Two decades previous, the recruitment process was limited to newspaper advertisements and successful job seeking included frequenting the local job center. This has changed somewhat so that job seekers can find their perfect career at the click of a button. Although this is generally construed as a positive development, employers can often be bombarded by the increased volumes of applicants. This can affect the recruiter at various stages of the recruitment process.

Job Advertisements

Computers and netbooks aren’t the only forms of technology that have had a significant impact on recruitment. Job hunters can now begin their quest to find a job from almost anywhere. With the explosion of smart phone usage, applicants are able to assign “alerts” onto their mobile phones which notifies them the second the online recruitment website of their choice posts a vacancy. This ease of access, combined with the effects of the recession, has had a huge effect on employers whose numbers of applicants have multiplied. These large applicant numbers have resulted in employers outsourcing recruiting to online and flat fee recruitment specialists to do the main part for them.

Online Applications

The vast increase in online applications has sped up the job seeking process for applicants, but not necessarily employers. Interested candidates can simply send a generic email to the employer or fill in their application form online. This online application process has pros and cons for recruiters and employers. When applications were only received by postal mail some job seekers who weren’t particularly passionate about a role would probably dismiss the application.

The ease in which an application form can be submitted nowadays has increased the sheer volume of applicants, some of whom may have applied for the position on a whim. This faces the employer with a tough predicament of differentiating between the passionate applicants and the lackluster opportunists.

Filtering Potential Candidates

The laborious chore of whittling the applicants down to candidates who actually show interview potential is one of the main factors for an employer to delegate the duty to an online recruitment specialist. Many applications received are from job seekers who haven’t read the advertisement properly and have inadequate qualifications for the position — this can make the filtering process extremely time consuming.

First Impressions of the Potential Interviewee

There is one aspect of technology that employers can certainly reap the benefits of — the increase in social networking sites. The majority of applicants who apply online will be regular Internet users who likely possess a social profile. This allows employers to view the candidate’s true profile which often provides an ample insight into the candidate’s interests, personality and general demeanor. This provides the employer with more information on the applicant, which can ease the decision on whether the candidate is suitable for an interview.

The speed in which technology has evolved over the past 20 years has resulted in radical changes in the methods of recruitment. In some instances it can hinder an employer’s recruitment strategy, but in the majority of circumstances can really speed up the recruitment process for both employer and employee alike.

This post was originally published on Say Campus Life and can be found here