• The Human Touch

    Why Traditional Recruiting Methods Still Matter

    There was a time when companies devoted energy and resources utilizing traditional methods to recruit their workforce. Classified ads, one to one networking and employee referrals were the prime methods used to deliver the best candidates. Resources were expended to advertise for positions, interview applicants, cull a list of finalists, and make critical decisions based on the outcomes of these activities.

    Today, of course, the world has changed. High tech in the form of automated recruitment services such as ZipRecruiter.com and Indeed.com have provided a seemingly more efficient and streamlined methodology to the process. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are also playing a role in recruitment activities.

    But are today’s recruiters relying too heavily on technology? Are top candidates being lost because they lack the proper keywords to be picked up by the search algorithms utilized by web-based recruitment firms? The answers are yes and yes.

    Candidates routinely complain about being lost in the deluge and confusion that occurs when the human touch is not present. Too often, the best candidate for the job is being overlooked by a computer that has no ability to ask questions, draw conclusions, or delve deeper into the potentialities of the candidate. So where is the balance point between traditional recruitment and today’s high tech approach? The answers are not surprising.

    Tips for Recruiters to Blend the Best of Both Worlds

    • Don’t rely solely on web-based recruitment apps or programs. You are not hiring a digital entity. You are seeking a human solution.

    • Develop and retain not only your social networks, but also your community-based resources such as business and trade associations as well as relationships in higher education and employee referrals that provide a path for people to recommend qualified candidates.

    • Don’t wait for your web-based recruitment sources to alert you to qualified candidates, and don’t just skim over the results they report. Design your relationship with them to provide a workable list of truly qualified candidates. Quality, not quantity, is the rule.

    • Develop a relationship with a qualified and well respected executive search firm to help you in your recruiting process. By partnering with these experts, you will re-establish the human connection so vital to an optimal result.

    Search and recruitment in today’s workforce marketplace is more complicated than it used to be. It is incumbent upon companies and their HR teams to arm themselves with a variety of methods to attain success.

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