Niraj Agarwal is a passionate professional with a strong track record of building businesses and teams in India and Southeast Asia. He has an extensive background in his field and has created his own space in the industry. His expertise lies in strategising business and finance along with the key focus on market launches and expansion. Transforming hyper-growth industries via technology, he focuses on data-driven operations, fast-paced scaling of the business in the online and offline segment and in achieving long-term sustainability business solutions.
Is the hiring of talent hit-and-miss? Why are employers unable to find the right blend of talent, and why do those with exceptional skill sets find it difficult to secure the ideal job profile? Why does the brightest talent wither on the vine by not only being underused but also by being underpaid? Is there a lack or surfeit of employability options? And, is the CV and resume relevant anymore in the job market of today?
It certainly is the case that conventional recruitment does not have much going for it in the more fluid and unpredictable employment marketplace of 2022. Not only is it time-consuming and expensive, it lacks flexibility from the perspective of both the company and the job seeker, which makes zeroing in on the perfect candidate/organisation a frustrating task at the best of times.
This is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) comes in. Post pandemic, our working lives have changed beyond recognition. The trend of remote-first work is likely to shoot up on grounds of convenience as much as for any other reason, as old customs and habits are reviewed and reconsidered. This presents even more of a challenge for today’s recruiters but AI provides the answers by helping simplify the process of recruiting, for candidates and HR teams alike.
AI-powered recruitment facilitates online screening and interviews, allowing candidates to respond to job prospects anywhere in the world from the comfort of their homes. Indeed, the more varied the range of international job options in a particular segment, the more remunerative the compensation package an applicant will receive, a win-win for them and their prospective employer.
In fact, the accidental coming together of remote working and AI platforms has ended up democratising this space. For example, tech companies are now utilising AI to connect the world’s best software developers to the most sought-after jobs in the US. A Silicon Valley firm, for instance, will recruit only the most qualified and skilled developers, candidates whose ability will be in demand in the very top tier of the tech ecosystem in any country.
Using AI to go ‘deep’ into the talent pool
AI platforms can assist candidates in aspiring for better job opportunities by using the technology to source and screen talent, and then to vet and match it, all of which helps save precious time. One of these is the ‘deep jobs’ platform.
As the name suggests, a ‘deep jobs’ platform dives deep into the process of hiring, with a focus on each of the many stages connected to it. Through crafting exhaustive and impactful job profiles with ideal cues and signs (including skills and potential) for those recruiting, it brings companies ever nearer to the talent they are looking to employ.
Yet, the platform goes beyond hiring, extending support through the varying stages of the employment process, including vetting, onboarding and payments; beyond even these, it incorporates hour tracking, check-ins, stand-ups, performance reviews, etc. During vetting, top aspirants are assessed for their expertise, experience and performance, but besides technical knowhow, the process also evaluates applicants for soft skills, including leadership, teamwork and collaboration.
This is how the ‘deep jobs’ platform takes away the pain points in the hiring process by matching, as closely as is humanly possible, the requirements of a company with the skillset of the candidate. And to ensure there is no bias in the hiring procedure, candidates are vetted via an algorithm that is colour and gender blind. Meanwhile, during the practice of onboarding, artificial intelligence and machine learning can also aid in ascertaining whether the candidate is likely to fit into the culture of an organisation.
The ‘deep jobs’ platform is particularly relevant at this juncture, when remote working has become the norm, when companies, especially in the tech space, are competing for the most skilled professionals. Such a ‘talent cloud’ can cast its net as wide as is possible, beyond cities and across borders, for brands to land the best of the talent crop. Not only does this guarantee a quality workforce but also one that is more diverse. Consequently, it also makes it easier to retain that talent.
There are multiple and obvious benefits of such AI platforms, chief among them being that they can guarantee jobs across 100+ skills, 15+ roles and 7+ seniority levels. These high-quality employment openings can be tapped by applicants and firms from anywhere in the world, a critical point in this age of remote work, when the demand for developers is particularly high. But, alongside matching first-rate talent with the best opportunities, the platforms guarantee long-term jobs besides offering mentorship, upskilling and community support.
Today, the intervention of Artificial Intelligence has aided in streamlining the process of hiring, while appreciably enhancing its overall standard. With AI already playing a key role in the area of recruitment, expect its application to further increase in the next few years and in the coming decade. Human resources departments still have a role to play but it’s a role that can be empowered by technology, thus allowing HR teams to save on time, effort, manpower and money.
In a competitive world, the role of AI—and of tech in general—in recruitment will likely scale up as corporate organisations, multinationals and startups focus on securing top-notch talent for themselves, in order to stay relevant and fighting fit in a future that remains uncertain. For the eligible candidates, especially if they happen to be developers, there’s even more choice—and the chance to work for the world’s most prestigious companies without having to leave home.