Now this is a topic that has many complexities, especially because we are in a world that has become so reliant on technology and it’s evolving everyday. Technology just doesn’t make our day to day lives easier both personally and professionally, it is now one of the largest if not the largest revenue generator in the world.

Over the years, Human Resources has seen a huge increase in the development of softwares and Information Management Systems that have successfully managed different functions within the department which has not only made information easier to manage but has created a centralised forum for HR employees regardless of their location to access information wherever they are in the world.

Focusing on Recruitment, I have never been here or there on the use of systems for recruitment as I believe certain systems can be used for some stages of the recruitment process and not all.

With Talent Acquisition, there should be a more personable approach. How you interact with a potential hire whether it be a passive outreach to build up a pipeline or a direct source for a position is very important and critical to a brands’ representation in a highly competitive market.

As the focal point that bridges the gap between the talent pool and the organisation, how you engage with professionals speaks volumes about the organisation you are representing. Your objective working within Talent Acquisition is to identify key talent and get them to work for your organisation, not just only work there, but to RETAIN them and ensure that what they bring to the brand is being rewarded and recognised. This requires one to one interaction, something that a system or software cannot do.

When it comes to managing candidates during a recruitment drive, systems are essential to keep track of those who have applied for positions, interview notes, and tests results. With these systems you can create numerous of talent pools of candidates that may not be right for the role you’re currently recruiting for but may be right for future recruitment needs.

It also proves to be a good tool to evaluate and produce reports on your recruitment drives to measure the calibre of candidates you are attracting, where they have been generated from (i.e. job board, print media, social media etc) and which avenue generated the best results.

However I feel that the traditional style of identifying candidates is best done traditionally. Building a relationship with candidates is essential, when a candidate knows that you genuinely care about their professional development and not the commission/recognition at the end of the quarter is what differentiates you from the masses in the market and essentially earns you every candidates’ loyalty.

Systems/Softwares only work with numbers, scenarios, and probabilities. However, when you are dealing with people, it is only your fellow person who will understand you as an individual to attain whether you’re best suited for a role technically or a cultural/personal fit for an organisation.

Personality tests only factor in the results of what the candidate was feeling like when they took the test, it doesn’t provide a full profile of an individual. We all have our good and bad days but that doesn’t depict whether we can perform our duties effectively or not.

However to flip the script a bit, I do believe in tests that demonstrates a candidates’ technical ability. This is a true indication of whether he or she is suitable for the role that you are interviewing them for and on that grounds alongside the personality and cultural fit can it be determined if truly they will be an asset.

In conclusion Technology has it’s uses and it’s an excellent way to manage information locally and globally. Technology cannot be used to determine someone’s personality based on tests. I know the critical hires need more tangible methods to demonstrate and justify costly hires, however I feel this can be achieved through tests that demonstrates a candidates technical ability.