Like many in the recruiting space, we were excited to see the results of LinkedIn’s Global Staffing Trends 2017 report. In this post we look at some of the key insights from the report, and offer our reactions.
- Social recruiting, candidate screening and candidate automation are the trends defining the future of recruiting
Of this, the No. 4 takeaway of the report, LinkedIn notes, “Using social and professional networks to generate new business and recruit more diverse candidates are on top of recruiters’ wish list. Another prominent trend is the automation of the screening and hiring process.”
Our reactions:
- Using freelance technical interviewers could help with expanding diversity and inclusion initiatives. Internal interviewers, because they might work with candidates if they are hired, can be biased in their evaluations. Freelance interviewers, meanwhile, offer unbiased, independent opinions on technical skills—regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexuality, etc.
- As companies look to increase candidate diversity, they may need assistance in screening in other languages and time zones.
- While automation has value, the human factor is needed to delve into candidates’ technical experience. Only interviewers can ask probing questions and follow-ups to ensure that candidates have the necessary technical experience to succeed in a given role. With eTeki, for example, employers get the automation of submitting jobs, candidates, but with a human freelance interviewer who does the technical assessment based on automated criteria—all just as fast as a computer-based test. This process allows automation for the benefit of the recruiter and face time for the candidate, combining more accurate technical screening results with a higher-quality candidate experience.
- 68% of staffing firms expect to grow in 2017, with 79% expecting an increase in the volume of candidates placed.
Our reaction:
- With 83% of staffing firms saying their average time to place is less than three months, recruiters need to figure out how to screen and place candidates faster to maintain that speed.
- IT and engineering roles are the top two priorities to place for clients.
Our reactions:
- Recruiters can’t forget about maintaining candidate quality. You need a workflow that, while increasing volume, does not sacrifice candidate quality and nurtures the candidate experience. If candidate quality slips, you risk eroding your relationships with hiring managers.
- You need to be sourcing broadly to deliver enough talent. To do so, you need the additional support of a quality technical screen, not just a rapid technical screen. Many candidates are exaggerating or even faking IT and engineering resumes, so it’s critical to clamp down on technical screens to ensure you are delivering quality candidates.
- Client Retention Year Over Year and Number of Candidates Placed Are the Most Important Metrics for Measuring Success.
Our reactions:
- It all comes down to the fundamentals of meeting submission deadlines and providing enough quality candidates to hiring managers.
- A key concept here is increasing hiring managers’ “return on interview.” The idea: by delivering candidates who are qualified—meaning qualifications, certifications and technical experience are all checked—hiring managers get more value from the interviews they conduct.
Final Thought
Ultimately, the reality is this: So what if you can source fast and submit fast. You’re not going to maintain positive relationships with hiring managers if the candidates you submit aren’t any good. An important part of ensuring high candidate quality is having candidates undergo a proper technical screen with a qualified interviewer. Remember, this can be part of an automated process, and occur just as fast as a computer-based screen.
