The Hottest Staffing Trends from StaffingTec 2019
The second annual StaffingTec conference recently wrapped in Nashville, and it’s no surprise that we came away with a lot to think about. Here’s what we heard:
Finding the balance with chatbots
Chatbots are all the rage, but how do we ensure they don’t spark rage with candidates? They can be undeniably helpful during certain parts of the recruiting process, but there are other points at which a human touch is necessary. The consensus seemed to be that chatbots proved most helpful to many agencies during an initial touch.
For example, a chatbot can be live on your site 24/7 dealing with your inbound leads. They can undertake an initial candidate qualification that means a recruiter can sit down to a handful of pre-qualified candidates when they come into work in the morning. Not a bad way to start the day. It is important to remember, however, that candidates will want to be able to access a human, and you must be able to deliver on that expectation when they seek it.
Job boards must be marketing experts
With the speed at which digital change happens, job board tech has to function as more than just a page to place job ads. They have to understand the ins and outs of every channel they are utilizing. Otherwise, how do you adapt when big players change the rules? Also, with the advent of Google Jobs, how do you optimize your postings accordingly? Marketing experts have been doing the dance with Google for years. Therefore, they need to know more than you do about how to write a job add that will not only compel candidates but that will appeal to the fickle search engine gods.
Don’t let your data leave when your recruiters do
We all know recruiting is a high churn industry. And it’s only natural that in such a human industry, certain information, specifically regarding candidate relationships, will leave when your recruiters do. But there are certain things that used to be considered human data that technology can now help us quantify. Human data — like the impression left after an interview, for example — can now be captured through video technology. Whether it’s interactive or one-way interviewing, being able to record and analyze every candidate interaction will help you maintain a 360 view that is accessible to your entire team.
Candidate engagement and communication
Is there a hotter term than candidate engagement right now? But, at its core, what does it really mean? We all know that staffing and recruitment as an industry can get a bad rap for lack of candidate follow up and communication. Despite how much recruiters genuinely care about candidates (and we know they do), communicating personably at scale has always been an issue. So it’s time to start thinking about what we do to change that. Think about setting up automatic messages or reminders through your texting or mobile provider. Check in on a candidate’s first day, remind them of important information, wish them a happy birthday. Make them feel valued — that is what candidate engagement is all about.
Uberize your agency to stay ahead
Coming out of this conference, President of StaffingTec Maurice Fuller said that the single most important trend in the industry right now is the uberization of staffing. What does this mean? It means the on-demand economy is here (it has been for awhile, actually) and people want work opportunities in different ways than they ever have before. They want to find work through mobile apps. But it’s not only important and transformative because candidates want it. It’s important because of the significant operational impact it is having on staffing firms. In Fuller’s words:
“Everything is moving onto the mobile app. It’s all about the mobile experience. And it’s not just because candidates are demanding it. It’s generating significant efficiencies for staffing firms that are doing it. It’s the most significant transformation I’ve seen in the staffing industry in the last 25 years. Staffing firms have to follow this if they want to succeed”
