Are traditional recruitment principles becoming extinct?

Advanced shortlisting algorithms, data-driven segmentation, Artificial Intelligence. You may not fully understand all the lingo, but it is clear that technological advancements have had a huge impact on the way recruitment is done. With recruitment technology becoming more refined and sophisticated with each passing day, it begs the question whether there is an over reliance on technology in recruitment and whether the more “traditional” principles of recruitment are on their way out? At Maxwell Stephens we have mixed feelings on the subject…

Interviewing: Don’t judge a book by it’s CV!

Although data-driven candidate segmentation is a valuable tool in the early stages of a recruitment campaign, it is vital that recruiters know more about their candidates than just which demographic fields they fall in to. At Maxwell Stephens we do not rely solely on database-driven shortlisting. We strive to interview as many candidates as is humanly possible. A CV or online profile provides the basics, but to be a successful recruiter you need to dig much deeper. From our experience of dealing with hundreds of employers, we are acutely aware of how perceptions and prejudices can be established long before any face-to-face contact. Although we do obviously consider all candidate information, we always go into interviews with an open mind and without preconceptions.

Faster communication is slowing things down

Dropping someone an email or sending an IM may seem like the most efficient and time-saving method of communication, but when it comes to recruitment it more often than not elongates the process. We like to be as efficient as possible, and in the majority of cases this is just a quick phone call. It’s more personal, we can instantly get the information we need, and keep the ball rolling.

The mask of Social Media

There is no doubting that Social Media is a vital communication channel in modern recruitment, however when it comes to assessing a candidate, employers need to be aware that cat-fishing isn’t just an online dating phenomenon! For many, social media accounts are no longer an extension of an individual’s genuine personality, but instead are becoming meticulously curated facades which aim to present personalities, lifestyles or attitudes which are not their own. For example a social media profile may paint a picture of an extroverted, confident and sociable individual perfect for a customer-facing role, however they get to interview and can’t make eye contact or speak above a whisper. Basically what we’re saying is take social media portrayals with a pinch of salt.

We are not Artificially Intelligent

Recruitment is all about people, and we are firm believers that not everything about people is quantifiable. We are complex animals; our motivations, attitudes, emotions cannot all be boiled down to 1’s and 0’s, and fully understanding these intangibles is what makes the difference when establishing a harmonious match between employers and candidates. This takes intuition, experience and empathy – things that a computer does not have (yet).

At Maxwell Stephens we like to combine the best of both traditional and modern recruitment strategies to achieve our success, whether that’s through the use of cutting-edge recruitment software or through hundreds of face-to-face candidate interviews each month. If you want to discuss any of our services or how we can help you, get in touch via info@maxwellstephens.com or give us a call on 0207 118 4848.