Cheers,
Keith keithsrj@sbcglobal.net 415.586.8265

By: Lindsay Thompson

Lindsay Thompson — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:42:19 +0000

Great perspective on the value and limitations of technology. Blogging, LinkedIn, Twitter, texting, etc. are all really important tools, but good tech just enables conversation and relationships, which are still the key.
**
For example, GreenJobInterview.com provides web-based video interviewing, a first interview via webcam prior to an in-person interview. Web video tech is an improvement over phone for early interviews and let you see candidates “face-to-face” to evaluate their presentation and communication skills, personality, enthusiasm, etc. before committing time, resources and travel to an in-person meeting.

By: Nancy Anton

Nancy Anton — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:44:38 +0000

Perfect! Finally we are brought back the the most important step in recruiting, PICK UP THE PHONE! Who cares if you have 30 names or 3,000 names, if you aren’t talking to the candidates, and developing a relationship, you aren’t going to be making placements and that is what we are supposed to be doing. I noticed at the last 2 conferences I attended, far more was said about sourcing… not much about actual recruiting, talking/ phone/ face to face. Phone fear is death in this business and there is no way to be effective without getting over that. If you aren’t using the phone, you are only a referral source, not a practicing recruiter. Keep track of the hours spent in a day.. How many hours are on actual calls? Increase that and your effectiveness will also.

By: Donna Eaglesome

Donna Eaglesome — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:31:19 +0000

Great article and posted comments! It’s nice to know there are recruiters out there who value engaging with clients as opposed to depending so much on technology for recruiting.
From a job seekers perspective, I would much prefer to engage face to face. However, I’ve come to realize that before I can go any further, I now need to make the time to get savvy with social media. If that’s where recruiters are looking, that’s where I’ll have to be too and that’s what I now need to learn. Please think about those of us who WANT to work and have a great contribution but who first need training/self training on the technologies that recruiters appear to be using.

By: Pauline Jordan

Pauline Jordan — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:27:44 +0000

It’ll be interesting to see what impact this attitude (of candidates being worth only email or SMS only) has on employer branding in the coming years, and whether candidates will vote with their feet (or fingers).

By: Ginna McBride

Ginna McBride — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:45:05 +0000

This article brings it all back in to focus….really, we all crave the HUMAN touch.

By: Darrin Grella

Darrin Grella — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:51:38 +0000

I agree with you thoughts. Technology is INCREDIBLE! I am a big fan of utilizing tech as tools to make our team more effective and not a means of replacing what we do. I am a big fan of Twitter, blogging, and mobile recruiting.

Technology and its tools change rapidly, but one thing that never changes is human nature. People like to have a connected relationship of trust. I feel that we, as recruiters, need to embrace technology, get crazy with it but not lose touch ENGAGING with our candidates.

darringrella
http://darringrella.blogspot.com

By: J.P. Winker

J.P. Winker — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:02:48 +0000

Stephen – nicely articulated. One of the important values-added by recruiters is to initiate a relationship with candidates on behalf of their company. This can’t be done via email, blogging, or Twitter. It can be done in conversations over the phone. An over-reliance on these newer technologies would systematically eliminate this relationship-engagement contribution, and reduce the recruiter’s usefulness over time.

By: Joseph Miller

Joseph Miller — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:35:40 +0000

Excellent insight.

People and companies are attracted to the potential scalability that technology provides, but you cannot replace human relationships in service businesses.

Linked In wasn’t mentioned, but many recruiters use the platform to go crazy with thousands of ‘connections’ which serve to broaden their reach without considering the unintended consequences such as spreading their time too thin with too many shallow relationships and creating time wasting noise for most people in their networks.

By: Ryan Foote

Ryan Foote — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:44:41 +0000

That’s a great article.

By: Garreth Woods

Garreth Woods — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:07:43 +0000

Too many recruiters are simply afraid of the phone. An over-reliance on e-mail and technology completely dilutes the value that a skilled recruiter can offer and leaves the whole engagement process cold and stale!!

By: Tahir Irtis

Tahir Irtis — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:58:06 +0000

great article.. nicely written.. makes an excellent point.