Traditional Recruitment vs. Modern Recruitment

The world of recruiting has come a long way since its humble beginnings. From the traditional recruitment methods of placing an advertisement in the local newspaper to the advent of modern-day digital recruitment, the evolution of recruitment is nothing short of fascinating.

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With traditional recruitment methods giving way to digital recruitment and recruitment technology, it’s important to understand the benefits and challenges posed by both.

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Join us as we take a deep dive into traditional recruitment methods, how they’ve evolved, and how they compare to modern recruitment strategies.

Traditional Recruitment: A Brief History

While traditional recruitment methods have been around for centuries, dating back as far as the Mediaeval period when candidates would seek employment through their local town crier; it wasn’t actually until the 20th century that the recruitment industry as we know it started to take shape.

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Until the early 2000s, recruitment strategies such as classified ads and headhunting were considered the norm and while these methods were effective in their day, they don’t work as well now.

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During this time, job seekers would rely on classified ads in newspapers, job boards, and word of mouth to find job opportunities; with recruiters spending hours sifting through resumes and conducting in-person interviews to find the right candidate for the job.

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Gradually, these methods evolved, and companies started using recruitment agencies to help them find the right candidates but, despite the advances in technology, traditional recruitment methods have remained largely unchanged at their core.

The Challenges of Traditional Recruitment

Traditional recruitment methods have served companies well for many years, but that’s not to say they didn’t come with several challenges. For example, traditional recruitment methods are insanely time-consuming and often result in long, drawn-out processes that could take anywhere from weeks to years.

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Additionally, the limited pool of candidates can also make it difficult for recruiters to find the right person for the job and traditional recruitment methods can also be quite expensive, which can put a considerable strain on a company’s budget.

Modern Recruiting: In the Now

Fast forward to today, and we are living in a digital world where everything has the potential to be streamlined and optimised for maximised productivity and revenue. While traditional recruitment methods are still used, modern recruitment strategies offer a plethora of benefits that can’t be ignored, including increased efficiency, improved productivity, and a larger pool of candidates.

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In Thrive My Way’s Artificial Intelligence & Automation Statistics and Trends for 2022, this is evidenced by their reports that 54% of companies that use AI report increased productivity and 80% of business leaders believe there is potential for further productivity gains.

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And with the correct tech adoption strategy, we can put to rest the rumours that rectech is here to replace recruiters and demonstrate how AI can be used to empower teams looking to supercharge their recruitment efforts.

The Benefits of Modern Recruitment

Despite this change being welcomed by many, some remain sceptical about the benefits of modern-day recruitment but did you know it doesn’t only benefit recruiters but candidates and agencies too? In fact, in comparison to its traditional counterpart, modern recruitment has several advantages.

Talented, Diverse, & RelevantCandidate Pools

Using recruitment technology and digital recruitment allows recruiters to reach a much larger pool of candidates, thereby increasing their chances of finding the right person for the job.

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Because the digital world has opened up the recruitment landscape, it’s now significantly easier for recruiters to connect with candidates from all over the world; this is especially true with the advent of social media and other digital platforms that allow recruiters to reach out to candidates on a global scale.

High Productivity, Low Cost

By leveraging the latest recruitment technologies, recruiters can streamline their workflows, reduce the time it takes to fill a vacancy, and increase their productivity. In fact, 44% of businesses that have implemented AI technologies have reported a reduction in operating costs.

Team Insights & Progress Monitoring

But the benefits don’t stop there, they extend from the recruiter straight up to senior leadership. By leveraging RecTech solutions like SourceBreaker, agency owners and managers can receive insights into how their recruiters are working; this increased visibility and data-driven approach has allowed companies to make better decisions, improve productivity, and reduce operating costs.

The Future of Recruitment

While traditional recruitment methods have served companies well for many years, it is clear that modern recruitment is the way of the future. As the world continues to move forward, the future of recruitment is likely to be dominated by technology.

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Many recruitment agencies have already started licensing new technologies, but because of the newness of it all, sometimes those technologies aren’t leveraged to their maximum potential.

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Remember, technology is only as powerful as the human using it, so make sure to really embrace the tech you invest in; it’ll guarantee improved productivity and organisation across your team(s).

Future-proofing with RecTech

So, for companies that want to stay ahead of the game, it’s time to invest in your tech stack and remember, it’s never too late to embrace the latest recruitment technologies and reap the benefits that come with AI-assisted rectech.

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Interested in finding out how to drive tech adoption within your own company? Check out some additional SourceBreaker articles.

TL;DR Key Takeaways

  • Traditional recruitment methods have been around for decades, but it wasn’t until the 20th century that the recruitment industry as we know it started to take shape.
  • Traditional recruitment methods, such as classified ads and headhunting, were effective in their day, but they are time-consuming, have a limited pool of candidates, and can be quite expensive.
  • Modern recruitment strategies offer a plethora of benefits that can’t be ignored, including increased efficiency, improved productivity, and a larger pool of candidates.
  • Modern recruitment technologies can streamline workflows, reduce the time it takes to fill a vacancy, and increase productivity.
  • By leveraging RecTech solutions, recruiters and companies can receive insights into how their recruiters are working and make better decisions, improve productivity, and reduce operating costs.
  • The future of recruitment is likely to be dominated by technology, and companies that want to stay ahead of the game should invest in their tech stack and embrace the latest recruitment technologies.

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