In the midst of Digital Transformation, most companies are wondering how different departments can improve their processes thanks to new technologies. Big Data is one of the paradigms that is arousing more interest from companies. Specifically, Human Resources Departments are beginning to take an interest in the analysis of large volumes of data, since thanks to it it could be possible to improve recruitment, the employee engagement, the talent retention and the operation of training plans.
As we know, Human Resources Departments do not always find the talent they need, especially when it comes to technical and specialized profiles that are not usually abundant in the labor market. In these cases, HeadHunters are in charge of locating and selecting the most suitable professionals for the company. In this article we will talk precisely about one of the keys that HeadHunters should take into account to improve their recruitment processes: Big Data. As we will see below, there are many benefits in data analysis, as it can lead to the implementation of accurate and well-founded predictive models.
Why HeadHunters should embrace Big Data analytics to recruit talent
- To be able to segment profiles more quickly and accurately. There are tools, such as the professional network Linkedin, that can help divide candidates according to their characteristics. Thanks to this huge amount of data, HeadHunters would be able to quickly and accurately see which candidates meet the job specifications.
- To have a more extensive and optimized database. Instead of choosing candidates by pure instinct, you can analyze the candidates' multiple social networks, online resume databases and information from your own database. Keep in mind that in order to make accurate predictions, you need as much data as possible. The more data we have at our disposal, the closer to reality our predictions will be.
- Predict which candidates will be most successful in the company. From now on, headhunters will be able to use predictive models to control hiring and, in short, stop intuition being the basis for decision making. From these Big Data analytics results (obtained through the databases mentioned in the previous point), a pre-hiring guide could be developed to predict which candidates will end up being more successful in the company.
- Verify the skills of the candidates. In addition to defining the most suitable candidates, it could also be verified if the professionals have the necessary skills for the job. A good example of this process is Google, which tests candidates by means of a game called Code Jam. The Code Jam consists of solving algorithmic puzzles and, in this way, the company can see which participants manage to solve the problems posed more quickly.
- Check if the salary offered by the company is competitive. Occasionally, companies do not find the ideal profile because the salary offered does not correspond to market dictates. In this sense, the analysis of data from professional social networks such as Linkedin could help us understand what salaries are like in other companies. This latter data is especially important, as we can check whether workers are being paid enough and, therefore, whether the company is competitive at the market level.
We must remember that, although technology can help us find the best candidates, we are the people who make the final decisions. Good HeadHunters are those who know how to use the resources they have and, at the same time, use their professional experience to recruit the ideal talent.