We live in an exciting time in recruitment. Today's technology has created cost-efficient ways to collect, store, compute and transfer massive amounts of data in a way that wasn’t possible before. Because of this, we are getting better insights that not only improve decision making, but workforce performance as well. In addition, this technology is evolving the way we do candidate search, screening, and research.
But, with advancing technology can come fear and confusion. Companies may hesitate in jumping on board with some of these technologies. They might ask, will we lose control of our data? Will we lose the personal touch of recruitment? Will robots be conducting our interviews? Fear can lead us to jump to conclusions based on technology we have seen in science fiction movies or heighten insecurities regarding what it can mean for humans and our own job security.
These misconceptions can hinder your organization from embracing the change that your competitors have already made. Here are common 5 misconceptions that exist with AI and Big Data in recruitment, and the truth behind each one.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is plotting against me.
If you have seen any episodes of the wildly popular TV show Black Mirror, you will think all technology is created to take down the human race. Probably the scariest concept of using Big Data and Artificial Intelligence is the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT is the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances, and other items embedded with technology that enable them to connect directly and exchange data… without humans.
Sounds scary and futuristic to you? The future is here. But, instead of these technologies striving to take us down, they are actually saving us time and money.
What it comes down to is these machines are constantly collecting data. The more data we have, the better decisions we can make. Whether it's your refrigerator being able to monitor when your products expire, or it's complementing repeatable tasks in the recruitment process, machine-to-machine interaction provides better efficiency, and more accurate results that can be obtained faster. It can also help maintain transparency throughout the recruitment process, which actually leads to better control and process and better efficiency. Physical devices stay connected and constantly communicate, which provides better quality control and frees up time so that we can focus on other, more important tasks.
Technology will take my job away.
The reality is, there is a threat of AI and Big Data taking away jobs. But only certain jobs. It's also going to open up hundreds of new roles and sectors.
This forced adoption and progression of technology is opening up huge departments within organizations who dare not fall behind in the technological revolution. There will also be a rise of new innovative companies that’ll continue to change the landscape. Artificial Intelligence is actually expected to have created more than 2.3 million jobs by 2020 while eliminating only about 1.8 million. So, what side of the revolution would you like to be on?
Algorithms are the next Big Brother.
I know, another pop culture reference! Algorithms aren't all about picking what do or do not appear on our social media timelines via government control. Instead, algorithms are often elegant and incredibly useful tools used to accomplish menial tasks. They are mostly invisible aids, augmenting human lives in increasingly incredible ways. Algorithms help make sense of massive amounts of data, and this can spark breakthroughs in science, new conveniences and human capacities in everyday life, and an ever-better capacity to link people to the information that will help them. For example, an algorithm is used in recruiting AI technology is intelligent resume screening. The problem here is the same: identifying qualified candidates from a larger applicant pool. Instead of using pre-selected search, this type of machine learning algorithm trains itself on prior employees to learn which resume data points are correlated with successful employees to produce a shortlist of qualified candidates. According to the American Psychological Association, when employers lean heavily on hiring algorithms, their workers are more productive, earn higher performance ratings (from humans, not just computers) and have higher employee retention rates.
It will eliminate recruiters.
There are many recruitment factors that algorithms alone cannot compensate for. The use of technology throughout the hiring and employment process works for a magnitude of reasons. But it will never replace the human interaction necessary to foster a positive and worthwhile employment experience. Think on-boarding or company culture, none of which would be possible without real, live people, and most of which start with the recruiter as the first touch point.
There’s a lot more involved in sourcing, screening, and selection for jobs with higher levels of skill requirements, and consequently, the AI needed has to be more advanced.
Only Big organizations have the need/budget to use this
technology.
It's unavoidable, no matter what size your organization is. Developing AI functionalities is no longer just for large conglomerates anymore. Ready-to-deploy AI applications are already in extensive demand and use. From small-scale Chatbots to critical search thinkers, AI is everywhere. By the end of 2018, 75% of developers will be integrating AI-enabled functionality in one form or another into their projects. It's becoming more and more a part of everyday life. With data coming at organizations in alarming speed and bulk, understanding what you see; understanding what you hear; understanding what you read; analyzing patterns of very, very complex data don't require humans anymore. Machines can analyze it and in the speed you need better than humans.
Change is hard. Technology can be intimidating to say the least. But if you take the time to understand what Big Data and AI means for your organization, you will see the benefits of utilizing these technologies far outweigh any doubts that may be lingering in your head. This change is inevitable, so It's time to take your organization into 2018.
About the Author: Amy Williams is a Digital Marketing Manager at Yoh and alumni from the University of Pittsburgh, having earned her degree in Media Communications. In her spare time, you will find Amy performing with an operetta company, as well as enjoying all things pop culture, food, and Philadelphia.
