Companies are constantly looking at innovative ways to attract top talent, especially given today’s competitive scenario. One avenue that has gained significant traction is campus engagement activities. These activities serve as a bridge between academia and the professional world, offering numerous benefits for both companies and students. As we delve into the significance of campus engagement, it is crucial to understand its evolution in tandem with changing recruitment strategies, particularly in light of the ongoing AI revolution and online remote proctoring exams.

Decoding the world of campus engagement activities

At its core, campus engagement encompasses a variety of initiatives aimed at fostering connections between companies and students within a university setting, such as:

• Career fairs and information sessions, which provide students with insights into various career paths and allow companies to showcase their offerings
• Workshops and guest lectures, which offer specialised knowledge and insights, facilitating skill development and industry exposure
• Hackathons and coding competitions, which encourage creativity and problem-solving skills, offering hands-on experience and opportunities for collaboration
• Social events and volunteering opportunities, which build a sense of community and social responsibility, contributing to holistic development
• Mentorship and internship programmes, which provide invaluable guidance and practical experience, paving the way for future employment
• Alumni engagement programmes, which leverage alumni networks for mentorship and networking opportunities, fortifying connections within the community
  

Navigating the digital transformation of campus engagement activities

In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift towards more interactive and technology-driven recruitment methods. Traditional methods of recruitment are being complemented, if not replaced, by AI proctoring and online platforms. AI-driven solutions offer advantages such as enhanced efficiency, objectivity and scalability, particularly evident in online remote proctoring exams.

Beyond recruitment processes, AI applications and digital platforms also help facilitate remote engagement activities. Virtual career fairs, webinars and networking sessions have become commonplace, enabling companies to engage with students regardless of geographical constraints. These platforms offer immersive experiences, interactive features and data analytics capabilities, augmenting the overall effectiveness of engagement initiatives.

Why should companies invest in campus engagement activities?

Campus engagement activities offer numerous benefits for companies, some of which include:

• Brand awareness and recognition: Campus engagement activities offer companies a unique platform to establish themselves as employers of choice among the student community. Positive interactions and experiences during these engagements can significantly influence students’ perceptions, shaping their view of a company as a desirable place to work. This aspect of brand building is critical to attracting top talent, especially in competitive job markets.
• Early talent identification: Engaging with students on campus allows companies to identify and connect with high-potential individuals early in their academic careers. This proactive approach to talent acquisition means companies can attract students before they actively enter the job market, providing an opportunity to recruit interns and cultivate long-term relationships. Such early identification and engagement are instrumental in building a pipeline of qualified candidates ready to contribute to the company’s success upon graduation.
  
• In-depth understanding of Gen Z: Campus engagement activities also serve as a valuable tool for companies to gain insights into the expectations, skills and work ethics of Gen Z candidates. This generation brings a unique set of values and preferences to the table, and direct interaction through campus initiatives can help companies tailor their recruitment strategies and workplace environments to better align with these characteristics.
  
• Innovation and fresh perspectives: Collaboration with students through campus engagement activities can bring fresh ideas and perspectives into a company, fostering innovation and overall development. The diverse backgrounds and skill sets of students can challenge conventional thinking, leading to breakthroughs that might not have been possible within the confines of the company’s existing talent pool.
  

How can campus engagement help students?

Not only companies but students also gain tangible benefits from campus engagement activities. The benefits include:

• Valuable insights into different careers and industries: Campus engagement activities offer students a rare glimpse into the professional world beyond their textbooks. Through interactions with diverse companies and industry professionals, students are exposed to a plethora of career opportunities and industries, which helps them understand their career preferences better. This exposure is invaluable in an era where the AI revolution is reshaping job landscapes, making it essential for students to be agile and informed about their career choices.
  
• Access to opportunities: One of the most tangible benefits of campus engagement activities is the direct access they provide to internship and job opportunities. Companies participating in these activities often scout for potential talent directly from the campus, offering students a streamlined path to secure internships and even full-time positions. This direct recruitment pipeline is especially relevant in fields heavily influenced by technology, where companies seek candidates with a forward-thinking approach and a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence.
  
• Skill development: Beyond academic learning, campus engagement activities play a crucial role in skill development, equipping students with essential competencies not covered in their traditional curriculum. Ranging from leadership workshops to coding boot camps, these activities foster soft skills like teamwork, communication and problem-solving, alongside technical skills pertinent to navigating the artificial intelligence-dominated future.
  
• Real-world experience: The transition from academic theory to practical application is made seamless through real-world experiences gained from internships and project collaborations. These opportunities bridge the gap between academia and industry, providing hands-on experience that is crucial for understanding the challenges and opportunities within various industries as well as enhancing employability in a competitive job market.
  
• Networking opportunities: Networking is a pivotal aspect of professional growth, and campus engagement activities provide a fertile ground for connecting with industry professionals. These interactions can lead to valuable mentorship opportunities, insights into industry trends and even job offers, increasing a student’s chances of securing internships or full-time positions after graduation.
  

Challenges in carrying out campus engagement activities

Despite the clear benefits, implementing effective campus engagement activities is not without its challenges, some of which include:

• Time and resource constraints: Both educational institutions and companies often find it challenging to balance campus engagement activities with their core academic or business functions. Allocating time, financial resources and personnel to these activities can strain already limited resources.
  
• Identifying the right audience: Reaching the specific student groups that align with a company’s recruitment needs or an institution’s educational goals can be like finding a needle in a haystack, necessitating meticulous planning and research.
  
• Standing out from the competition: In a crowded marketplace of ideas and opportunities, capturing the attention and interest of students amidst numerous companies vying for their engagement can be daunting.
  
• Ensuring inclusivity and accessibility: Creating activities that are inclusive and accessible to all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background, physical abilities or learning preferences, may pose a significant challenge, requiring deliberate planning and effort.
  
• Measuring the impact of activities: Quantifying the ROI from campus engagement efforts is a complex task, given the qualitative nature of many of its benefits, necessitating a data-driven approach to evaluating success.
  

How to elevate your campus engagement game: Strategies for success

• Prioritise and collaborate: Effective campus engagement necessitates collaboration with internal teams, like HR and marketing, to share resources and responsibilities, ensuring that core business functions are complemented rather than compromised.
  
• Identify target campuses and student groups: A thorough understanding of the demographics and career interests of potential candidates is essential for tailoring engagement activities that resonate with the target audience. This step ensures that the impact is maximised and a deeper connection is cultivated with potential candidates.
  
• Develop engaging and interactive activities: The key to captivating student interest lies in creating activities that are both engaging and relevant. Companies should encourage creativity and innovation in selecting formats and topics, ensuring that these activities are not only informative but also inspiring.
  
• Utilise digital platforms and social media: In an age dominated by digital communication, leveraging online platforms and social media is a game-changer for campus engagement. Engaging with students through these channels offers a dynamic and accessible way to connect with and reach a wider audience, fostering engagement and interaction beyond physical boundaries.
  
• Partner with campus organisations: Building strong partnerships with campus organisations, such as student clubs, career centres and diversity and inclusion departments, can amplify reach and impact and ensure the inclusion of a broad spectrum of students with varied interests and needs.
  
• Measure and evaluate results: Adopting a metrics-driven approach to evaluate the success of engagement activities is critical. Tracking attendance numbers, student feedback and job applications received can offer valuable insights for refining strategies, ensuring that companies remain relevant and impactful.
  

The takeaway

Campus engagement activities are indispensable in bridging the gap between academia and industry. They offer a myriad of benefits that extend from skill development to real-world experience. As companies navigate the challenges and explore strategic solutions for effective engagement, the long-term benefits of investing in these activities cannot be overstated. By fostering a symbiotic relationship between students and the professional world, campus engagement activities not only enrich the academic experience but also pave the way for the future leaders of tomorrow, ensuring a win-win situation for both parties.

Campus hiring will always be significant in the talent industry. Freshers bring a fearless, fresh perspective to many workplace aspects, which helps the long-term outlook of organisations from the perspective of the leadership. Many freshers have risen to lead their organisations.

Often, we associate campus hiring with the traditional in-campus hiring from educational institutes. However, off-campus fresher hiring outside the campus also happens. Here, the freshers go through the complete hiring process by themselves. Many organisations conduct online off-campus hiring events.

Here is a quick glimpse of the evolution of campus hiring over the years.

Campus hiring evolution

Initially, campus hiring was a seasonal activity, done at a specific time of the year. Organisations collaborated with a few institutions to hire freshers for identified roles. It involved campus visits to familiarise the college authorities and the students with the company, its business, vision, etc.

Set question papers to assess aptitude and English and one paper to evaluate the generic technical knowledge of candidates constituted a traditional pen-and-paper test. Every student addressed the same questions. Over the years, minor changes to include sector- or industry-specific questions were implemented.

However, many industry leaders rethought campus strategies to find talent that they could bank on in the long run. Campus hiring, thus, evolved as a consulting service covering the entire gamut with strategies, online assessments, etc. This traditional approach thrived until Covid-19 gave a much-needed nudge.

Covid: the game changer!

Covid-19 proved to be a big game changer for the hiring industry. Covid curbs significantly affected offline hiring. Online processes were the only way to continue hiring, leading to an accelerated adoption of online hiring platforms. Many organisations started exploring the features and appreciated the benefits of online hiring, resulting in the platforms and processes getting whetted. Campus hiring evolved into a full-fledged model, with the entire workflow, from outreach to onboarding, getting a tech-based facelift. It ceased to be seasonal, with constant engagement becoming a key strategy. In short, Covid-19 showed the world that fearless, seamless hiring was possible.

Some significant benefits of online hiring include:

• Wider talent reach
• Shifting of focus from shortlisting campuses to shortlisting candidates
• Accelerated hiring cycle time
• Enhanced interview logistics with no lags
• Assured transparency and integrity
• Superior candidate engagement

Let’s now look at some significant campus hiring trends for 2024.

Significant 2024 college hiring trends

In 2024 campus hiring will look much different, with a few new trends emerging, such as:

1. Future is Phygital (Physical + digital)

   2024 campus hiring will mostly be phygital, with in-person hiring happening in only two categories:

   • High-end talent on premium campuses within a given window
   • Brand push-through on-campus

2. Hiring pool has become diverse

   Earlier, specific sectors were known for hiring certain roles only. But now, most sectors will hire for diverse roles. For example, the banking sector may hire from premium B schools for core banking, from Tier 2 or 3 B-schools for operations and from premier engineering colleges for automation. The scope of the entry-level talent spectrum has diversified.

3. Demand may come up by April or May 2024

   Campus hiring will be better than in 2023. According to an Economic Times article series titled, Class of 2024: Job trends that will rule the 2024 placement season, intent to hire freshers and young professionals is 59% among e-commerce and technology start-ups, followed by engineering and infrastructure (50%), information technology (49%), and healthcare and pharmaceuticals (42%).

4. Finishing schools could see an upsurge in enrollment

   Many organisations are seeking talent with extra skills or certifications topping the degrees. Therefore, finishing schools will see an enrollment upsurge and placement metrics will improve. At least 10 to 15% of campus hiring will happen from finishing schools that prepare freshers with in-demand skills.

Given the changing trends, what strategies can organisations adopt to succeed?

Rethink campus hiring

• Consider finishing schools along with traditional campuses. Hire graduates with extra skills to improve absorption rate and achieve fast productivity.
• Explore Tier 2 and 3 colleges through focussed outreach and skill-and-hire programmes for specific roles.

Explore alternate talent pools.

• Adopt skills-based hiring.
• Let age not define a fresher. Consider freelancers, women returnees, veterans, etc., if they are ready for a restart.

Plan for role-based internship programmes

• Plan internship programmes aligned with diversity goals, with associated sponsorships and mentorships.

Leverage phygital fully

• Implement on-campus hiring partially to create the required connect
• Consider in-office events to showcase your work culture
• Lean on digital to keep the branding, engagement and reach going

The outlook for 2024 college placements is hopeful. The evolving trends seem to be harbingers of change in the approach to campus hiring. It remains to be seen how these trends will shape hiring and whether the strategies will stand the test of time.

References:

• hirepro.in/resources
• economictimes.indiatimes.com
• linkedin.com

What did the popular Bollywood character Munna Bhai do when he wanted to clear the medical entrance? He got Dr. Rustom Pawri, a qualified doctor, to impersonate him! While we cheered Munna on screen, in real life, cheating in exams is no laughing matter. Every day, we see reports of cheating across many academic and competitive exams. So, why do people cheat without fear, even at the highest levels?

Let us quickly look at how traditional proctoring works. A batch of students write exams with one or two people monitoring. It is humanly impossible to monitor every candidate continuously to ensure that there is no cheating. Asides and chits are commonplace; other forms of cheating, like impersonations, also occur.

So, will moving exams online help? Not if you go by available data. While online exams brought many benefits in terms of cost, scheduling, etc., cheating persisted. A HirePro report based on a sample size of nine lakh assessments found:

• Cheating grows by 80% with no proctoring.
• The most common form of cheating was someone sitting with the candidate to provide verbal help, followed by impersonation.
• 30–50% of people cheat at entry-level job assessments.

When you look at more data from this report to find a solution, you learn that proctoring via audio + video + image helps detect 98 per cent of cheating. Therefore, AI proctoring misses only a minimal 2 per cent of cheating instances. However, one needs to implement maximum caution as the report highlights that when the proctoring included only an audio and image combination, 58 per cent of instances of cheating missed detection.

Let us understand AI proctoring better to see how it helps.

What is AI proctoring?

AI proctoring is AI-powered invigilation during virtual exams to detect various forms of cheating. Unlike human proctoring, there is a constant focus on every candidate to monitor their activities and the environment, enhancing the integrity of the tests. Environment monitoring is crucial because candidates can search online, switch browser tabs and even impersonate people. With AI, it is like having a pair of laser eyes on every candidate to ensure that the test results are fair and square.

There are three types of AI proctoring, namely:

• Live proctoring:Human proctors monitor live sessions backed by AI algorithms to verify and take requisite actions as required.
• Recorded proctoring:You record complete sessions for audit. It helps verify the results with data pointers to back any anomalies detected.
• Automated proctoring:This option facilitates auto-detection of any suspicious behaviour. It raises an alarm when it detects any form of cheating, including impersonation and cross-conversations.

The significant advantage here is the technology, which has features such as facial recognition, two-factor authentication, environment surveillance, browser monitoring, reports, etc.
Here is a comparison of the effectiveness of both methods of proctoring.

Measuring the effectiveness of proctoring

You can measure effectiveness across four key parameters.

1. Deterrence

   Traditional proctoring is reactive, whereas AI is proactive. Also, the AI algorithm keeps learning from various patterns to improve on the go. Knowing that AI can continuously watch and detect more and more issues, unlike human proctors, can deter people from cheating. In the long run, it can reduce instances of cheating, making AI proctoring highly effective in deterrence.

2. Scale

   Human monitoring mostly errs with volumes, whether offline or online. A human cannot keep watching multiple screens with equal effectiveness. A simple example is the CCTV monitoring rooms in many complexes, where people are not highly attentive while peering at the screens. Also, humans need breaks! All these aspects lead to errors, more so with scale. AI, on the other hand, can ensure the same effectiveness even for large volumes.

3. Logistics

   Exam logistics can be challenging, especially when done at scale. People allocation, travel, scheduling, etc., can be tedious and expensive. With AI, scheduling becomes hassle-free, with the added benefit of savings on personnel and expenses. Evaluation is instant and is backed by reports, lending transparency and accuracy and helping avoid any meddling by humans. AI proctoring, therefore, is heads above the traditional mode in this aspect.

4. User experiences

   AI is more inclusive and accessible, especially for PwDs. It is less intimidating than human proctors and can accommodate options like adaptive assessments, allowing people to perform better. These aspects help gauge candidates holistically and make for better user experiences.
   
   The effectiveness of AI proctoring across these four parameters seems to be much better when compared to traditional methods. But for best results and as a control measure, AI proctoring must always be backed by human assistance. While AI proctoring will evolve continuously, we cannot completely rule out human involvement in proctoring.

• glider.ai
• honorlock.com
• rosalyn.ai
• linkedin.com
• hirepro.in/resources/

As online spaces become increasingly integral to our lives, virtual assessments and interviews have become the norm. This surge in popularity is accompanied by a corresponding rise in the demand for remote proctoring solutions to safeguard the integrity of these online evaluations, prompting the development of a variety of innovative, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions.

These solutions offer unique advantages in the ever-evolving landscape of online proctoring. Available in three distinct modes — live (which combines the efficiency of AI with human judgement), auto (which operates entirely autonomously, requiring no human proctor presence), and record and review (which records the exam session for later review by human proctors) — they establish a secure, efficient and inclusive online learning environment.

What the early days of AI remote proctoring were like

The early AI-powered remote proctoring systems held immense promise for streamlining online assessments, but their limitations raised significant concerns. They included:

• Limited capabilities: The systems were vulnerable to simple tactics, with masks and pre-recorded footage easily bypassing the systems; rigid algorithms raised a high number of false positives; and, blind spots in the systems were unable to detect sophisticated cheating techniques, such as switching browser tabs or seeking external help.
• Negative user experience: Constant scrutiny and the high potential for false positives heightened stress and anxiety among students; the systems were not flexible enough to accommodate natural behavioural variations such as repetitive movements or impulsivity; and, the systems were not friendly to technologically-challenged and differently-abled participants.

These initial challenges highlighted the need for further development and refinement of AI proctoring systems.

Today’s AI proctors

Moving beyond their initial limitations, modern AI proctoring systems include the following features:

• Advanced behaviour analysis: The systems can detect subtle behavioural cues, including browsing of unauthorised tabs, unauthorised device usage or unusual eye movements.
• Comprehensive audio monitoring: AI algorithms are now trained to detect attempted communication with external sources during an exam. Whispering or muffled conversations and unusual background noise are flagged for further investigation.
• Environment monitoring: The technology can now identify unauthorised individuals entering the exam room.

As it happens, the advancements have not solely focused on exam integrity; inclusivity has also become a key consideration. They include:

• Features catering to persons with disabilities: Screen readers, text-to-speech conversion and adjustable font sizes allow persons with diverse needs to participate in online assessments on an equal footing.
• Accessibility improvements: More intuitive and user-friendly user interfaces ensure that people with varying technical skills can navigate the platform comfortably and focus on their exams.

This dual focus on security and inclusivity marks a significant step forward for AI proctoring.

What the future holds

The future of AI proctoring is brimming with potential and promise. As technology continues to evolve and mature, we can anticipate significant advancements:

• Enhanced integrity, reduced false positives: Future algorithms promise to be more sophisticated, catching complex cheating methods while minimising false alarms.
• Seamless integration with online learning platforms: Likely integration with learning platforms simplifies exam administration for administrators and participants and fosters a holistic online learning experience.
• A shift towards more natural systems: Systems adapt by learning from student behaviour and identify situations that necessitate human judgement and alert accordingly.
• Role of human proctors redefined: Human proctors transition to supervisory roles, focussing on investigating flagged activities and acquiring new skill sets like data analysis and communication for effective collaboration with AI.
• Navigation of potential challenges: Moving forward, a balanced approach is crucial, that is, embracing AI while preserving the human element in recruitment. Additionally, maintaining data confidentiality and security is paramount.
• Vision of a brighter future: AI proctoring shines with efficiency (reduced workload for human proctors) leading to cost savings and scalability in exam administration. Plus, accessibility improvements broaden its reach.

With its potential for security, fairness and accessibility, AI proctoring holds the key to a future that includes successful online learning for everyone.

Conclusion

From its rapid ascent to cutting-edge solutions, the evolution of AI proctoring has been impressive. Looking ahead, AI algorithms are poised to attain greater complexity, emulating human proctoring with increasing accuracy. But balance is key: embrace AI’s potential while prioritising human oversight and data security. By working together, AI and humans can unlock a future that will enrich online learning for all.

• The Economic Times
• EDUSYNCH
• ENFUSE

The AI revolution is transforming industries across the globe, with artificial intelligence reshaping the way we approach work and innovation. For human resources (HR) professionals, this era brings both challenges and opportunities. Adapting to this changing landscape is crucial for HR to not only survive but also excel, leveraging AI to enhance their roles and contribute significantly to organisational success.

From core functions to strategic advantages

Traditionally, HR focused on core functions like recruitment, compliance and employee management. Today, technological advancements, especially in AI, have expanded and enriched these roles. From enabling smarter resume screening and online proctored exams to AI-powered chatbots, AI’s role in HR transcends traditional boundaries, offering solutions that are not only efficient but also unbiased and personalised.

Transforming recruitment and selection

AI is revolutionising recruitment by automating the screening process, allowing for the quick identification of top candidates from a vast pool of resumes. Compared to traditional methods, online remote proctoring exams further enhance the selection process, offering a broader reach, unbiased assessment and efficient candidate screening.

In addition, AI-powered chatbots enhance the candidate experience by facilitating seamless interactions, answering queries and scheduling interviews, thus streamlining the recruitment process further. AI algorithms also help eliminate unconscious bias during the screening process, leading to a more diverse and qualified talent pool. This not only broadens the scope of talent acquisition but also reinforces the credibility of the evaluation process.

Elevating onboarding and training

The onboarding and training phase is another area where AI makes a significant difference. Customised learning experiences created through AI-powered platforms cater to individual learning styles, enhancing the effectiveness of training programmes.

Furthermore, AI chatbots act as round-the-clock assistants, providing new hires with immediate answers and support, making the onboarding experience more engaging and informative.

Redefining performance management

AI-driven tools transform performance management by offering detailed insights into employee performance, facilitating a more objective and data-driven approach to evaluations. These tools not only highlight areas for improvement but also identify strengths, enabling personalised development plans that enhance employee experience while conforming to the organisation’s goals.

Optimising talent management and employee retention

AI helps pinpoint employees with leadership qualities, ensuring talent is nurtured and prepared for future roles. It also analyses patterns and trends to predict potential turnover, enabling proactive measures to retain top talent.

The challenges of adopting AI and how to navigate them

Despite its clear benefits, incorporating AI in HR comes with several challenges, such as data security, employee reluctance to adapt, inflexible AI solutions, etc. Addressing these issues requires transparency, effective communication and a commitment to ethical AI practices. Collaborating with knowledgeable AI vendors can also smooth the transition, ensuring AI solutions are effectively integrated into HR functions.

With continuous evolution, HR professionals also need to develop new competencies to effectively utilise AI. Skills in AI technology, data analytics and strategic planning are extremely important. What plays a key role here is finding a balance. The collaboration between humans and AI can make or break organisational culture and performance. Here are some strategies to help organisations sail smoothly:

• Foster an AI-ready culture: Introduce comprehensive AI training programmes and set up innovation labs or hackathons where employees can collaborate on AI projects. This hands-on approach can demystify AI and encourage a proactive attitude towards AI.
• Ensure data integrity and security: Schedule periodic audits and implement advanced security protocols, such as encryption, two-factor authentication and secure access controls to protect sensitive HR data.
• Customise AI solutions: Pinpoint the specific challenges or inefficiencies within your HR processes that AI could address and choose AI solution providers willing to customise their applications.
• Measure results: Define clear key performance indicators (KPIs) for each AI implementation and track them in real time.

Conclusion

The integration of artificial intelligence into HR practices is essential for the future of work. Its impact on recruitment, employee experience, talent management and retention offers profound benefits for organisations. By embracing AI, HR professionals can lead their organisations towards innovation and continuous improvement, ensuring a competitive edge in the dynamic digital landscape. The AI revolution presents an opportunity for HR to redefine its role, making a significant contribution to organisational success in this new era.

Can non-living things learn? If you had asked this question to a room full of children in the early 1900s, you would have received an emphatic “no” as your answer. Fast forward to the present day, and the average 10-year-old will respond with a “yes”.

Artificial intelligence (AI) enables machines to learn (a skill previously considered to differentiate the living from the non-living). These machines can learn based on the patterns provided by large datasets to plan, reason, communicate and learn.

So, it is not surprising that AI is changing our economic landscape and, by extension, the landscape of the workplace. According to a PWC report, AI is already automating manual, repetitive tasks and could soon augment human decisions. The report further says that along the way, by 2030, it will add to global GDP more than the combined current output of China and India. This growth is expected to generate several good jobs and change the way jobs are now being done.

AI has extended its impact on how we recruit our workforce. As leaders, you will need to understand how AI will impact your workforce. You then need to transform your recruitment strategy to accommodate the potential impact of AI. For example, AI can automate much of your administrative processes, like billing, payroll and attendance tracking. Rather than recruiting for rule-based, routine tasks that require accuracy, you will start recruiting for creativity and complex problem solving. You will also see an increase in the use of AI to boost employee recruitment and retention.

Let us take a closer look at possible avenues where you can leverage the power of AI to revolutionise your recruitment process.

Chatbots to improve candidate engagement

Chatbots can be made available 24/7. This ensures timely responses to all your candidate queries. Through natural language processing, chatbots can understand and respond to your candidate’s questions, guide them through the application process and schedule interviews at their convenience while maintaining consistent positive communication. This elevates the candidates’ experience. Consistent communication from application to onboarding fosters trust in your employer brand and increases your offer acceptance rate.

Improved onboarding experience

AI automates workflows, offering a seamless onboarding experience for your new hire. It personalises your new hire’s learning path while providing continuous feedback and support. Thus, the new hires feel welcomed and empowered, allowing you to harness their skills from day one.

Enhanced ability to determine suitability

The facial recognition technology embedded in your AI-empowered recruitment tool detects and classifies emotions displayed by candidates during video interviews. AI algorithms can also analyse candidates’ posture, body language and gestures during these interviews. AI provides insights into candidates’ emotional intelligence, communication skills and suitability for specific roles. This enhances the efficiency, fairness and effectiveness of the hiring process while ensuring a positive candidate experience.

Predictive analytics for talent acquisition

AI’s ability to learn from data patterns allows it to analyse historical recruitment data. It then identifies patterns and correlations to predict which candidates are most likely to succeed in specific roles. These insights enable recruiters to proactively source, engage and retain top talent, reducing time-to-fill and turnover rates.

The benefits of AI in recruitment are numerous. It increases efficiency while providing significant cost savings. It eliminates the hiring team’s bias and improves the overall candidate experience. But as with any other new technology, you need to keep in mind the challenges involved when harnessing AI to revolutionise your recruitment process. Make sure to maintain an optimal balance between AI-enabled automation and human decision making. There will, of course, be data privacy concerns. Ensure that the processes you set in place will alleviate these concerns. And last, but not least, do not forget that AI is prone to algorithmic bias. Your systems and processes should be built with this in mind.

As the world adapts to AI and its many faces, the next decade or more is going to be interesting. Let’s enjoy the ride!

Resources

• elearningindustry.com
• pwc.co
• solulab.com

Candidate screening is one of the most important stages of the recruitment process. Nevertheless, it has been the proverbial Achilles heel for most recruiters. Take a look at these numbers, for instance. Out of 250 resumes received for an open position, nearly 220 are from unqualified candidates, which is a whopping 88%. Recruiters need to spend significant hours just filtering out qualified candidates before they can proceed with further hiring processes. Even though Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are used extensively, they still do not solve other problems associated with manual or semi-automated screening. For instance, quality of hire is not a guarantee even if you have a qualified candidate. Sometimes, resume formats may be rejected by the ATS since they do not “fit in” the generic format expected by the tool. Unconscious hiring bias can come into play when human recruiters screen resumes manually. Apart from that, much of manual screening involves recruiter’s expertise and experience, and making sure that hiring criteria are met.

Clearly, manual screening of candidates may result in qualified candidates getting filtered out due to inadvertent errors by humans. Automated candidate screening with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can transform candidate screening in several ways.

How AI powers candidate screening

Automated screening tools that leverage AI or ML offer tremendous improvements to the candidate screening process.

• Parsing and keyword matching:

  Resume parsers can extract information from resumes and organise them into a structured format that is more useful. Resume parsers leverage deep learning and ML algorithms and natural language processing (NLP) to break down unstructured resumes into useful structured data. For example, resume parsers would be able to extract personal information, work experience, education and certifications from resumes. Unlike traditional parsing that was rule-based, resume parsers that are based on AI or ML are flexible and scalable. They can handle a wide variety of formats and are useful for high-volume recruitment. They can even understand the semantics, where they are able to determine the relevance of experience or skill for a specific job description.
  Similarly, AI-based keyword matching is contextual, which is unlike traditional keyword matching in ATS software. The ability to process natural language means that keyword matching is done in the context of candidate experience and the job posting, resulting in far more accurate and relevant results.

• Automated scheduling and workflows:

  Automated interview scheduling can save recruiters precious hours during the initial screening process. With the AI tool checking on interviewer and candidate dates and setting the interview at a mutually convenient time, recruiters are free to just do a final check and confirm the interview. AI-based software can scan thousands of databases and repositories for potential candidates who have been passive so far. Automated messages can be sent to such candidates, and they can further be engaged via chatbots or email.

• Talent assessments:

  With skill-based hiring taking the lead, talent assessments have become the de facto standard to evaluate candidate proficiency. AI-powered skills and behavioural assessments can save companies resources, time and money while giving candidates the flexibility to take the assessments at a time and place of their choice. With automated identity detection and online proctoring, there is the assurance of no unfair practices. Test scores can be calculated and sent to applicant tracking systems (ATS) in the recruitment workflow, thus ensuring that there is minimal manual intervention.

• Virtual interviews:

  Virtual interviews became common in post-pandemic times. They continue to be used, especially for initial candidate screening. AI adds a new dimension to virtual interviews. AI-based software can detect facial expressions, body language and speech patterns that can be further used to make data-driven decisions regarding candidate suitability for a profile.
  

There are several advantages to using AI in candidate screening. AI-based screening encourages diversity hiring since there is minimal human bias during the hiring process. With automated scheduling and virtual interviews, candidates can be easily accessed and assessed, which in turn leads to improved candidate engagement and a positive experience. By automating repetitive tasks, recruiters experience increased productivity and efficiency and can focus on other activities that require human intervention. The use of AI in candidate screening leads to data-driven decision-making rather than relying just on gut instinct. Predictive analytics can help determine the likelihood of candidate success, which will result in improved and more efficient hiring.

AI-driven candidate screening has the potential to transform recruitment. Companies must be mindful of ethical AI practices, maintain transparency with candidates and adhere to data privacy regulations. Companies also need to invest in continuous improvement to enhance the effectiveness of AI-driven automation and fine-tune the algorithms. By striking the right balance between automation and human oversight, companies can undoubtedly achieve excellence in talent acquisition.

The jobs, they are a-calling!

Recruitment is a full-time effort for growing companies as they seek to fill their open positions with talented individuals wh-o can contribute their time, energy and innovative ideas that fuel organisational growth. Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the world of recruitment by giving recruiters new, cutting-edge capabilities that help them hire the best candidates for open roles. From spotting cheating at interviews to new-age tools for better onboarding, AI is indeed a game changer.

There is an important aspect of recruitment that has been silently pervasive and difficult to root out to date: bias. Bias in recruitment, whether favourable or unfavourable, can mean that the wrong candidate lands up in a position at best. At worst, this insidious trait can hurt organisational growth in the long run.

Yet, bias is inescapable. All of us accumulate biases with every encounter we have with the world at large: biases about situations, people, backgrounds, cities, languages and cultures. We favour something in every instance, or we avoid something. This is because we are all too human.

This is where AI can be useful. Technologists and recruiters have particularly worked together to eliminate human bias during that all-important step of screening. Let’s explore how.

AI-powered resume screening software operates on predetermined criteria, such as specific skills, candidate diversity criteria or certifications, using keywords. Such screening is particularly useful when sifting through thousands or tens of thousands of resumes that land in inboxes from corporate career pages, job boards and college recruitment drives. It is manually impossible for a limited number of recruiters to sift through such numbers without letting biases in, such as recency bias. Even more pervasive are biases such as the similarity bias (where the candidate(s) exhibit some affinity to the recruiter), the gender bias or the halo effect (when some positive trait of the candidate overshadows everything else).

Consider statements such as:

• “The candidate is from XYZ College. He must be a good candidate!”
• “She is in her early twenties. Can she stick on in this job for a few years?”
• “There are so many candidates! Let me just pick the last twenty I reviewed.”

This can happen in the best of organisations, and AI can mitigate this in one fell swoop. Indeed, automated candidate screening is no longer just a fringe benefit: it is a mainstream feature that can turn into a competitive advantage for many companies!

In a nutshell, AI-powered screening can help the enterprise with value-based recruitment, a strategy that puts the right candidates in front of recruiters and hiring managers. Value-based recruitment is beneficial to the recruiting organisation in many ways: besides burnishing the employer brand, it also contributes to a peaceful environment at work and ensures that more engaged employees are at work, resulting in higher productivity.

What, then, about bias in the AI itself? The lack of transparency within the AI algorithm being deployed, and any resultant biases it brings into the process, has emerged as a significant challenge to hiring bodies. Here are some specific bias mitigation strategies HR leaders must employ:

1. Ensure your algorithms train on diverse and representative data.

   AI is only as good as its training data. If the data is skewed in any manner, the resultant algorithm will exhibit bias. HR leaders must tackle this from training data onward.

2. Perform regular audits and checks of the AI.

   AI is an adaptive technology that learns as it operates on new data. Regular checks on the algorithm and any necessary corrections are imperative to ensure no biases creep in over time.

3. Implement transparency in algorithms.

   AI cannot operate as a black box. The candidates whose data AI operates on must be given information on how it operates and what the logic is behind certain decisions. Otherwise, trust gets eroded and this can hurt the brand, besides opening up the possibility that the best candidates may not apply for the vacancies.

4. Provide adequate data privacy and security safeguards.

   It bears repetition—AI is only as good as its data. The data must be safeguarded. Sensitive candidate information must be handled confidentially. HR leaders must communicate the scope and purpose of any data collection to candidates and seek permission if necessary.

Not surprisingly, these very strategies form the bedrock of a fair recruitment and evaluation process that is enabled by AI. Crafting an effective recruitment strategy powered by AI from screening onwards takes time and effort. As discussed above, it is rooted in the pillars of representative data, security, transparency, audits and checks.

When done right, AI-based screening can allow your recruitment to fly, giving you speedy access to the best available talent for your open positions! Talk to HirePro, the new-age AI-powered recruitment platform, to understand our AI-based screening tools. As an ISO 27001-certified and GDPR-compliant organisation, HirePro’s technology is built around the pillars of fair technology-powered recruitment. Let’s make your hiring Fearless!

For most organisations, it is becoming more crucial than ever before to ensure a top candidate experience for those who are applying to the organisation. It is a known fact that candidates who have the right skill sets have plenty of job options to choose from. What generally tilts a company in favour of a particular candidate is the candidate experience.

So what exactly is candidate experience?

Candidate experience is how a prospective employee perceives the company’s brand throughout the hiring process, right from the job description to interviews to the onboarding stage. Does a candidate feel welcomed into an organisation? Is the onboarding process smooth and seamless? Are new employees made comfortable with the right mentors for guidance? All these factors and more are important to convince a candidate to not just join an organisation but also stay in the organisation long term.

Candidate experience is how a prospective employee perceives the company’s brand throughout the hiring process, right from the job description to interviews to the onboarding stage. Does a candidate feel welcomed into an organisation? Is the onboarding process smooth and seamless? Are new employees made comfortable with the right mentors for guidance? All these factors and more are important to convince a candidate to not just join an organisation but also stay in the organisation long term.

These days, companies are experimenting with chatbots and virtual assistants (VA) to see how they could help with the candidate experience. Chatbots and VAs help businesses save time and money while increasing the efficiency of the hiring process.

Chatbots and VAs are most often used interchangeably. However, they are quite distinct. Chatbots are software programmes that can simulate human-like conversation. They are built using NLP (Natural Language Processing) technology and ML (Machine Learning). VAs, on the other hand, help with the carrying out of daily tasks like the making of calls. They are AI-driven and their accuracy improves with time. Some of the well-known VAs that many of us have interacted with are Siri, Cortana, and Alexa.

Let us explore some of the areas where chatbots and VAs are making their presence felt!

1. Initial engagement and screening:

   Chatbots and VAs have the ability to ask relevant questions to candidates and screen resumes. We are all aware that one of the biggest challenges in recruitment is the unconscious bias that could creep in. Chatbots and VAs remove this bias by evaluating candidates objectively. Thus, all deserving candidates stand a fair chance of getting the job by showcasing their skills and experience!

2. Handling frequently asked questions and queries:

   Imagine a talent acquisition professional getting bombarded with questions and doubts from scores of candidates. To top it all, most candidates have the same doubts plaguing them. In such cases, it is a good option to use chatbots that can respond to these questions for the umpteenth time without getting flustered! Chatbots ensure consistency in responses to candidates. Their use also gives talent acquisition specialists the time to focus on more strategic tasks and initiatives without getting bogged down by answering routine queries.

3. Scheduling interviews:

   VAs can schedule interviews for prospective candidates by syncing the calendars of interviewers and candidates and finding suitable time slots. Even mails to the candidates regarding the time slots can be sent out by the VAs.

4. Collecting and analysing feedback:

   If you are keen to improve your hiring processes as an organisation, then taking the help of virtual assistants might just be the way to go! They are capable of sending out and collecting feedback forms after interviews. Not only that, they can even analyse vast amounts of data, detect trends and help HR managers to make informed hiring decisions.

5. Onboarding assistance:

   The time that a candidate takes to become an employee and join an organisation is most crucial. Organisations must ensure that the transition phase for the employee is smooth. There are several steps involved in the onboarding of candidates, right from document collection to reference checking to answering the queries that new hires might have. All these tasks and more can be efficiently taken up by VAs, reducing the possibility of manual errors and improving the candidate experience at the organisation.

6. Continuous engagement and talent nurturing:

   Employee surveys can be run with the help of VAs. The VAs are capable of understanding the learning and development needs of newly-hired employees and recommending relevant courses that they could take to improve their existing skill sets.
   

There’s no doubt that chatbots and VAs are making their presence felt in almost all areas of recruitment. They have the ability to deliver a level of personalisation that even humans might not be able to match. Their use is driving efficiency, impact and improved candidate experiences across all areas of recruitment. A Gartner survey revealed that 56% of HR leaders have admitted that their HR technology solutions and strategy do not match current and future business needs. For organisations that have not jumped onto the chatbot or VA bandwagon yet, it is certainly time to do so without further ado!