The Week That Was in Recruiting: HR Technology Conference Edition

Another day, another week. Of course, this isn’t just any week if you’re in this industry; it’s the week of the annual boondoggle that is the HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas. But here’s the thing – I’m going to make you a promise.

Other than the SEO play from the headline, and of course this lone mention, this is going to be the one post you read this week that’s not going to mention the HR Technology Conference (that’s called keyword baiting, by the way).

Because if you’re like most recruiters, you’re like me – too busy running a desk to spend the time and money to make the mecca to the Strip. No HR Technology Conference? No worries.

The team here at Recruiting Daily has you covered – we’ll be taking the frontlines of the 2014 HR Technology Conference online (see what I did there?) – so be sure to click here for real HR Technology Conference news and views in real time, all the time.

It’s poised to be an incredibly busy news week in recruiting and HR, but first things first: let’s got caught up on what you might have missed last week. And while I’m not going to mention the HR Technology Conference going on this week (woops), we’re still going to talk about the stuff like data, analytics, tools and tech. Here’s all the recruiting news and views you need to know from the week that was in recruiting in our weekly feature just for Recruiting Daily followers.

Let’s get this party started.

Big Data, Big Deal?

Big data. Come and say it with me now…big data. You know, that cute little buzzword that most recruiters seem to scoff at just might become a huge headache for the staffing industry. Don’t believe me?

Then perhaps you’ll trust the august content creators over at the National Law Review, woh just weighed in on this topic with a recap of a panel discussion by representatives of the FTC and EEOC last week.

Perfect if you like compliance or acronyms, but if you’re, you know, normal, here’s a quote that sums up the situation well:

“EEOC Assistant Legal Counsel Carol Miaskoff explained that using big data in recruitment and screening might violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. For instance, employment screening tactics using big data might have a disparate impact on members of a protected class, particularly if the analytics do not “accurately predict the success of an individual at a job” according to Ms. Miaskoff. Ms. Miaskoff also warned that employers that look at social media in the screening process—one of the deepest wells for big data concerning employees—might put themselves “in a vulnerable position” because social media offers “a plethora of information about protected statuses.”

So, will big data have the last laugh? Check out this very interesting read from author Robert Sheridan for the complete story that all of us tied to the staffing industry will continue to monitor over the days and weeks to come.

HR Technology: No Quick Fix

I think we can all agree that the explosion of technology today has led us to lose certain skills that some of us had to actually master back in the early 90s – and yeah, I just dated myself there, but it’s OK. I’m still a Vanilla Ice aficionado. For an interesting example of how technology has actually taken us back a little, check out this post for LifeHacker for some awesome examples of this phenomenon.

While I agree with most of the stuff in this post, like navigating without the GPS or memorizing phone numbers, I take exception at their point we’ve lost our ability to speak with strangers. I mean, if this really were true, wouldn’t everyone reading this be hard pressed to actually succeed at staffing or running a recruiting desk?

But while this thesis seems a little shaky, at least they offer a few solutions to reclaim this skill. Or, just give this a read if you’re having one of those Mondays and need a little boost (assuming the coffee isn’t working).

Recruiting News Roundup: Quick Hits

A few other recruiting items of note –

• Most recruiters believe knowing a candidate’s past earnings is key in making a placement. Liz Ryan blasted that theory on her recent post for Forbes – Your Salary History Is Nobody’s Business. I wonder if my professional  colleagues agree with this one.
• Sourcing Monster? Better than sourcing LinkedIn? Is that even a question? Well one Jobseeker asked via Quora and recruiter Amber Benjamin broke it down quite nicely. There are a few tips here worthy of passing to your candidates
• Temp workers reached an all time high this year as Workforce’s Max Mihelich offers this insight and so much more in his comprehensive Special Report: Staffing Still Soaring.
• The latest trend to reach candidates might just be the drive up job fair. Yep – you heard that right, as one staffing agency is taking this unique approach to sourcing.
• I have a real love/hate relationship when it comes to data. There – I openly confessed it, but I still find myself geeking out over WantedAnalytics. RecruitingTools.com editor Derek Zeller offers a review on why you should feel the same about this awesome tool.
• Speaking of analytics, Robert Woo offers his take on how what ones will help predict the future for your staffing business. If only. Be warned that this post  is offering a bait/switch to download a whitepaper (not associated with us), but if you’re not monitoring these three areas routinely, you’re doomed.

RecruitingBlogs Read of the Week

My nomination for RecruitingBlogs.com post of the week goes to the trusted veteran voice of Barbara Goldman. Her latest post Hire Slow and Fire Fast — Are You Kidding? We’re all over buzzwords, but this is one rant that’s required reading for all HR and hiring professionals.  And no, she’s not kidding.

Last, but not least, my selection for my favorite social update this week. While there were a ton of great sound bites coming out of last week’s SourceCon event in Denver, there was only one that seemed to send ripples throughout the circles of the recruiting and sourcing practitioners too busy doing their jobs to leave for a trade show:

Thanks, my friend – someone had to say it. No wonder this guy is a master at his craft (not to mention fun as hell to hang out with).

And there you have it, recruiters – consider yourself in the know for the week that was in recruiting – and good to go for the week ahead at the HR Technology Conference – shoot, didn’t mean to throw that in there. But you know how search engines work and stuff. But I’d also like to remind everyone to get all the latest updates from Vegas by clicking this link. Promise you won’t get Rick Rolled.

By Tim Spagnola