3 data points to help you focus on quality in recruiting

Data — and big data, at that — is changing the way companies recruit and retain qualified talent. For example, AI can transform rich datasets into a predictive hiring model that allows you to make more strategic and consistent hiring decisions while increasing your quality of hires.

The effect of data on hiring quality is twofold: It provides recruiters with helpful screening and pre-interview insights, which allows them to have better talking points and a more efficient approach to discovering each candidate’s qualifications. Beyond the actual hiring process, data enhances many other aspects of recruitment. For instance, it can even improve candidate engagement in three major areas:

Improvement in candidate engagement with data

Relevance

Getting job postings in front of top talent was once a matter of happenstance. The candidate had to be in the right place at the right time to see your ad. By using a combination of data and AI, you can now ensure each ad is directly where it needs to be for the most fitting candidates to see it. The ones you actually want to have conversations with.

Personalization

Before the actual interview, most interactions with potential hires tend to be generic at best. The right data and AI-driven tactics provide you with the option to personalize your message to each individual. This allows you to establish relationships with candidates long before the first in-person meeting, gaining their trust, respect, and credibility.

Reputation

Your reputation has a lot to do with the quality of candidates you get. Data and AI leave nothing to chance. Go ahead and mine social media to Learn More about what people are saying about your employer brand. If it’s not stellar, you can take actions to course-correct.

Data informs the way AI approaches these three recruiting pillars. But certain figures can paint a picture regarding the quality of candidates a company brings in.

Quality of Hire Measures

When looking for quality of hire measures, the duties and responsibilities of a role should guide your decision. But there are a few data points that, when combined with AI, illustrate the strength of your candidates across the board. Here are the top three:

Career Trajectory

Investing in employees is like investing in your company. Naturally, it yields a more skilled and productive workforce that improves your bottom line. But like any investment, you still want to stack the deck to ensure a return on professional development. This is where career trajectory comes in.
With job candidates, you want to assess their abilities to learn and grow. Look at factors like speed of promotion, job tenure, past performance, and growth potential. Viewing applicants from this perspective allows you to focus only on candidates who are most likely to progress and grow with your company. AI helps you do that.

Suggested reading on AI Recruitment Tools: AI recruitment guide: All HRs need to know about AI in recruiting

Personality Traits

While there isn’t an “ideal” personality type, certain traits can be more beneficial than others for certain roles. Research suggests that employees whose personality traits closely align with the traits ideal for a job are likely to earn more. A highly conscientious applicant, for example, is often organized, rule-abiding, and hard-working.

Leadership Aptitude

Hiring for leadership potential is often done only in terms of succession planning, which stands to reason. You want to bring people on board who are ready to step into managerial roles when necessary. But you should also want creative thinkers who can bring out the best in their colleagues — that’s what you get when your team is made up entirely of leaders.

But how exactly do you spot leadership potential in a stack of résumés? Proven skill development certainly can be an indication. The same can be said for emotional intelligence, accountability, dependability, empathy, and coachability.

How to use big data in recruiting will vary by employer. The last thing you want to do is adopt a cookie-cutter approach, which rarely provides the desired outcomes. By focusing on career trajectory, personality traits, and leadership abilities (all data points that only AI identifies and quickly explains to your recruiters), your organization will be moving in the right direction to make quality hires every time.