What are the biggest mistakes recruiters made in 2016?

26 Jan, 2017

Industries everywhere are undergoing major shifts. It's the technology revolution and no one is coming out untouched.

Decade-old systems and processes have been flipped on their side, customer expectations are changing faster than ever, completely new roles are being created and organisations are restructuring more frequently than ever.

Recruitment is no different. The rules of the game are quickly shifting and recruiters either need to adapt or fall to the wayside. So where did recruiters go wrong in 2016? More specifically, what steps did they fail to take on their road to evolution? Let's take a look.

1. They focused too heavily on the tech – Technology can be a really cool tool. Digital developments help improve processes, platforms can make workflows more effective, online interactions allow businesses to reach out to their clients instantly and the list goes on.

However, many professionals get so distracted with implementing technologies and creating new systems that they complete neglect the human element of recruitment. There is so much value in building real-time in-person connections with both clients and candidates. There is something about a face-to-face meeting or client lunch that instant messages and Skype calls will never be able to recreate. While embracing tech is a critical step in adapting to industry trends, there is something to be said about diving in too deep and forgetting about other key functions.

2. They ignored the tech completely – The flipside of this is a complete failure to adapt. While this issue was a lot less common in 2016, there are still recruiters and recruitment companies that have yet to make their digital transformation. This comes at a great cost.

Recruitment software, business intelligence solutions and management software all provide recruiters with critical data that helps advance their bottom line. Moreover, these developments can help optimise the recruitment process overall. Neglecting the tech in today's digital world often proves to be a fatal error for recruiters.

3. They neglected to build a digital brand

Recruiters need to market too. It's just a reality of the industry today. Without a blog, a solid website or a strong presence on sites like LinkedIn and Twitter, you may as well mark yourself irrelevant. According to recruitment expert Greg Savage, recruiters need to double as marketers today. Clients and candidates alike will seek out strong brands. They want recruiters and recruitment companies that are committed to them and your online presence will help show them that.

4. They didn't jump on the other opportunities

Recruitment is no longer just about placements. Clients and candidates expect more out of these professional relationships, and recruiters have the ability to give it to them. With new technology, all recruitment companies sit on a goldmine of critical information. From market insights to salary averages, you have the ability to provide your client base with market knowledge and consult them on the best next steps – show this value and you will create an extremely loyal set of clients.

Moving forward – 2017 and beyond

Luckily, everyone can learn from these mistakes. The new year provides a fresh slate and as recruiters begin to find their footing in 2017 there is ample time to re-direct efforts to remedying the issues of 2016.

Finding a balance between leveraging tech and still putting value in human relationships, building up a genuine digital brand, offering your clients and candidates deeper value – these are all attainable goals for the new year. Recruiters that adapt will not only survive these waves of change, they'll thrive.