The Art of Finding Good Employees

Technology can’t replace the personal touch in the hiring process

Technology has led to many advancements in hiring, allowing companies to filter unqualified applicants and instantly connect with stellar candidates around the globe. But many fear something important is being lost in a world where analytics, keyword searches, and personality tests weigh more heavily than sound human judgment.

Employers are faced with steep challenges when looking to fill positions: In a job market where unemployment in many states is at a historic low, finding qualified candidates is not all that different from finding that proverbial needle in a haystack. Seventy-six percent of hiring decision makers say attracting quality candidates is their biggest challenge, according to a Glassdoor survey. Most companies take an average of 52 days to fill an open job, states the Talent Acquisition Factbook of Bersin by Deloitte.

At the same time, the Internet showers a deluge of applicants upon businesses that post open positions online. Few companies have the time or budget to weed through the average 250 resumes that each corporate job posting attracts.

An increasing number of companies are relying on applicant tracking systems and new AI software to do their heavy lifting, eliminating the noise and narrowing down the overflowing pool to the best candidates. Some programs claim to be so accurate that they can boil down a stack of resumes to a single person who is the best fit for a job.

But while technology can offer easy solutions, it doesn’t always provide the best answers. Superstar candidates with nontraditional experience or even just unusual phrasing are lost in a rules-based system that eliminates applications without certain keywords – even if the programs “learn” with experience. And while algorithms screen personalities and backgrounds – they don’t understand relationships. They can scan for traits that identify candidates who are the best fit for a role, but the way someone will fit into a company and its culture is determined by very human factors.

Checking the right boxes matters more than checking them all

Superstar employees have passion and hustle – they get more done, garner better results, and deliver better service in a shorter amount of time than their colleagues. Employers rave about how they are strategic, they can execute, they work well with others, they can influence colleagues, they have emotional intelligence, they know how to build relationships, and they can admit when they are wrong and regroup in a different direction.

The performance of these hard-to-find gems is based on behavior and motivation – and not always directly related to a previous aptitude for the job. That’s not to say that the right experience, education and knowledge don’t matter.

But sometimes candidates who don’t check all the “right” boxes are still exceptional – and after prioritizing the non-negotiables, companies can weigh the value of developing their missing skills – or even adapting the role – against the other stellar traits they bring to the table. That’s why hiring can be based on science, but it is still an art. It takes human judgment to recognize people with talent who can work for your company, instead of relying on computers programmed to only find specific job specs.

Sixty-two percent of employers admit that it’s likely that the technology they use to pre-screen job seekers is overlooking qualified candidates, according to a Candidate Experience Study on WorkplaceTrends.

The personal touch matters most

Companies may have to take a hard look in the mirror and decide whether part of their struggle to find quality candidates is a result of their own hiring process. Nearly 60 percent of job seekers characterize their candidate experience as poor – and their negative reviews can even impact a company’s ability to fill future roles with the best people. Seventy-two percent of unhappy applicants say they are quick to share their bad experience on popular employer review sites like Glassdoor, WorkplaceTrends reports.

Technology can add value and efficiency to the hiring process. But if employers are committed to employing the best and brightest, automated processes and quick email acknowledgements should complement – and not replace – personal relationships. Job seekers want to be treated with respect. They want employers to show genuine interest in their applications, keep them updated on their progress, and move the process along as quickly as possible.

Companies who take time to build rapport with job seekers are guaranteed to stand out in a competitive market where returned calls are the exception, not the norm. And not only will they attract and win over the highest quality candidates, they will also be in the best position to uncover those superstars who might otherwise slip through the cracks.

To learn more about how to improve your company’s sourcing, candidate selecting, and onboarding processes, contact Karp HR Solutions today for a free consultation.