Recruiting in the Cloud - A Strategic Imperative

Analysts and pundits tell us that recruiting is more challenging today than thirty years ago because Millennials, GenX, and GenY are different. We disagree. Baby boomers wanted a better candidate experience then, but it wasn’t possible. Everyone had a tedious, bureaucratic process. The standard response then was, “Don’t call us. We’ll call you.” 

Technology, with its instant communication, has changed expectations. Today, job seekers can go online, find an opportunity, and apply in a few minutes. When they do, they want an immediate response. If you don’t contact them quickly, they will assume you aren’t interested. 

HR has gone digital, and recruiting has gone mobile. Speed and the candidate experience have become the recruiter’s competitive advantage. Just as the customer experience is the primary differentiator in consumer markets, the candidate experience has become the way to compete in recruiting. 

There are three strategic moves you need to make if you are to remain competitive: 

• use data to drive decision-making, 
• go mobile, and 
• focus on the candidate experience. 

Recruiting with Data 

Recruiting is becoming more data-dependent, and the pace of technology adoption is speeding up. We now have evidence that machines make better and faster hiring decisions than people. 

We knew fifteen years ago that assessments could make a difference. We used them in a large call center and reduced annual turnover among customer service representatives by over 60%. What is different now is that we can apply sophisticated algorithms to reduce recruiter workload and make better decisions. Instead of wading through stacks of resumes, recruiters can concentrate on wooing the people most likely to succeed. 

Mobile Recruiting 

People are melded to their mobile phones and tablets. Even when they have desktop or laptop computers handy, they will use their mobiles to shop and do their banking. Ninety percent of job seekers use mobile devices in their searches. They want to find a job, apply, and upload a resume or link to their online profiles anytime and anywhere. 

Why? It’s the mobile experience—simple, uncluttered, and available 24/7. As a result, mobile users have become very discerning. If your application process isn’t mobile-optimized, talented people will pass and move on. 

Candidate Experience 

Candidates are judging you by the recruiting experience. If the application process is tedious, bureaucratic, or creates a negative impression of the candidate experience, candidates assume your workplace to be the same. 

If you still require applicants to fill out lengthy applications detailing their entire job history, your hiring process needs an update. Your application process should allow candidates to connect to their online profiles instead of completing a long form. Modern technology enables you to gather information about a candidate from a variety of online sources. 

The candidate experience has a significant impact on your company’s brand and reputation, and it will affect your ability to attract and retain talented people. 

To put all of this together—data, mobile recruiting, and candidate experience, your optimum path to success will be through the cloud. 

Why You Need to Be in the Cloud 

Antiquated applicant tracking systems can’t keep pace with the demands of modern recruiting. Today, talent is a seller’s market, and you need more than applicant tracking to be competitive. Your recruiting platform needs to be scalable, flexible, and well connected. 

Today’s cloud platforms offer many advantages your ATS cannot deliver. 

• Lower Total Cost of Ownership. Cloud recruiting platforms are much less expensive than the clunky on-premises software you used in the past. You don’t need infrastructure or IT support.  You pay a small implementation cost (or none) upfront and a subscription fee to log in and use the software. 
• Freedom from Obsolescence. The hundreds of online recruiting software providers update their products frequently to stay competitive. You will receive free updates several times a year, and bug fixes get immediate attention. The software will adapt to changing technology and market demands without forcing you to pay for expensive upgrades. 
• Connectivity. Software providers build cloud platforms connect to other applications. Using open standards-based APIs (application program interface), they connect to every type of service you could need during the hiring and onboarding process. You can integrate with online job boards, recruiting agencies, assessment vendors, background investigations, pre-employment testing, or any other service. 
• Online presence. Vendors are building their platforms to connect with online social networking sites so you can create a presence wherever you need it. 
• Collaboration. Recruiting is a collaborative process. Cloud recruiting platforms from ICIMS, UltiPro, Workday, and other top providers bring hiring managers, interviewers, assessors, and onboarding staff directly into the process. 

How Blockchain Will Transform Recruiting 

Imagine a secure, private, and verifiable professional profile that employees and job seekers can take wherever they go and share with anyone they choose. It’s not a pipe dream—it is becoming a reality. 

Cornerstone® and other software vendors have partnered with the Velocity Network Foundation to create a simple way for individuals to own, manage, and share their career credentials. Candidates own their records and personal data and can share it with your recruiting platform in seconds. Blockchain can remove most of the friction from the recruiting process and transform the way HR accesses and uses employee data. 

We encourage you to contact the Velocity Network Foundation and help make the “internet of careers” a global movement.  

Summary 

If you are using software designed over three years ago, you may be losing out on promising prospects. That doesn’t mean you need to rip out your entire HR system today and start over (although 40% of companies are). On the other hand, you need to update your online presence to be mobile-friendly, and your candidate experience must reflect the best your organization offers.  

Phenomecloud is a full-service technology company dedicated to helping clients solve business problems, improve the capability of their people, and achieve better results.