Hiring today looks vastly different than it did two decades ago; the days of presenting resumes in-person are over.  Instead, we smartly open all kinds of technological toolboxes to source, assess, and secure talent…and rightly so!  As technology continues to evolve, it plays an increasingly important role in the way companies approach talent searches and hiring processes.

Here are three ways technology is empowering talent acquisition.

1. Data-driven Hiring – In an article for the Society for Human Resource Management(SHRM), John Sullivan—industry thought leader and professor at San Francisco State University—said 2017 is “the year of the algorithm.”  Sullivan went on to note that the recruiting function will finally begin to shift away from a decision model based on past practices and gut feelings, and toward data-driven decisions.  The goal will be to take subjectivity out of the process as much as possible.

Companies will be able to better predict which candidates are most likely to be a good fit for a position…and which are not.  “Cloud-based hiring tools will allow recruiters and hiring managers to easily and affordably find, evaluate and organize top job candidates, while innovative assessment and filtering techniques will help provide a 360-degree holistic view of top applicants,” said Bob Myhal, director of digital marketing at CBC Advertising and former CEO of NextHire.

2. Optimized Job Applications – When surveyed by Careerbuilder, this is how candidates said they would respond to having a negative application experience:

• 42% said they would never seek employment at the company again
• 22% said they would actively tell others not to work for that company
• 9% said they would not purchase products and services from that company

Alternatively, even if the process resulted with a rejection, but the application experience was overall a positive one:

• 56% said they would consider working for that company in the future
• 37% said they would actively tell others to seek employment at that company
• 23% said they would be more likely to buy that company’s products and services

There are multiple ways that companies can improve their application process. They can be as simple as including one-click apply buttons on careers pages and offering mobile-friendly experiences.  In fact, 60% of job seekers are now using their mobile devices to search for jobs, and 40% of candidates will abandon a non-mobile application process altogether.  As a general rule, applying for a position on mobile should take no longer than 90 seconds.

3. The Passive Shall Prosper – True talent is often not seeking employment, because it is gainfully employed. Thankfully, technology has made these resources much more accessible to savvy recruiters who understand the fundamental differences in passive and active candidate outreach strategies.  The first strategic difference is that passive prospects need to be convinced that the first conversation is worth their time.  Seasoned candidates will evaluate company brands before applying to or accepting a job, similar to how one would research a consumer brand before a purchase is made.  Understanding that candidates are researching you just as much as you’re researching them, it is imperative for organizations to have compelling and unique company branding. Corporate websites can attract or dissuade passive job seekers; they should always reflect company vision, mission, and culture in an accessible and user-friendly way.