I love technology. I enjoy nothing more than trying out the latest app or discovering something new I can do with my programs that will positively impact my work (and make me look like the genius who came up with the original idea).

Having said all this, my experience of working in the recruitment market has taught me that not one piece of technology can replace the people that make recruitment work!

New fandangled things
Recently the Tinder style recruitment apps have been catching my eye, where you swipe left or right to like or dislike a candidate or a job – matching people and putting them in touch. I had to give them a go… much to my dissatisfaction. Just like Tinder there is a limited amount of information and you make your judgement quickly, based on the small amount of details made available to you. These types of apps may affect the market… but will they replace recruiters? NO!

Bored of job boards and already LinkedIn
There is no question that digital platforms have massively changed the way in which we recruit. But job boards and LinkedIn have created a generation of lazy recruiters. They rely too heavily on waiting for someone to pop up online rather than actively going out and actively perusing them. Our Managing Director, Iain McCracken wrote a blog all about this… click here to see it.

Don’t go changing
Recruitment has always been and will always be about people. People who help other people find the people they need. A lot of the candidates we speak to are off-market. A good recruiter would’ve built a relationship with the candidate previously, verbally, and so when the need arises… they are the ones that spring to mind. Whether it’s selling the dream, selling the brand, or managing the chaos, it always works better where a relationship has been built.

Enhancement not replacement
It is simply impossible to function efficiently in the recruitment game without databases and systems. But the key to competitive advantage is the networks we build and the relationships we develop. Otherwise why use one recruiter over another?

Technology should be used to enhance what we do, not replace it.