Perform a Google search for top recruiting trends and technologies in 2019 and it won’t take long before you find headlines touting the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. These cutting-edge technologies have been transforming industries and businesses across the globe for several years, and their impact on staffing and recruiting is really heating up.

Put simply, AI is the development of computer programming that can perform tasks typically performed by humans, but faster and with fewer errors. As far as automation, we already automate many of our tasks throughout the day. Maybe you set a timer on your coffee maker to automatically brew a pot each morning. Or perhaps you have set up autoresponders on your smartphone to send quick texts when you’re unavailable. We have become so used to automation making our lives simpler, we often don’t even recognize the incredible technology that’s working behind the scenes.

 Now, that technology is helping recruiters tremendously, through what we refer to as augmented intelligence. Here are several of the most important benefits:

Improved candidate engagement.

In an increasingly competitive, candidate-driven market, your ability to attract and retain top talent is critical. Disengaged candidates ghost recruiters and clients, hurting your productivity and your client relationships. They don’t send referrals your way, and even if they do go out on one placement, redeployment rates are incredibly low across the staffing industry. 

With candidates who are more selective than ever, staffing technology has evolved to meet their needs and build stronger relationships. Talent today wants more than generic autoresponder emails, and are likely to tune them out altogether. They want personalized communications that demonstrate a genuine interest.

AI and automation empower your recruiters to sort through massive candidate databases and send messages (including job postings) to your talent based on their skills and goals. Plus, with a powerhouse ATS (like BrightMove) your key metrics show you exactly what’s working, and what’s not

Reduced stress.

Put simply, your recruiters are busy and stressed. Turnover among contingency recruiters is extremely high, and it’s certainly understandable. Tight deadlines and an even tighter labor market have created the “perfect storm” for your recruiting team.

AI and automation can reduce stress by automating repetitive tasks that can frustrate your recruiters. They can also free them to work on the tasks they do enjoy, like talking to and meeting with candidates. This is the “people” business, after all!

For example, within BrightMove, your recruiters can easily customize and schedule messages that can be sent to candidates individually or in a sequence. Whether your recruiters need to send one message or 100, it’s quick and easy within our platform.

Increased productivity.

Regardless of industry or role, all of us are expected to get more done. Increasing productivity is one of the best ways to drive revenue, and when you couple it with the last point (reducing stress!), the results can be pretty powerful.

At its core, AI and automation take time-consuming tasks and perform them in the blink of an eye, with fewer mistakes. Imagine creating a series of messages or set of criteria and then knowing it will go to work automatically for you -- it’s pretty incredible!

It’s worth repeating, but most recruiters are in this business because they love working with people. Talking to and meeting with candidates is at the heart of recruiting. With AI and automation, your recruiters are empowered to spend more of what they enjoy the most. It’s truly a win/win. 

How can cutting-edge tech transform your recruiting?

Unproductive footwork is killing productivity for your recruiters. Learn more about the risks of outdated recruiting technology (and reach out to us with any questions) here.