HK Exec

The digital revolution, as it has been called, is rapidly becoming nothing short of a 4^th Industrial Revolution. Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, 3D printing, and biotechnology, when coupled with the reality of billions of humansconnected both through the web and through their mobile devices, promise to fundamentally alter the course of history (Schwab, 2015). This has ramifications everywhere, from commerce to agriculture to education, and the HR world is no exception. So what does this mean for talent acquisition? Well, change is inevitable – but don’t worry! Change is good, too! Automation and machine learning might seem like they’re driving the human element out of recruitment, but in the right hands, they are actually providing tools to make a talented recruiter even more effective. The key to being one of these talented recruiters? Embrace the new technological paradigm.

These changes are not hypothetical – they are already happening. Video interviews are continuing to broaden the hiring pool in leaps and bounds, allowing a candidate in London to interview for a position in Shanghai with a panel interview including employers in Germany. Digital employee assessment tools are quantifying candidate suitability (Noe et al., 2006) and providing easy access to information regarding both employers and employees. Machine learning algorithms are making analysis tools easier and faster than ever to use (Witten et al., 2016), and with them, making the right decisions for your client becomes even simpler. Top recruiters will provide value in these and other new ways, such as through increased access to passive candidates who may otherwise have gone unnoticed, and by expanding referral programmes to account for these changing demographics. Overall, you now have the capability to do more work and accomplish better results in less time. All of this is to say that these modern tools make talent acquisition even more beneficial to a client who is looking for a better way to hire – and this means more opportunity, not less!

After all, recruiters know that when it comes to keeping a sales process under control or hammering out negotiations on a complex deal, they’re in their element. This is why HR professionals hire them. To maintain that edge, they’ll need to adapt, and so will you. To carry on in talent acquisition during this global revolution, you’ll need progressive leadership with a skilled, agile, and dedicated team behind it. By always bringing something new to the table, providing something different, offering something more, and keeping up with the ever-shifting landscape of the 4^th Industrial Age, you’ll rise with the tide and ensure that recruitment remains a top priority to your clients.

References

Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2006). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage.

Schwab, K. (2015, December 12). The Fourth Industrial Revolution: What It Means and How To Respond. Foreign Affairs.

Witten, I. H., Frank, E., Hall, M. A., & Pal, C. J. (2016). Data Mining: Practical machine learning tools and techniques. Morgan Kaufmann.

News