If you work in human resources, chances are good that you've heard a thing or two about big data recruiting.

But, is this just the latest trend in hiring or is it a true evolution in workplace recruiting?

Here are some of the top advantages of big data recruiting and how to make this shift in hiring tactics work for your business…

Comb the Internet

The Internet offers a treasure-trove of information on job candidates including their educational background, work history, volunteer efforts and more.

Many forms of big data software now offer the ability for employers to compile this range of data on job candidates and analyze it to better hone their searches.

If this form of big data collection would benefit your recruiting efforts, first determine the types of data you'd like to mine online. Oh, and make sure that the tactics you implement on this side of big data are legal.

Deploy Tests and Games

A few top tactics utilized by big data recruiting are the use of recruiting tests and games.

Nearly unlimited styles of candidate tests are available, with many designed to analyze how candidates operate under pressure, their personalities, whether they're team players and more.

Before implementing big data tests or games into your recruiting efforts, first determine which style best matches your needs and put some strategy behind the tactic to fully capitalize on its benefits.

Analyze the Data

All the data in the world won't do you any good if you don't know how to analyze it.

If you aren't well acquainted with the processes of analyzing big data, hire a human resources professional who specializes in this realm.

According to the piece, “Hiring Smart: The 5 Best Schools Cranking out Big Data Job Candidates, many colleges and universities recognize this shift in recruiting and now offer big data courses that help train their students for the future of human resources.

Find the best human resources professionals who can help take your big data recruiting to the next level by analyzing their work history as well as their education background.

Remember the Human Element

The best recruiters are those who have learned to combine big data with the humanistic side of hiring.

Big data can tell you a lot about job candidates, including whether they have the skillset needed to excel in your workplace.

However, interviews, reference checks and other tactics that require conversations and face-to-face meetings help to round out the search. Each complements the other and, when combined into a well-rounded recruiting strategy, can help push your human resources efforts to the next level.

Know your Needs

You can't properly analyze big data generated during job candidate searches until you know what's needed from those job candidates.

Every recruiting search must begin with a definition of the skillset, personality and other details that are crucial for a new hire to possess.

Each position within your company requires a unique set of skills and, by defining those necessary skills up front, you can then use big data to your advantage in honing the applicant pool.

Track Changes

What's your main reason for implementing big data into your recruiting efforts?

Whether you hope to reduce employee turnover, increase employee satisfaction or improve sales by finding the right employees for each job, track the changes in the desired realm after utilizing big data searches. Every effort should be tied to results that can be tracked.

For example, if your main goal in using big data is to reduce employee turnover, you should first determine your current rate of turnover.

In a year after implementing big data recruiting (or another per-determined evaluation time frame), you can revisit your rate of turnover to see whether your initial goal was achieved and whether big data analyzing is paying off.

Interested in the advantages of big data recruiting?

Make this shift in hiring work for your business by hiring professionals who can properly compile and analyze the data.

Also, combine big data with the humanistic side of recruiting to truly find and hire the best candidates.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About the Author: Shayla Ebsen is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional writing experience both in the corporate and freelance settings.