Recruitment through Artificial Intelligence & the Internet of Things

With over millions of students graduating every year in India, the recruiters across the sectors find it extremely challenging to pick the candidates best in industry. The employability continues to rise as it achieved a mark of 47 per cent this year, but the recruiters’ dilemma has probably doubled. Now, there are skilled talents out there in the market, but which one is industry ready or a right fit for a particular company, the trouble is real.

Along with the employability change and the recruitment challenges, technology advancements are also growing. Entwined together, new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Predictive Technology, and Internet of Things (IoT) are simplifying the complex candidate assessment and recruitment process. The recruiters are utilizing cognitive software and tools to filter out thousands of job applications and candidate profiles as per their requirements, which save them time, the gold of today.

Heavy paper work is replaced by digital documentation, manual verification, and background check is done by AI-powered tools, and employee on-boarding is simple, fast, and digital. Such other tech-reforms have increased productivity, efficiency, and output of staffing firms. It sets the recruiters free from menial tasks and allows them to brainstorm with hiring managers and C-suite executives and figure out the way forward.

A 2017 survey by Deloitte reports that 33 per cent of the businesses use AI-powered software and tools for hiring professionals because it saves crucial time, eliminates any human bias, and bring to the table improved productivity and efficiency. Moreover, this new, smart way of hiring helps in selecting an appropriate candidate for a specific job role with little or no human intervention.

HR tech companies capitalize on the growing need and preference of staffing companies and businesses through trusted and reliable recruitment tools. The large database with the profession and work-related information is made easy to skim through, shortlist the best fits, and schedule interviews, thanks to the intelligent algorithms which process data like never before. The software collects the data and analyzes it continually to match a candidate’s profile with the job description on the basis of work experience, knowledge, skills, and salary drawn, thanks to predictive technology. In contrast to the manual screenings, automated screening narrows down the talent pool by eliminating the resumes and candidates unqualified.

The results are impressive because recruiters do not need to go through a bunch of resumes which are not even close to the job requirements. The companies using Artificial Intelligence in hiring have reported a considerable reduction in their cost per screen and time to hire.

Coming to an advanced level, the AI-based recruiting video platforms are a total hit among talent acquisition managers because these tools make insightful interview and screening happen seamlessly. These tools that work on Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, and Artificial Intelligence are laden with several recruitment metrics that inform interviewers about the quality of hire. Besides psychometrics and biometrics, facial expressions and body language—all are monitored, analyzed, and rated in an auto mode through Facial Action Coding System (FACS) that assists recruiters in the crucial decision-making process. Such face to face interviews without travels or costs can be conducted on a browser or app.

Evidently, data makes everything possible and that’s why, it’s the gold that recruiters, marketers, and entrepreneurs are running after. Data gives insights and insights to command intuitive actions. And, emerging technologies have completely reshaped customary ways of data collection. Recruiters have access to a candidate’s complete background information and details sorted from social media accounts and online interactions and engagements. On the other hand, HR departments can even data on employees’ satisfaction levels at the workplace, after a candidate gets hired. The laptops, wearables, and sensors continuously collect real-time data and store it on a cloud-based network, which after processing and interpretation can let managers know if their workforce is motivated at work.

All in all, the new-age technologies are empowering the talent acquisition teams by equipping them with a data-driven sixth sense. Human intelligence coupled with machine’s accuracy and never-ending energy is sure to transform the entire process of hiring and recruitment, offering recruiters productivity and efficiency.

By Abhishek Agarwal, Senior Vice President, The Judge Group India