Anyone involved in the modern workplace knows that Human Resources is changing. Technology has been pushing the vanguard of this very human industry, automating processes that have long required human attention, and changing perspectives that have been in place for several generations. These changes are most deeply felt in the hiring process. Modern Human Resources techniques allow managers to know a lot more about the people they consider hiring, and to find them more easily as well. This is all well and good, but the information revolution has also complicated Human Resources decision making in some fundamental ways. To learn more about strategic human resource management, visit the Concordia University Texas website, or read on.
The internet has introduced many “headhunting” methods, by which employers are finding qualified applicants for jobs. This has added a lot of time to the interview process, wherein applicants have to wait up to a month or longer to find out if they are or are not hired. Part of the wait that prospective workers have to endure is due to the recession. With so many people out of work, employers have to be choosy about picking the best candidate. This has given rise to a bastion of screening tools: IQ tests, drug tests, personality and company culture “fit” evaluations.
In addition to the added stress of high intensity job screening, applicants find they have to be on guard more often in their everyday life. As more businesses increase Social Media screening techniques, more job applicants are hired (or not) on the basis of information that appears on a semi-private/semi-public forum like Facebook.
But this isn’t necessarily the best way (or the best respect of a potential candidate’s privacy). Applicant Tracking Systems are software solutions for the hiring process. They often search job postings and allow direct applications. Where they excel is the way they process Big Data. Need a candidate who fits a very narrow set of criteria? The highly filterable results of any of the major ATS solutions will have a prime candidate on your screen in seconds. 90% of large companies use systems like these, according to Google.
Taleo, Jobvite, and iCims are three of the biggest and the best ATSs available on the market. Taleo is the most popular, with over 50% of market share. They’ve also existed for a long time; the service was originally available in a multi-compact disc suite. Today’s it’s fully integrated into the cloud and can handle complex hiring and onboarding processes. Jobvite is more fit for startups, offering recruitment and social media solutions, among many other options. iCims is a simple ATS solution for large or established businesses.
Human Resources tasks are not getting any simpler as the world becomes more complex. But as in many scenarios in life, automated solutions are taking away some of the grunt work that used to be performed with pen, paper, and telephone. With so many of these processes automated, and so many applicants to fill positions, these systems will surely only become more complex.
