It’s hard to imagine there was a time when things like navigating, paying bills, shopping, and catching up on the news were done with little or no help from technology as we know it (and not that long ago, really).

But, in just a relatively short span of time, technology has permanently changed so much of how we do nearly everything—and it’s happened so seamlessly and intuitively that we barely notice it at times.

And how we recruit in 2020 is no different.

While the memories of Rolodexes and yellow pages may only just be beginning to fog (for some), recruiting has changed so drastically and so quickly that much of the day-to-day would seem unrecognizable to the earlier versions of ourselves.

The timeless skills like determination, communication, problem-solving, and network will never expire or become outdated, but, today, there are so many new, innovative tools available to the modern recruiter that make their lives easier.

Below, we’ll shed some light on a few of the more prominent trends in recruiting automation that we’ve noticed thus far in 2020.

Chatbots
Robots have been firmly beeping their way into a variety of industries for some time now. But recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) has spawned the new wave of their less physically-dependent offspring: the chatbot.

Finding the perfect candidate has always been the center of the bullseye for recruiters, and manually sifting through and engaging with a multitude of candidates has always been one of the biggest obstacles in the way.

As the foundational technology supporting it has sharply improved in recent years, chatbots are now capable of much more nuanced and sophisticated levels of conversation with users.

Chatbots can free up much of a recruiter’s time by quickly and reliably gathering pertinent information like resumes, contact information, interview availability, and answers to screening questions. Furthermore, these virtual assistants can even rank and categorize candidates based on parameters set by the recruiter.

Even relatively small procedures like these can radically bolster your screening efficiency and capability once they become automated.

And it’s even good news for job seekers: in this candidate-driven market, a faster, smoother, and more efficient candidate experience can be a huge competitive advantage.

(Here’s a link to a great article that reviews the best chatbots for recruiting in 2020 if you’re looking to make a move.)

Email marketing automation
One of the more critical responsibilities for recruiters is maintaining regular or semi-regular engagement with candidates—but it’s also one of the biggest time sinks. And when your ATS swells in size as your business grows, communicating with hundreds of people effectively over time can quickly become overwhelming.

Enter email marketing automation.

When done correctly, email marketing helps recruiters by automating routine, tedious processes and engage with candidates (or clients) at scale.

There is really no shortage of applications; it all depends on your business. But, for just one example, creating an email marketing strategy for candidates you’ve placed out on contract can help promote engagement and keep you at the top of their minds down the road.

You can schedule an email that goes out on the day a candidate starts out on their new engagement, thank them, and provide tips for their first day. You can then send a follow-up in six weeks that checks in to see how things are going and maybe schedule a call or a lunch. And then again in six months asking if they’re reaching the end of their contract and looking for their next opportunity.

And it’s all automatic.

Again, this is just one example, and the strategy will vary depending on your own unique circumstance, but, regardless of your business, there’s likely more than one way you stand to benefit from exploring email marketing automation initiatives.


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