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Vibe Coding: Shaping the Future of Software

A New Era of Code Vibe coding is a new method of using natural language prompts and AI tools to generate code. I have seen firsthand that this change Discover how vibe coding is reshaping software development. Learn about its benefits, challenges, and what it means for developers in the AI era.

Author

Vishwastam Shukla

June 25, 2025

3 min read

A New Era of Code

Vibe coding is a new method of using natural language prompts and AI tools to generate code. I have seen firsthand that this change makes software more accessible to everyone. In the past, being able to produce functional code was a strong advantage for developers. Today, when code is produced quickly through AI, the true value lies in designing, refining, and optimizing systems. Our role now goes beyond writing code; we must also ensure that our systems remain efficient and reliable.

From Machine Language to Natural Language

I recall the early days when every line of code was written manually. We progressed from machine language to high-level programming, and now we are beginning to interact with our tools using natural language. This development does not only increase speed but also changes how we approach problem solving. Product managers can now create working demos in hours instead of weeks, and founders have a clearer way of pitching their ideas with functional prototypes. It is important for us to rethink our role as developers and focus on architecture and system design rather than simply on typing c

The Promise and the Pitfalls

I have experienced both sides of vibe coding. In cases where the goal was to build a quick prototype or a simple internal tool, AI-generated code provided impressive results. Teams have been able to test new ideas and validate concepts much faster. However, when it comes to more complex systems that require careful planning and attention to detail, the output from AI can be problematic. I have seen situations where AI produces large volumes of code that become difficult to manage without significant human intervention.

AI-powered coding tools like GitHub Copilot and AWS’s Q Developer have demonstrated significant productivity gains. For instance, at the National Australia Bank, it’s reported that half of the production code is generated by Q Developer, allowing developers to focus on higher-level problem-solving . Similarly, platforms like Lovable enable non-coders to build viable tech businesses using natural language prompts, contributing to a shift where AI-generated code reduces the need for large engineering teams. However, there are challenges. AI-generated code can sometimes be verbose or lack the architectural discipline required for complex systems. While AI can rapidly produce prototypes or simple utilities, building large-scale systems still necessitates experienced engineers to refine and optimize the code.

The Economic Impact

The democratization of code generation is altering the economic landscape of software development. As AI tools become more prevalent, the value of average coding skills may diminish, potentially affecting salaries for entry-level positions. Conversely, developers who excel in system design, architecture, and optimization are likely to see increased demand and compensation.
Seizing the Opportunity

Vibe coding is most beneficial in areas such as rapid prototyping and building simple applications or internal tools. It frees up valuable time that we can then invest in higher-level tasks such as system architecture, security, and user experience. When used in the right context, AI becomes a helpful partner that accelerates the development process without replacing the need for skilled engineers.

This is revolutionizing our craft, much like the shift from machine language to assembly to high-level languages did in the past. AI can churn out code at lightning speed, but remember, “Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand.” Use AI for rapid prototyping, but it’s your expertise that transforms raw output into robust, scalable software. By honing our skills in design and architecture, we ensure our work remains impactful and enduring. Let’s continue to learn, adapt, and build software that stands the test of time.

Ready to streamline your recruitment process? Get a free demo to explore cutting-edge solutions and resources for your hiring needs.

How Candidates Use Technology to Cheat in Online Technical Assessments

Discover common technologies used by candidates for cheating in online assessments. Explore effective prevention methods like proctoring, AI monitoring, and smart test formats.

Author

Nischal V Chadaga

June 25, 2025

3 min read

Impact of Online Assessments in Technical Hiring

In a digitally-native hiring landscape, online assessments have proven to be both a boon and a bane for recruiters and employers.

The ease and efficiency of virtual interviews, take home programming tests and remote coding challenges is transformative. Around 82% of companies use pre-employment assessments as reliable indicators of a candidate's skills and potential.

Online skill assessment tests have been proven to streamline technical hiring and enable recruiters to significantly reduce the time and cost to identify and hire top talent.

In the realm of online assessments, remote assessments have transformed the hiring landscape, boosting the speed and efficiency of screening and evaluating talent. On the flip side, candidates have learned how to use creative methods and AI tools to cheat in tests.

As it turns out, technology that makes hiring easier for recruiters and managers - is also their Achilles' heel.

Cheating in Online Assessments is a High Stakes Problem

With the proliferation of AI in recruitment, the conversation around cheating has come to the forefront, putting recruiters and hiring managers in a bit of a flux.

According to research, nearly 30 to 50 percent of candidates cheat in online assessments for entry level jobs. Even 10% of senior candidates have been reportedly caught cheating.

The problem becomes twofold - if finding the right talent can be a competitive advantage, the consequences of hiring the wrong one can be equally damaging and counter-productive.

As per Forbes, a wrong hire can cost a company around 30% of an employee's salary - not to mention, loss of precious productive hours and morale disruption.

The question that arises is - "Can organizations continue to leverage AI-driven tools for online assessments without compromising on the integrity of their hiring process? "

This article will discuss the common methods candidates use to outsmart online assessments. We will also dive deep into actionable steps that you can take to prevent cheating while delivering a positive candidate experience.

Common Cheating Tactics and How You Can Combat Them

Using ChatGPT and other AI tools to write code
Copy-pasting code using AI-based platforms and online code generators is one of common cheat codes in candidates' books. For tackling technical assessments, candidates conveniently use readily available tools like ChatGPT and GitHub. Using these tools, candidates can easily generate solutions to solve common programming challenges such as:
- Debugging code
- Optimizing existing code
- Writing problem-specific code from scratch
Ways to prevent it
- Enable full-screen mode
- Disable copy-and-paste functionality
- Restrict tab switching outside of code editors
- Use AI to detect code that has been copied and pasted
Enlist external help to complete the assessment

Candidates often seek out someone else to take the assessment on their behalf. In many cases, they also use screen sharing and remote collaboration tools for real-time assistance.

In extreme cases, some candidates might have an off-camera individual present in the same environment for help.

Ways to prevent it
- Verify a candidate using video authentication
- Restrict test access from specific IP addresses
- Use online proctoring by taking snapshots of the candidate periodically
- Use a 360 degree environment scan to ensure no unauthorized individual is present
Using multiple devices at the same time

Candidates attempting to cheat often rely on secondary devices such as a computer, tablet, notebook or a mobile phone hidden from the line of sight of their webcam.

By using multiple devices, candidates can look up information, search for solutions or simply augment their answers.

Ways to prevent it
- Track mouse exit count to detect irregularities
- Detect when a new device or peripheral is connected
- Use network monitoring and scanning to detect any smart devices in proximity
- Conduct a virtual whiteboard interview to monitor movements and gestures
Using remote desktop software and virtual machines

Tech-savvy candidates go to great lengths to cheat. Using virtual machines, candidates can search for answers using a secondary OS while their primary OS is being monitored.

Remote desktop software is another cheating technique which lets candidates give access to a third-person, allowing them to control their device.

With remote desktops, candidates can screen share the test window and use external help.

Ways to prevent it
- Restrict access to virtual machines
- AI-based proctoring for identifying malicious keystrokes
- Use smart browsers to block candidates from using VMs

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Talent Acquisition Strategies For Rehiring Former Employees

Discover effective talent acquisition strategies for rehiring former employees. Learn how to attract, evaluate, and retain top boomerang talent to strengthen your workforce.

Author

Nischal V Chadaga

June 25, 2025

3 min read

Former employees who return to work with the same organisation are essential assets. In talent acquisition, such employees are also termed as ‘Boomerang employees’. Former employees are valuable because they require the least training and onboarding because of their familiarity with the organization’s policies. Rehiring former employees by offering them more perks is a mark of a successful hiring process. This article will elaborate on the talent acquisition strategies for rehiring former employees, supported by a few real-life examples and best practices.

Why Should Organizations Consider Rehiring?

One of the best ways of ensuring quality hire with a low candidate turnover is to deploy employee retention programs like rehiring female professionals who wish to return to work after a career break. This gives former employees a chance to prove their expertise while ensuring them the organization’s faith in their skills and abilities. Besides, seeing former employees return to their old organizations encourages newly appointed employees to be more productive and contribute to the overall success of the organization they are working for. A few other benefits of rehiring old employees are listed below.

Reduced Hiring Costs

Hiring new talent incurs a few additional costs. For example, tasks such as sourcing resumes of potential candidates, reaching out to them, conducting interviews and screenings costs money to the HR department. Hiring former employees cuts down these costs and aids a seamless transition process for them.

Faster Onboarding

Since boomerang employees are well acquainted with the company’s onboarding process, they don’t have to undergo the entire exercise. A quick, one-day session informing them of any recent changes in the company’s work policies is sufficient to onboard them.

Retention of Knowledge

As a former employee, rehired executives have knowledge of the previous workflows and insights from working on former projects. This can be valuable in optimizing a current project. They bring immense knowledge and experience with them which can be instrumental in driving new projects to success.Starbucks is a prime example of a company that has successfully leveraged boomerang employees. Howard Schultz, the company's CEO, left in 2000 but returned in 2008 during a critical time for the firm. His leadership was instrumental in revitalizing the brand amid financial challenges.

Best Practices for Rehiring Former Employees

Implementing best practices is the safest way to go about any operation. Hiring former employees can be a daunting task especially if it involves someone who was fired previously. It is important to draft certain policies around rehiring former employees. Here are a few of them that can help you to get started.

1. Create a Clear Rehire Policy

While considering rehiring a former employee, it is essential to go through data indicating the reason why they had to leave in the first place. Any offer being offered must supersede their previous offer while marking clear boundaries to maintain work ethics. Offer a fair compensation that justifies their skills and abilities which can be major contributors to the success of the organization. A well-defined policy not only streamlines the rehiring process but also promotes fairness within the organization.

2. Conduct Thorough Exit Interviews

Exit interviews provide valuable insights into why employees leave and can help maintain relationships for potential future rehires. Key aspects to cover include:

Reasons for departure.
Conditions under which they might consider returning.
Feedback on organizational practices.

Keeping lines of communication open during these discussions can foster goodwill and encourage former employees to consider returning when the time is right.

3. Maintain Connections with Alumni

Creating and maintaining an alumni association must be an integral part of HR strategies. This exercise ensures that the HR department can find former employees in times of dire need and indicates to former employees how the organization is vested in their lives even after they have left them. This gesture fosters a feeling of goodwill and gratitude among former hires. Alumni networks and social media groups help former employees stay in touch with each other, thus improving their interpersonal communication.Research indicates that about 15% of rehired employees return because they maintained connections with their former employers.

4. Assess Current Needs Before Reaching Out

Before reaching out to former employees, assess all viable options and list out the reasons why rehiring is inevitable. Consider:

Changes in job responsibilities since their departure.
Skills or experiences gained by other team members during their absence.

It is essential to understand how the presence of a boomerang employee can be instrumental in solving professional crises before contacting them. It is also important to consider their present circumstances.

5. Initiate an Honest Conversation

When you get in touch with a former employee, it is important to understand their perspective on the job being offered. Make them feel heard and empathize with any difficult situations they may have had to face during their time in the organization. Understand why they would consider rejoining the company. These steps indicate that you truly care about them and fosters a certain level of trust between them and the organization which can motivate them to rejoin with a positive attitude.

6. Implement a Reboarding Program

When a former employee rejoins, HR departments must ensure a robust reboarding exercise is conducted to update them about any changes within the organization regarding the work policies and culture changes, training them about any new tools or systems that were deployed during their absence and allowing them time to reconnect with old team members or acquaint with new ones.

7. Make Them Feel Welcome

Creating a welcoming environment is essential for helping returning employees adjust smoothly. Consider:

Organizing team lunches or social events during their first week.
Assigning a mentor or buddy from their previous team to help them reacclimate.
Providing resources that facilitate learning about any organizational changes.

A positive onboarding experience reinforces their decision to return and fosters loyalty.

Real-Life Examples of Successful Rehiring

Several companies have successfully implemented these strategies:

IBM: The tech giant has embraced boomerang hiring by actively reaching out to former employees who possess critical skills in emerging technologies. IBM has found that these individuals often bring fresh perspectives that contribute significantly to innovation7.

Zappos: Known for its strong company culture, Zappos maintains an alumni network that keeps former employees engaged with the brand. This connection has led to numerous successful rehiring instances, enhancing both morale and productivity within teams6.

Conclusion

Rehiring former employees can provide organizations with unique advantages, including reduced costs, quicker onboarding, and retained knowledge. By implementing strategic practices—such as creating clear policies, maintaining connections, assessing current needs, and fostering welcoming environments—companies can effectively tap into this valuable talent pool.

As organizations continue navigating an ever-changing workforce landscape, embracing boomerang employees may be key to building resilient teams equipped for future challenges. By recognizing the potential benefits and following best practices outlined above, businesses can create a robust strategy for rehiring that enhances both employee satisfaction and organizational performance.

Tech Hiring Insights

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Developer Insights

20 free and open source data visualization tools

Data visualization is helping companies worldwide to identify patterns, predict outcomes, and improve business returns. Visualization is an important aspect of data analysis. Simply put, data visualization conveys outcomes of tabular or spatial data in a visual format. Images have the power to capture attention and convey ideas clearly. This aids decision making and drives action for improvements.

With the use of the right tools, you can sketch a convincing visual story from your raw data. Here are some free and open source tools for data visualization:

1) Candela

If you know Javascript, then you can use this open source tool to make rich data visualizations. Candela is an open-source suite of interoperable web visualization components.

2) Charted

Charted is a free data visualization tool that lets you create line graphs or bar charts from CSV files and Google spreadsheets. The toll comes with integrated components including LineUp component, UpSet component, OnSet component, Vega visualizations, and GeoJS geospatial visualizations. The tool does not store the data or manipulate it. Focused purely on visualization, it comes with basic features to create a line or stacked charts with labels and notes.

3) Datawrapper

Datawrapper is a mobile-friendly data visualization tool that lets you create charts and reports in seconds. The free version of the tool meant for a single user supports 10,000 monthly chart views. Using the tool, you can create different types of visualization such as bar chart, split chart, stacked chart, dot plot, arrow plot, area chart, scatter plot, symbol map, and choropleth map. You don’t need coding or designing skills to use the tool.

4) Google Data Studio

Google’s data visualization tool is free and easy to set up if you have a Gmail account. You can connect it easily with Google products such as Google AdWords, Google Analytics, YouTube Analytics, and Google Sheets.

5) Google Charts

Another simple and free data visualization tool by Google is the Google chart tool. The tool comes with interactive charts and data tools for visualization.

6) Leaflet

The leaflet is an open-source JavaScript library that allows you to make mobile-friendly interactive maps. The tool has a lot of plugins for adding features and works well on various desktop and mobile platforms.

7) MyHeatMap

MyHeatMap is a free tool to view your geographic data interactively. The free version of the tool offers only public maps and you can add only 20 data points for each of those free maps. The tool makes it easy to understand the data with color-coded heat maps. You can also switch between data sets within the same map.

8) Openheatmap

This free tool lets you turn your spreadsheet into a map. You can upload your CSV file or Google sheet to create an interactive online map in seconds. The tool can be used to explain data like customer demographics by zip codes.

9) Palladio

Palladio is a free tool designed to visualize complex historical data. It comes with features like map view, graph view, list view and gallery view. You can use the tool to visualize data in CSV, TAB, or TSV files. With the graph view, you can visualize the relationship between dimensions of your data. The data is displayed as nodes connected by lines. The list view, on the other hand, allows you to arrange data to make customized lists. The tool also has a gallery view to display data within a grid.

10) RawGraphs

RawGraphs is an open-source platform that helps you visualize TSV, CSV, DSV, or JSON data. The free tool is simple to use and helps in converting data to charts.

11) Tableau Public

Tableau Public is a free business intelligence tool that allows users to create and share interactive charts, graphs, maps, and app. The free version of the tool comes with 10 GB of storage. You can connect it to data sources like Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, Text files, JSON files, Spatial files, Web Data Connectors, OData, and statistical files such as SAS (*.sas7bdat), SPSS (*.sav), and R (*.rdata, *.rda).

12) Timeline

A timeline is a free tool that allows you to create timelines for reports. You can connect your Google Drive account to create a timeline from Google Spreadsheet using the templates given in the tool. Using JSON, you can create custom installations.

13) Chartist.js

Chartist.js is a free data visualization that allows you to create responsive charts fast and easy.
The tool offers great flexibility and is customizable. You can even use CSS animations and transitions to your SVG elements.

14) ColorBrewer

ColorBrewer is a free tool that can be used to make your maps better in terms of color schemes. The tool makes it easy to differentiate colors on a complex map.

15) D3.JS

D3.JS is a free JavaScript library that helps you create images using data. The tool enables you to connect arbitrary data to a Document Object Model (DOM), and then apply data-driven transformations to the document. With DOM programming API, programmers can access documents as objects.

16) Plotly

Plotly is an open-source tool that allows you to compose, edit and share interactive data visualizations. You can use the tool to create D3.js charts and maps by uploading CSV files or connecting to the SQL database. You can also create charts with R or Python.

17) Polymaps

Polymaps is a free javascript library for creating dynamic, interactive maps in browsers. You can use the tool to get a display of multi-zoom datasets over maps. The tool uses scalable vector graphics (SVG) to display images, thus enabling you to define the design using CSS.

18) Weave

The Weave is a free data visualization platform that is ADA-compliant. The tool comes with a full keyboard and assistive device navigation and complete screen reader support. The tool also automatically gives descriptions of the images in real time.

19) Dygraphs

Dygraphs is an open-source charting library based on JavaScript. This free tool can be used to analyze dense data sets. The tool is highly customizable and works well in all browsers. The tool offers strong support for error bars/ confidence intervals.

Dygraphs

20) GanttPro

Apart from these, there are many data visualization tools that offer a free trial for a limited time GanttPro, a project management tool, for instance, helps you create charts for projects for free during their 15-day trial period.

Data visualization is crucial for accurate data analysis. With the right tools in hand, you can easily summarize and explain complex data to your stakeholders. By leveraging actionable insights generated from data, companies can make big profits and savings. Just how big are we talking about? Netflix saved around $1 billion in 2017 with its ML algorithm that recommends personalized TV shows and movies to subscribers. When used right, data analysis and visualization have the power to change the way people live their lives.

Know a great open source tool for data visualization? Share it in comments below.

DEI Hiring

Empowering Women: Moving Beyond Social Blame

If you are reading this thinking it’s a merry read praising women and saying women are better than men, this is not for you. However, before you get mad at me for writing this, I request you to read till the end before you get all riled up.

Not all opinions are the same, but some people wish they were. Remember the Google engineer James Damore and his memo about ”why men are naturally better at computers than women”? It took the tech world by storm and every large company started coming out with their own statements about how they are a diverse organisation and how they support gender diversity.

I don’t necessarily disagree with him. The skills of a developer, however, don’t depend on the gender. So, why are women lagging behind and why did Damore feel that way?

This is because of generations of people who have passed on this mindset and generations of holding women back. Yes, on average, women are not better than men in STEM, but did you ever question if women get the same number of opportunities men do? Research shows that diversity in a team leads to better problem solving but women make up less than 25% of the STEM workforce in the United States.

ESA calculations on gender share

Potential reasons why fewer women choose to pursue careers in STEM while considering the long term were discussed in a recent article on Code Like A Girl by Kriti Khare.

The nature of jobs does not permit them to continue them for a long time, as usually it’s the woman in the family who has to take care of the family. If there’s more studying involved, and a child is on the way, there would most likely be a break that would make it tough to manage a higher academic degree. — Kriti Khare

Diversity has nothing to do with how good a team can be in terms of skills but if you look at it from an organization perspective, organizations with women leaders and team members do better than those that don’t. The 2015 "Women on Boards" study by MSCI on gender diversity shows, "Companies in the MSCI World Index with strong female leadership generated a Return on Equity of 10.1% per year versus 7.4% for those without." This is because women make up a large segment of the customers. Diverse teams and leadership thus help in diverse thoughts and strategies, and deliver better performance.

Being a woman, I don’t want someone to see me as a unicorn or pity me and give me special treatment of some kind. I do not want to be a woman developer. I just want to be recognized as a developer and earn the respect my skills deserve. I don’t want to be caught between two words “woman” and “developer” and then be judged by the rest of the world.

The only way to change the world of women is by creating more and more opportunities to showcase their skills. This is not going to be easy, changing the thinking and fighting generations of stereotype that we have in our society. We have to accept that no one is going to come and speak for us. If we want things to change, we have to take every chance we get and punch stereotype in the face. Women can change the world for women.

As Dinah Davis mentions in her article Girls need Role models, “Let’s get started and deluge girls with STEM Role Models!” I believe that you can be the role model she speaks of. HackerEarth and Schlumberger brings to you International Women’s Hackathon 2018, which is a great platform to help you be that role model.

We should try and show everyone that we can change our own world. Maybe somewhere out there, there is a little girl who will see you doing your bit to make a difference in the world and realize that she too can grow up to be a brilliant, successful engineer or developer.

Cursing the society won’t make a change but calling out capable women to inspire the next generation of women will.

AI Recruiting

6 Keys to Workplace Success & How HR Can Support

“Success is dependent on effort” – Sophocles

Two variables, one relationship. The more effort you put, the more successful you will be.

This is what Sophocles, one of the three ancient Greek tragedians, said. He believed that people control their own success.

In real life, of course, success is an objective term and different people define it in different ways.

Moreover, external factors which can affect this relationship may occur and success may be delayed.

These factors may include unexpected events or miscalculated risks which have the power to prevent people from reaching their goals.

In this blog, I discuss 6 key points to success for employees to help people secure their trip toward successand help HR professionals realize how improving their employee value proposition (EVP) can help people become more successful while impacting the company’s overall performance positively.

Create a “blurry” vision

Everyone talks about how critical it is to “know what you want” in order to succeed, but no one talks about how you can get there.

How do you make it clear to yourself what you want? “If you love what you do, you will succeed,” they say, but how do you define what makes you happy by doing it?

Well, to answer all these questions you need first to try and fail; and then try again and fail again, and maybe also try something else.

You need to keep an open mind!

In high school, I used to participate in different math-based inter-school competitions, and I always won.

Years in a row, I was first in the city I represented and that made me think that my future should be related to numbers.

Honestly, I enjoyed the numbers, but at the same time I enjoyed helping people, and I hated listening to stories where people were not treated well by their employers.

In the final year of school though, I had a great experience involving consultancy meetings, managing people, and hiring people for a purpose, and this experience made me realize that as much as I enjoy numbers, I enjoy people-related projects at least twice as much.

It was then I decided to focus on HR. I had a blurry vision of my future, but trying different things actually helped me realize what matters to me.

Now, creating a “blurry” vision of success as a first step is not a bad thing. It gives you the opportunity to make mistakes and try new things.

Wanting to succeed in two or three things instead of one means that you do not have to stick with the one thing even if you are good at it; if you do not really enjoy it, then at some point, you get bored of it.

Instead, you have the opportunity to try something else which is still within your “blurry” vision. Therefore, do not be afraid of having a blurry vision when starting your career.

Have several goals and try to figure out which one most fits your needs and ambitions. Explore what makes you perform with a purpose.

Set short-term goals for success and always keep your bigger goal in mind

If you only set long-term goals, you will likely get tired of putting so much effort and not seeing any results yet.

On the other hand, by setting short-term goals you get the opportunity to celebrate your achievements every once in a while, thus keeping yourself motivated to continue your efforts for your bigger long-term goal.

Achieving something every now and then makes you feel you are on the right path; it makes you believe you can achieve even more.

To help you with the goal-setting process, Edwin Locke suggests that your goals need to be “SMART”:‍

Specific – After your blurry vision helps you decide what matters to you and what makes you happy, it is time to set specific/clear goals to know what you are working for.‍

Measurable – Your goals must allow you to demonstrate and measure the results to decide which behaviors you need to reward

‍Attainable – You need goals which are achievable. Unachievable goals will only bring you disappointment. You will not meet your own expectations. Therefore, make sure you know what you are capable of. Be honest with yourself.‍

Realistic/Relevant – You need to ensure that your goal is realistic, within your reach, consistent with other established goals, relevant to your life purpose, and fits in with immediate and long-term plans. Are you willing to commit to your goal

‍Time–bound – Your goals must have a defined time frame which includes a start date and an end date, otherwise, there is no sense of urgency to start working toward your goals.

Communicate; build a reliable network

Networking is free, most of the time. It gives you the opportunity to meet like-minded people and people who come from different backgrounds.

From both groups, you have a lot to learn. Like-minded people can probably help you with advice and stories on how to reach similar goals, and people with a different mindset will most probably help you become aware of the threats and risks involved in your decisions.

This can help you avoid mistakes and protect your efforts toward meeting your goals.

Networking is a great way to market yourself, and it can always lead to future opportunities for both parties.

As some people say, “your net worth is only as good as your network.”

Be your own evaluator

Most companies have yearly appraisal programs to evaluate their employees. In this kind of appraisal, employees get evaluated by their manager for their performance during the year they left behind.

Based on this evaluation, together with their manager, employees set goals for the next year.

It is a good way to keep personal and team goals aligned with the company’s bigger goals and to identify what kind of value each employee can add to the company.

But is it enough for you as a person to identify your strengths and your points that you need to improve?

Of course not!

You should not wait for this yearly evaluation to tell yourself what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.

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Take time yourself every week or even every day and think about what have you done, what have you achieved, and what you would change with regard to a particular behavior or situation to have achieved better results.

You need to be your own evaluator and not wait for others to assess your performance. Being your own evaluator also helps you to build stronger self-efficacy.

You will be able to identify those types of behaviors that you need to keep and those that you need to change, minimize, or eliminate.

Be passionate

It is critical to loving what you choose to do. Being committed and enthusiastic when performing something help you become more motivated.

David Lucatch, the CEO of Yapnn Corp., believes that “a person with a passion typically exudes confidence, and confidence creates value for themselves and others by leading the way, not showing the way.”

Passion helps you also create enthusiasm, and as Michael Virardi says, enthusiasm comes from a Greek word “en-theos,” which means “the god from within.”

Find your god. If you are passionate about what you do, then you have found what makes you feel fulfilled.

“When you know what you want, and want it bad enough, you will find a way to get it.” –Jim Rohn

Find a healthy work-life balance

To become successful you first need to find a way to improve your productivity.

Productivity is defined as a measure of the efficiency of a person, machine, systems, etc. in converting inputs into useful outputs. Output, in this case, will be the level of success in achieving the goals you have set.

On the other hand, the input will consist of the efforts, energy, the time you spent, and all the other resources you used to achieve your goals.

Thus, it is very important to master your time-management skills. It is necessary to also find the time you need to spend with your loved ones.

Food, sleep, mindfulness, and exercising are important factors which, if managed properly, could help you increase your productivity and thereby chances of success.

(To read more on how people wellness affects productivity, go here.)

How does the need that people have to become successful affect HR and Talent Acquisition?

The role of HR within an organization should be to ensure that employees have the necessary knowledge, skills, practices, processes, learning opportunities, development opportunities, support, benefits, and freedom which will allow them to perform at their best potential, aiming to achieve their personal, team and organizational goals while having as a motivation organization’s overall vision and mission.

Whereas, Talent Acquisition’s team goal is to ensure that the company has and will attract the best talent available for each existing or future role.

Knowing that people like to feel and become successful, HR and Talent Acquisition (TA) should adopt a more strategic perspective and help their employees in their efforts.

Here a few tips on how HR and TA can achieve that:

1. Build a company culture which promotes values such as individuality, eagerness to learn, job enrichment opportunities, initiative, and creativity. Allow employees to take on new projects which will help them identify their best fit in terms of skills or character.

1. Celebrate short-term goals and quick achievements. Thus, you will help your employees feel proud of their efforts and their self-efficacy will increase.

1. Organize cross-functional meetings and events which will allow your people to meet more people from other departments and functions and therefore build a bigger personal and professional network. It benefits both the business and employees by making knowledge sharing easier.

1. Provide your people with clear communication about the bigger goal and the organization's vision and mission. Make them perform with a purpose.

1. Implement different programs which allow your people to build a healthy work-life balance. Provide them with the opportunity to enjoy their time outside the company and at work by offering benefits that help to avoid burnout.

Include all the aforementioned in the Employee Value Proposition (EVP) package you communicate to candidates while assessing them for a specific position.

Think smarter and help your employees succeed. It helps your organization to succeed as well.

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Tech Assessment

Technical recruiting for dummies. Attracting the top talent.

You can’t be in the tech community without realizing there is a shortage of talent – Mitch Kapor, Entrepreneur

While talking about the talent shortage, the IT industry is one of the most mentioned! Living in the digital era, more and more organizations decide to invest in their digital presence every day.

Most of these organizations face obstacles in identifying and attracting tech talent.

Especially, if an organization does not operate in the IT sector, but aims to focus on its IT department to compete with other market players.

In this case, it makes it even more difficult for these companies.

Tech talent knows that out there is a huge demand for them. Therefore, they take advantage of the situation, and they aim to secure a place among big companies.

They are more motivated, and it gives them more pleasant to work in a company which solely focuses on IT products rather than in a company which operates in consulting and needs its IT department just to ensure the smooth operation of its processes and systems.

Knowing what tech employees are looking for, organizations need to focus more on some specific steps to attract and secure motivated tech talent for their department (even if they can’t be called an IT or a software company…that’s not the case if you play it smart)

6 steps guide to tech recruiting for dummies

Define your needs (Be realistic with yourself)

Having built (or not) a strong employer brand, the first contact you will have with candidates is the job description that you will present them. Make sure you create an attractive job description without going too far.

Present the company’s mission and focus on why someone should consider a position in your company.

What do you offer?

Is there any opportunity to make the new hire feel he/she will have an impact on the company’s achievements?

Is there a specific “cool” project you are working on? What makes you different from other companies?

To answer all these questions you first need to do two things:

define your needs
be realistic while defining your needs

Recruiters and hiring managers together should take some time and discuss a team’s needs and how they are or can be aligned with the company’s bigger goals.

Try to identify why you have this position and define the tasks the new hire will be expected to take on.

Do not look at blogs and websites which offer you ready job description templates and just copy-paste.

If you want to use them, that’s ok, but use them only as a template which will help you to develop your own specific job description.

My job description is…being enthusiastic – Dhani Harrison

In your job description, you should focus on what set of skills and knowledge you are looking for in candidates who will apply.

If you provide candidates with real examples of how their skills and knowledge will be utilized aiming to achieve a bigger goal or to work on building a vision, candidates will understand that they will be part of a team which performs with a purpose; they will appreciate it and even the top tech talent will be willing to work with you.

Highlight your strengths

Focus on your cool project/product/service

Bet it a big or a small company, a start-up or a well-established company, each has its own strengths. A big company can be good at easily approaching big clients and selling to candidates thanks to its brand and exposure, but a start-up can be good at working on very cool projects which are expected to disrupt markets.

Because you are not big (yet) it does not mean that you can’t be attractive to top tech talent.

If you present to candidates an interesting project that you will be working on for the next few months or if you present them with a new product/service which is about to launch and is expected to change the way we used to see what it replaces (think of Apple launch and Nokia’s “death”), then yes, you give them a huge reason to join your team.

Therefore, be encouraged to include a detailed description of the project that the new hire will be working on.

Do not solely focus on a generic description of the team and its goals, but provide candidates with information about the impact that their work is expected to have on the final product/service.

Tell them about the tools and the systems you use, and let them know that you are open to new ideas/suggestions on improving your processes. Tell them you provide them with ownership.

Over half (54%) of the organizations say the digital talent gap is hampering their digital transformation programs and that their organization is losing competitive advantage because of a shortage of digital talent.

– UKTN

Make your employees your “EVP” ambassadors

Another strength of your company could also be the company culture and the flexibility you offer at work. Think of LinkedIn, Netflix and Google.

Despite the success they have because of their products/services, they are well known for their employee-friendly programs and processes.

As big companies they may have already built their brand, and you may not be there yet, but that’s OK! Not everyone has a strong employer brand, and it takes time, effort, and financial investment to build one.

What you can do is show your candidates your ambition and how serious you are about becoming the best in your industry; show them also how you plan to achieve that.

Show them your commitment to invest in their learning and development; after all, investment in learning new skills is related to the company’s overall performance.

While keeping the aforementioned in mind, it is important to make your employees “Employee Value Proposition” (EVP) ambassadors. Who can promote your company to candidates better than your own employees? Exactly, no one!

Your employees’ happiness and willingness to share the open positions, along with the positive impact that the company culture may have, can be your best employer branding strategy. And the best…it will cost you nothing!

Choose the right sourcing channels

Now that you have defined your needs, and you have created an appealing but realistic job description focusing on your needs, projects, and strengths, it is time to make the decision where to look for top tech talent. Your career website and LinkedIn are two of the most well-known platforms to post your new open positions, but think a bit further and take the next step.

When you post a job on LinkedIn ask your hiring manager and other team members to share it as well. Thus, “taking advantage” of the hiring manager’s and other team members’ network, you will be able to reach out to even more relevant talent (Word of Mouth). [Read – What is social HR? ]

I know someone who knows someone who may know someone else. – The Pooh Sticks (edited)

Build a partnership with strategic universities

Think of relevant universities. University job boards do not exist only for entry-level positions. Remember that most of the universities have also alumni groups.

Candidates with experience could be found there as well. If not, if your job description manages to gain the attention of one of the other members, be sure that he/she will share it with others. That’s the purpose of an alumni group, to help each other grow in their career by sharing knowledge and opportunities.

Be proactive and start building partnerships in advance with universities where top tech talent study(ied). Make sure you hold a presentation in front of students and make sure you involve students in different case studies or coding exercises which will challenge them and convince them that you are an employer worth working for.

Take advantage of talent pools (use hackathons, talent assessment software)

“By 2020 1.3 million new U.S software jobs will require tech talent. But there will only be 400,000 new US computer science grads.” – Indeed blog

Supposing that you have followed all the steps mentioned above, your only remaining task now is to ensure you approach candidates with relevant experience, skills, and knowledge.

One way to do this is by taking advantage of existing talent pools. You may have your own talent pool, but sometimes it is not enough on its own. You can partner with third-party organizations which provide you with a platform where you can reach out to tech talent.

Companies such as HackerEarth can help you organize different hackathons where people from all over the world can participate and only the best ones will go into the remaining steps of the recruitment process.

What does it mean for you? It means a bigger talent pool with no boundaries; all candidates will be tested and assessed on their skills about a specific project or about using specific tools or programs, and it also means that you will be guaranteed a shortlist of qualified candidates for your open position.

Hackathons are not the only way, of course! You can also ask candidates to participate in finding a solution to your case study or for a specific project that you create for them. To be more practical, you can give to your potential candidates a “work sample test” (tasks that the candidate will be performing in the job if hired). This method is the best indicator of future job performance.

To summarize, taking care of these steps is expected to make it easier for employers to approach top tech talent even if the company does not operate in the IT/Software industry. In any case, today when technology is taking over everything, every organization has a digital side, and therefore every company is somehow an IT/Software-focused company.

The way you approach candidates can make it even more clear for them the fact that how serious and ambitious you are to take your IT/Software department to the next level.

Finally, if you make sure you provide candidates with the correct information about the position and the company, and if you use the right channels and tools to approach and assess these candidates, then what is left for you to do is celebrate with your team members about the new hire, because you have already ensured that you will onboard the best one! 😉 ( Also read: How to hire the best developer talent at your next career fair )

You can find some more statistics about top tech talent

75 percent of hiring managers report that the time it takes to fill IT positions has increased over the past three years, with the No. 1 reason being “inability to find qualified candidates.-WilsonHCG

Only 36% of people working in tech feel that they have a clear career path, versus 50% of people working in fields such as marketing and finance, according to a survey from TINYPluse.

83% of employers support that the tech talent shortage had hurt their business through lost revenue, slower product development, and increased employee burnout. – Indeed blog

28% of techies said they understand their companies’ vision compared with 43% of non-techies. – The Economist“

47% of techies said they had good relations with their work colleagues compared with 56% of non-techies. – The Economist

Top technical recruiting platform comparison

We decided to compare the 8 most common recruitment software platforms as per the number of users. These comparisons have been made from an external source.

(Read – Top 10 recruiting software platforms)

All platforms have been compared based on price, number of users (admins), number of assessments and 9 other criteria.

Download full comparison by filling the form below –

top recruiting software, top 10 recruitment software platform, recruitment software platform, top recruiting software platform comparison

Hackathons

What is Social HR? - The new rule of talent acquisition

#DidYouKnow: 92% of recruiters use social media for hiring, and there are more than 100 portals serving as job boards.

#DidYouKnow: Over 87% of non-management and salaried employees were recruited through social media.

#DidYouKnow: Over 82% of management employees came from social media.

The above survey by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) gives some deep insights into the rising importance of social media in recruitment.

What is Social HR?

Social media has seen an unparalleled rise in the last few years and has redefined the way we use the internet.

It won’t be wrong if we say it has created a parallel ecosystem for individuals and businesses alike.

Now organizations, and even the government can no longer survive on bi-monthly newspaper advertisements or get away with mere yearly employee brochures.

They need to be active on social media to cater to employees, customers, and, sometimes, even business partners.

The challenge lies in not just finding the right talent through social media but also in nurturing it while ensuring enough privacy.

Often while dealing with talent challenges, HR is unable to draw the line between maintaining the traditions of the organization while doing away with the legacy model.

Especially, when it comes to tools like social media and individual freedom of speech for employees on online platforms.

Most of the concerns about being around the privacy or freedom of the candidates.

In an age where one negative feedback on an online portal can impact your prospects of getting the best candidates, it’s extremely important for Human Resource personnel to be conscious of the choices they make.

Here’s how you can use social media for your talent management purposes and how you can improve on Social HR.

How should human resource uses social media?

Social HR, what is social HR, Social HR for hiring

Source: Social talent

The best way to screen the finest talent

Check out this detailed video on social media for the Human resource by Kristy Bryant.

While social media is credited to be one of the reliable sources for garnering information about prospective employees, it’s also accused of revealing information like religion, caste, color, political affiliation, gender, marital status, etc.

These are the usual parameters of discrimination that work against diversity initiatives. Hence, it’s important for HR personnel to devise methods to screen talent smartly.

As Allyson Willoughby, former General Counsel and SVP of People (HR) Glassdoor, say on the use of social media in the screening process,

“Don’t do anything different with social media than you would do with a face-to-face interview.”

According to experts, the best way to deploy social media accounts in hiring processes is to involve a third party who does the screening for you.

People who do the screening need to be educated about the exact requirements for the designation they are shortlisting the candidates for.

This serves as a firewall between the employer and the candidate and ensures an unbiased approach.

When they (HR) do the background check of the candidate through social media as part of the screening process, it’s important for them to keep a check on the legal implications of the process.

Use of pre-assessment tools, like Hackerearth Recruit, can also be a great idea for HR managers looking for zero human interference in their recruitment processes.

Like the US, India also has laws against discrimination against minoritiesin recruitment, so it’s important for the organization to adhere to the terms and conditions of these policies.

How should Social Human Resource use online properties wisely

One of the key challenges that have surfaced with the deployment of social media channels for recruitment purposes is that they don’t represent the global candidate pool.

According to a recent survey, LinkedIn and Facebook have shown a smaller user base of minority communities in comparison to the general population.

Hence, diversity initiatives take a hit in situations like these.

Thus, the HR person needs to resort to traditional recruitment routes of job boards, advertisements in dailies, and mention it clearly on their website that they believe in equal opportunity.

You can even encourage your current employees to recommend their friends from minority communities and attach a greater referral bonus to such initiatives to boost your diversity efforts.

How can Social HR ensure positive image on social media

Recently, a few incidences surfaced where organizations faced the brunt of negative feedback from estranged employees.

Situations like these put the HR personnel in a tight spot as they don’t have much control over employees who have left the job and even if they do have, through some legal clauses, it’s not financially feasible for them to pursue the case against a single or a bunch of employees.

Moreover, it dampens the morale of current employees.

The bigger issue with sites such as Glassdoor or other job portals is that they don’t really delete the comments sent by the reviewers.

The question is, how does HR counter the negativity against the brand?

The wiser thing to do here would be to involve your social media managers or Online Reputation Management experts at the right time as larger organizations receive dozens of such negative comments on a monthly basis and that too on multiple portals.

Usually, digital marketing teams are equipped with tools that help you track down multiple websites in the shortest time.

Identification of negative comments sooner helps counter them faster.

A positive or humble reply to the negative comment or trying to understand the problem of the commentator gives the brand a better image.

At the same time, you can ask your current employees to write about their experience and give ratings to your brand on social media.

This will help improve your ratings and thereby counter the negativity.

But while you fix these issues online, it’s important to sit back and consider why an employee is posting negative comments.

If this happens regularly, then it’s really time to reflect on the organizational culture and make changes for the better.

Social HR - Ensuring employee engagement and development

The rise of social media has given greater ideas to organizations.

Many big organizations have come up with their own internal networking platforms to boost connectivity and employment among employees.

For example, InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo) has its own portal, My 6E World, which offers employees opportunities to socialize with peers and access necessary documents like leave policies, etc.

Portals like these are a constructive platform for employees to vent their opinions in a controlled environment and at the same time make it easier for HR to understand the mindset and trends.

A few organizations are introducing learning courses for their organizations in their intra-networks while encouraging their employees to “compete” in a friendly way to boost employee engagement.

For example, you can give brownie points or perks for the highest scorers in the course. Some tech organizations are organizing hackathons to boost transparency in their appraisal or internal hiring processes.

Summing up, the presence of social media in recruitment or talent management initiatives cannot be denied.

Social media has penetrated deeply into the processes and is now bringing both opportunities and challenges to talent leaders everywhere.

As we said before, it’s more like a parallel ecosystem which thrives on data and information and needs equal attention, both from the employer and candidate.

People who understand its power, in the long run, will be clear winners of the Game of Talent.

The pros of using social Human Resource

Enhanced communication: Social HR tools facilitate immediate and open communication among employees, management, and HR teams. This transparency can lead to a more inclusive work environment and faster resolution of issues.
Improved employee engagement: By utilizing platforms that employees are familiar with and enjoy using, companies can boost engagement. Social HR can make it easier to recognize achievements, share successes, and foster a sense of community.
Efficient recruitment process: Social media and professional networks are powerful tools for identifying and attracting talent. Social HR practices enable organizations to reach a broader audience, showcase their culture, and engage with potential candidates in a more dynamic way.
Learning and development: Social HR facilitates continuous learning and development through easily accessible online training sessions, webinars, and shared resources. This encourages a culture of continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.
Real-time feedback and performance management: Social HR allows for more immediate feedback and recognition, moving away from the traditional annual review process. This can help employees adjust their performance in real-time and feel more valued.

The cons of using social HR

Privacy concerns: The use of social media and digital platforms raises concerns about employee privacy. There is a risk of sensitive personal or company information being shared inappropriately.
Over-reliance on technology: Heavy reliance on digital communication can lead to a reduction in face-to-face interactions, potentially harming workplace relationships and collaboration.
Potential for misuse: Without proper guidelines and monitoring, the use of social media at work can lead to non-work-related activities consuming work time or the spread of inappropriate content.
Security risks: Integrating social media into HR processes increases the risk of cybersecurity threats. Companies must invest in securing their networks and training employees on safe practices.
Cultural resistance: Implementing Social HR requires a shift in company culture, which may be met with resistance from employees who are accustomed to traditional methods of communication and management.

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Tech Assessment

How to form a winning team for hackathons

Superhero movies and super successful companies have one thing in common. They both have a great team that strives to win, no matter what the challenge is. It is always the hero’s team that saves the day.

A challenge like a hackathon is no different. At hackathons, teams of developers, designers, and product managers work together to build prototypes and solve real-world problems within a specific time frame. The team that works the most efficiently and builds the best solution takes home the prize. Getting the right people on board gives your team a competitive advantage over others. Here are the top tips to form a winning team for your next hackathon:

1) Start your hunt early

Start looking for teammates from the time you decide to participate in a hackathon. Search for potential teammates on online platforms and communities like Stack Exchange, Stack Overflow, and Quora. Start with your own network of friends and like-minded acquaintances. You can also find other hackers on meetups and developer groups. Further, hackathons conducted on platforms like HackerEarth allow participants to form teams on the platform itself.

2) Work on your pitch

To attract talented people to your team, you need to sell your idea and your profile well. Update your Github profile and create a good pitch to share with potential teammates. Showcase your past projects. Highlight your skills and domain knowledge. Explain your idea and the problem that you plan to solve. Be proactive in pitching your idea and listen to feedback. Even if you arrive at the hackathon alone, with a good pitch, you still have a good chance of forming a great hackathon team.

3) Seek diversity

Diversity is what makes Avengers, the team of superheroes great as a team. Each member brings a unique strength to the table. While forming your hackathon team, hunt for talent from diverse domains like designing, frontend development, business management, etc. Having a team of people with diverse skill sets will help you in building a complete product.

4) Be aware of different working styles

Different people work differently and have different approaches to solving the same problem. Assign tasks and roles to team members based on their core strengths. Give everyone a fair chance to work on specific tasks which they are good at. Encourage mutual learning and problem-solving. Getting the chemistry right is the key to a successful team. If you have the time to prepare, do a mock run with your team to plan tasks and organize yourselves better as a team.

‘Getting the right people and the right chemistry is more important than getting the right idea.’?—?Ed Catmull, previously CEO of Pixar, author of Creativity, Inc.

A good team adapts well to any situation. Your final prototype is a result of your team’s work. By forming a good team, you can build better products and improve your chances of winning a hackathon.

Got a tip for building stronger hackathon teams? Share it with us in the comments below.

Authors

Meet our Authors

Get to know the experts behind our content. From industry leaders to tech enthusiasts, our authors share valuable insights, trends, and expertise to keep you informed and inspired.

Ruehie Jaiya Karri

Kumari Trishya

AI Recruiting

AI In Recruitment: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has permeated virtually every industry, transforming operations and interactions. The tech recruitment sector is no exception, and AI’s influence shapes the hiring processes in revolutionary ways. From leveraging AI-powered chatbots for preliminary candidate screenings to deploying machine learning algorithms for efficient resume parsing, AI leaves an indelible mark on tech hiring practices.

Yet, amidst these promising advancements, we must acknowledge the other side of the coin: AI’s potential malpractices, including the likelihood of cheating on assessments, issues around data privacy, and the risk of bias against minority groups.

The dark side of AI in tech recruitment

The introduction of AI in recruitment, while presenting significant opportunities, also brings with it certain drawbacks and vulnerabilities. Sophisticated technologies could enable candidates to cheat on assessments, misrepresent abilities and potential hiring mistakes. This could lead to hiring candidates with falsifying skills or qualifications, which can cause a series of negative effects like:

Reduced work quality: The work output might be sub-par if a candidate doesn’t genuinely possess the abilities they claimed to have.
Team disruptions: Other team members may have to pick up the slack, leading to resentment and decreased morale.
Rehiring costs: You might have to let go of such hires, resulting in additional costs for replacement.

Data privacy is another critical concern

Your company could be left exposed to significant risks if your AI recruiting software is not robust enough to protect sensitive employee information. The implications for an organization with insufficient data security could be severe such as:

Reputational damage: Breaches of sensitive employee data can damage your company’s reputation, making it harder to attract clients and talented employees in the future.
Legal consequences: Depending on the jurisdiction, you could face legal penalties, including hefty fines, for failing to protect sensitive data adequately.
Loss of trust: A data breach could undermine employee trust in your organization, leading to decreased morale and productivity.
Financial costs: Besides potential legal penalties, companies could also face direct financial losses from a data breach, including the costs of investigation, recovery, and measures to prevent future breaches.
Operational disruption: Depending on the extent of the breach, normal business operations could be disrupted, causing additional financial losses and damage to the organization’s reputation.

Let’s talk about the potential for bias in AI recruiting software

Perhaps the most critical issue of all is the potential for unconscious bias. The potential for bias in AI recruiting software stems from the fact that these systems learn from the data they are trained on. If the training data contains biases – for example, if it reflects a history of preferentially hiring individuals of a certain age, gender, or ethnicity – the AI system can learn and replicate these biases.

Even with unbiased data, if the AI’s algorithms are not designed to account for bias, they can inadvertently create it. For instance, a hiring algorithm that prioritizes candidates with more years of experience may inadvertently discriminate against younger candidates or those who have taken career breaks, such as for child-rearing or health reasons.

This replication and possible amplification of human prejudices can result in discriminatory hiring practices. If your organization’s AI-enabled hiring system is found to be biased, you could face legal action, fines, and penalties. Diversity is proven to enhance creativity, problem-solving, and decision-making. In contrast, bias in hiring can lead to a homogenous workforce, so its absence would likely result in a less innovative and less competitive organization.

Also read: What We Learnt From Target’s Diversity And Inclusion Strategy

When used correctly, AI in recruitment can take your hiring to the next level

How do you evaluate the appropriateness of using AI in hiring for your organization? Here are some strategies for navigating the AI revolution in HR. These steps include building support for AI adoption, identifying HR functions that can be integrated with AI, avoiding potential pitfalls of AI use in HR, collaborating with IT leaders, and so on.

Despite certain challenges, AI can significantly enhance tech recruitment processes when used effectively. AI-based recruitment tools can automate many manual recruiting tasks, such as resume screening and interview scheduling, freeing up time for recruiters to focus on more complex tasks. Furthermore, AI can improve the candidate’s experience by providing quick responses and personalized communications. The outcome is a more efficient, candidate-friendly process, which could lead to higher-quality hires.

Let’s look at several transformational possibilities chatbots can bring to human capital management for candidates and hiring teams. This includes automation and simplifying various tasks across domains such as recruiting, onboarding, core HR, absence management, benefits, performance management, and employee self-service resulting in the following:

For recruiters:

Improved efficiency and productivity: Chatbots can handle routine tasks like responding to common inquiries or arranging interviews. Thereby, providing you with more time to concentrate on tasks of strategic importance.
Enhanced candidate experience: With their ability to provide immediate responses, chatbots can make the application process more engaging and user-friendly.
Data and insights: Chatbots can collect and analyze data from your interactions with candidates. And provide valuable insights into candidate preferences and behavior.
Improved compliance: By consistently following predefined rules and guidelines, chatbots can help ensure that hiring processes are fair and compliant with relevant laws and regulations.
Cost saving: By automating routine tasks for recruiters, chatbots can help reduce the labor costs associated with hiring.

Also read: 5 Steps To Create A Remote-First Candidate Experience In Recruitment

How FaceCode Can Help Improve Your Candidate Experience | AI in recruitment

For candidates:

Additionally, candidates can leverage these AI-powered chatbots in a dialog flow manner to carry out various tasks. These tasks include the following:

Personalized greetings: By using a candidate’s name and other personal information, chatbots can create a friendly, personalized experience.
Job search: They can help candidates search for jobs based on specific criteria.
Create a candidate profile: These AI-powered chatbots can guide candidates through the process of creating a profile. Thus, making it easier for them to apply for jobs.
Upload resume: Chatbots can instruct candidates on uploading their resume, eliminating potential confusion.
Apply for a job: They can streamline the application process, making it easier and faster for candidates to apply for jobs.
Check application status: Chatbots can provide real-time updates on a candidate’s application status.
Schedule interviews: They can match candidate and interviewer availability to schedule interviews, simplifying the process.

For hiring managers:

These can also be utilized by your tech hiring teams for various purposes, such as:

Create requisition: Chatbots can guide hiring managers through the process of creating a job requisition.
Create offers: They can assist in generating job offers, ensuring all necessary information is included.
Access requisition and offers: Using chatbots can provide hiring managers with easy access to job requisitions and offers.
Check on onboarding tasks: Chatbots can help track onboarding tasks, ensuring nothing is missed.

Other AI recruiting technologies can also enhance the hiring process for candidates and hiring teams in the following ways:

For candidates:

Tailor-made resumes and cover letters using generative AI: Generative AI can help candidates create custom resumes and cover letters, increasing their chances of standing out.
Simplifying the application process: AI-powered recruiting tools can simplify the application process, allowing candidates to apply for jobs with just a few clicks.
Provide similar job recommendations: AI can analyze candidates’ skills, experiences, and preferences to recommend similar jobs they might be interested in.

For recruiters:

Find the best candidate: AI algorithms can analyze large amounts of data to help you identify the candidates most likely to succeed in a given role.
Extract key skills from candidate job applications: Save a significant amount of time and effort by using AI-based recruiting software to quickly analyze job applications to identify key skills, thereby, speeding up the screening process.
Take feedback from rejected candidates & share similar job recommendations: AI can collect feedback from rejected candidates for you to improve future hiring processes and recommend other suitable roles to the candidate.

These enhancements not only streamline the hiring process but also improve the quality of hires, reduce hiring biases, and improve the experience for everyone involved. The use of AI in hiring can indeed take it to the next level.

Where is AI in recruitment headed?

AI can dramatically reshape the recruitment landscape with the following key advancements:

1. Blockchain-based background verification:

Blockchain technology, renowned for its secure, transparent, and immutable nature, can revolutionize background checks. This process which can take anywhere from between a day to several weeks today for a single recruiter to do can be completed within a few clicks resulting in:

Streamlined screening process: Blockchain can store, manage, and share candidates’ credentials and work histories. Thereby speeding up the verification and screening process. This approach eliminates the need for manual background checks. And leads to freeing up a good amount of time for you to focus on more important tasks.
Enhanced trust and transparency: With blockchain, candidates, and employers can trust the validity of the information shared due to the nature of the technology. The cryptographic protection of blockchain ensures the data is tamper-proof, and decentralization provides transparency.
Improved data accuracy and reliability: Since the blockchain ledger is immutable, it enhances the accuracy and reliability of the data stored. This can minimize the risks associated with false information on candidates’ resumes.
Faster onboarding: A swift and reliable verification process means candidates can be onboarded more quickly. Thereby, improving the candidate experience and reducing the time-to-hire.
Expanded talent pool: With blockchain, it’s easier and quicker to verify the credentials of candidates globally, thereby widening the potential talent pool.

2. Immersive experiences using virtual reality (VR):

VR can provide immersive experiences that enhance various aspects of the tech recruitment process:

Interactive job previews: VR can allow potential candidates to virtually “experience” a day i.e., life at your company. This provides a more accurate and engaging job preview than traditional job descriptions.
Virtual interviews and assessments: You can use VR to conduct virtual interviews or assessments. You can also evaluate candidates in a more interactive and immersive setting. This can be particularly useful for roles that require specific spatial or technical skills.
Virtual onboarding programs: New hires can take a virtual tour of the office, meet their colleagues, and get acquainted with their tasks, all before their first day. This can significantly enhance the onboarding experience and help new hires feel more prepared.
Immersive learning experiences: VR can provide realistic, immersive learning experiences for job-specific training or to enhance soft skills. These could be used during the recruitment process or for ongoing employee development.

Also read: 6 Strategies To Enhance Candidate Engagement In Tech Hiring (+ 3 Unique Examples)

AI + Recruiters: It’s all about the balance!

To summarize, AI in recruitment is a double-edged sword, carrying both promise and potential problems. The key lies in how recruiters use this technology, leveraging its benefits while vigilantly managing its risks. AI isn’t likely to replace recruiters or HR teams in the near future. Instead, you should leverage this tool to positively impact the entire hiring lifecycle.

With the right balance and careful management, AI can streamline hiring processes. It can create better candidate experiences, and ultimately lead to better recruitment decisions. Recruiters should continually experiment with and explore generative AI. To devise creative solutions, resulting in more successful hiring and the perfect fit for every open role.

Hiring Tools

Looking For A Mettl Alternative? Let’s Talk About HackerEarth

“Every hire is an investment for a company. A good hire will give you a higher ROI; if it is a bad hire, it will cost you a lot of time and money.”

Especially in tech hiring!

An effective tech recruitment process helps you attract the best talents, reduce hiring costs, and enhance company culture and reputation.

Businesses increasingly depend on technical knowledge to compete in today’s fast-paced, technologically driven world. Online platforms that provide technical recruiting solutions have popped up to assist companies in finding and employing top talent in response to this demand.

The two most well-known platforms in this field are HackerEarth and Mettl. To help businesses make wise choices for their technical employment requirements, we will compare these two platforms’ features, benefits, and limitations in this article.

This comparison of Mettl alternative, HackerEarth and Mettl itself, will offer helpful information to help you make the best decision, whether you’re a small company trying to expand your tech staff or a massive organization needing a simplified recruiting process.

HackerEarth

HackerEarth is based in San Francisco, USA, and offers enterprise software to aid companies with technical recruitment. Its services include remote video interviewing and technical skill assessments that are commonly used by organizations.

HackerEarth also provides a platform for developers to participate in coding challenges and hackathons. In addition, it provides tools for technical hiring such as coding tests, online interviews, and applicant management features. The hiring solutions provided by HackerEarth aid companies assess potential employees’ technical aptitude and select the best applicants for their specialized positions.

Mettl

Mettl, on the other hand, offers a range of assessment solutions for various industries, including IT, banking, healthcare, and retail. It provides online tests for coding, linguistic ability, and cognitive skills. The tests offered by Mettl assist employers find the best applicants for open positions and make data-driven recruiting choices. Additionally, Mettl provides solutions for personnel management and staff training and development.

Why should you go for HackerEarth over Mercer Mettl?

Here's why HackerEarth is a great Mettl Alternative!

Because HackerEarth makes technical recruiting easy and fast, you must consider HackerEarth for technical competence evaluations and remote video interviews. It goes above and beyond to provide you with a full range of functions and guarantee the effectiveness of the questions in the database. Moreover, it is user-friendly and offers fantastic testing opportunities.

The coding assessments by HackerEarth guarantee the lowest time consumption and maximum efficiency. It provides a question bank of more than 17,000 coding-related questions and automated test development so that you can choose test questions as per the job role.

As a tech recruiter, you may need a clear understanding of a candidate’s skills. With HackerEarth’s code replay capability and insight-rich reporting on a developer’s performance, you can hire the right resource for your company.

Additionally, HackerEarth provides a more in-depth examination of your recruiting process so you can continuously enhance your coding exams and develop a hiring procedure that leads the industry.

HackerEarth and Mercer Mettl are the two well-known online tech assessment platforms that provide tools for managing and performing online examinations. We will examine the major areas where HackerEarth outperforms Mettl, thereby proving to be a great alternative to Mettl, in this comparison.

Also read: What Makes HackerEarth The Tech Behind Great Tech Teams

HackerEarth Vs Mettl

Features and functionality

HackerEarth believes in upgrading itself and providing the most effortless navigation and solutions to recruiters and candidates.

HackerEarth provides various tools and capabilities to create and administer online tests, such as programming tests, multiple-choice questions, coding challenges, and more. The software also has remote proctoring, automatic evaluation, and plagiarism detection tools (like detecting the use of ChatGPT in coding assessments). On the other side, Mettl offers comparable functionality but has restricted capabilities for coding challenges and evaluations.

Test creation and administration

HackerEarth: It has a user-friendly interface that is simple to use and navigate. It makes it easy for recruiters to handle evaluations without zero technical know-how. The HackerEarth coding platform is also quite flexible and offers a variety of pre-built exams, including coding tests, aptitude tests, and domain-specific examinations. It has a rich library of 17,000+ questions across 900+ skills, which is fully accessible by the hiring team. Additionally, it allows you to create custom questions yourself or use the available question libraries.

Also read: How To Create An Automated Assessment With HackerEarth

Mettl: It can be challenging for a hiring manager to use Mettl efficiently since Mettl provides limited assessment and question libraries. Also, their team creates the test for them rather than giving access to hiring managers. This results in a higher turnaround time and reduces test customization possibilities since the request has to go back to the team, they have to make the changes, and so forth.

Reporting and analytics

HackerEarth: You may assess applicant performance and pinpoint areas for improvement with the help of HackerEarth’s full reporting and analytics tools. Its personalized dashboards, visualizations, and data exports simplify evaluating assessment results and real-time insights.

Most importantly, HackerEarth includes code quality scores in candidate performance reports, which lets you get a deeper insight into a candidate’s capabilities and make the correct hiring decision. Additionally, HackerEarth provides a health score index for each question in the library to help you add more accuracy to your assessments. The health score is based on parameters like degree of difficulty, choice of the programming language used, number of attempts over the past year, and so on.

Mettl: Mettl online assessment tool provides reporting and analytics. However, there may be only a few customization choices available. Also, Mettle does not provide code quality assurance which means hiring managers have to check the whole code manually. There is no option to leverage question-based analytics and Mettl does not include a health score index for its question library.

Adopting this platform may be challenging if you want highly customized reporting and analytics solutions.

Also read: HackerEarth Assessments + The Smart Browser: Formula For Bulletproof Tech Hiring

Security and data privacy

HackerEarth: The security and privacy of user data are top priorities at HackerEarth. The platform protects data in transit and at rest using industry-standard encryption. Additionally, all user data is kept in secure, constantly monitored data centers with stringent access controls.

Along with these security measures, HackerEarth also provides IP limitations, role-based access controls, and multi-factor authentication. These features ensure that all activity is recorded and audited and that only authorized users can access sensitive data.

HackerEarth complies with several data privacy laws, such as GDPR and CCPA. The protection of candidate data is ensured by this compliance, which also enables businesses to fulfill their legal and regulatory responsibilities.

Mettl: The security and data privacy features of Mettl might not be as strong as those of HackerEarth. The platform does not provide the same selection of security measures, such as IP limitations or multi-factor authentication. Although the business asserts that it complies with GDPR and other laws, it cannot offer the same amount of accountability and transparency as other platforms.

Even though both HackerEarth and Mettl include security and data privacy measures, the Mettle alternative, HackerEarth’s platform is made to be more thorough, open, and legal. By doing this, businesses can better guarantee candidate data’s security and ability to fulfill legal and regulatory requirements.

Pricing and support

HackerEarth: To meet the demands of businesses of all sizes, HackerEarth offers a variety of customizable pricing options. The platform provides yearly and multi-year contracts in addition to a pay-as-you-go basis. You can select the price plan that best suits their demands regarding employment and budget.

HackerEarth offers chat customer support around the clock. The platform also provides a thorough knowledge base and documentation to assist users in getting started and troubleshooting problems.

Mettl: The lack of price information on Mettl’s website might make it challenging for businesses to decide whether the platform fits their budget. The organization also does not have a pay-as-you-go option, which might be problematic.

Mettl offers phone and emails customer assistance. However, the business website lacks information on support availability or response times. This lack of transparency may be an issue if you need prompt and efficient help.

User experience

HackerEarth: The interface on HackerEarth is designed to be simple for both recruiters and job seekers. As a result of the platform’s numerous adjustable choices for test creation and administration, you may design exams specifically suited to a job role. Additionally, the platform provides a selection of question types and test templates, making it simple to build and take exams effectively.

In terms of the candidate experience, HackerEarth provides a user-friendly interface that makes navigating the testing procedure straightforward and intuitive for applicants. As a result of the platform’s real-time feedback and scoring, applicants may feel more motivated and engaged during the testing process. The platform also provides several customization choices, like branding and message, which may assist recruiters in giving prospects a more exciting and tailored experience.

Mettl: The platform is intended to have a steeper learning curve than others and be more technical. It makes it challenging to rapidly and effectively construct exams and can be difficult for applicants unfamiliar with the platform due to its complex interface.

Additionally, Mettl does not provide real-time feedback or scoring, which might deter applicants from participating and being motivated by the testing process.

Also read: 6 Strategies To Enhance Candidate Engagement In Tech Hiring (+ 3 Unique Examples)

User reviews and feedback

According to G2, HackerEarth and Mettl have 4.4 reviews out of 5. Users have also applauded HackerEarth’s customer service. Many agree that the staff members are friendly and quick to respond to any problems or queries. Overall, customer evaluations and feedback for HackerEarth point to the platform as simple to use. Both recruiters and applicants find it efficient.

Mettl has received mixed reviews from users, with some praising the platform for its features and functionality and others expressing frustration with its complex and technical interface.

Free ebook to help you choose between Mettl and Mettle alternative, HackerEarth

May the best “brand” win!

Recruiting and selecting the ideal candidate demands a significant investment of time, attention, and effort.

This is where tech recruiting platforms like HackerEarth and Mettl have got you covered. They help streamline the whole process.Both HackerEarth and Mettl provide a wide variety of advanced features and capabilities for tech hiring.

We think HackerEarth is the superior choice. Especially, when contrasting the two platforms in terms of their salient characteristics and functioning. But, we may be biased!

So don’t take our word for it. Sign up for a free trial and check out HackerEarth’s offerings for yourself!

AI Recruiting

HackerEarth Assessments + The Smart Browser: Formula For Bulletproof Tech Hiring

Let’s face it—cheating on tests is quite common. While technology has made a lot of things easier in tech recruiting, it has also left the field wide open to malpractice. A 2020 report by ICAI shows that 32% of undergraduate students have cheated in some form on an online test.

It’s human nature to want to bend the rules a little bit. Which begs the question, how do you stay on top of cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of malpractice during the assessment process?

How do you ensure that take-home assessments and remote interviews stay authentic and credible? By relying on enhanced virtual supervision, of course!

HackerEarth Assessments has always been one step ahead when it comes to remote proctoring which is able to capture the nuances of candidate plagiarism. The recent advancements in technology (think generative AI) needed more robust proctoring features, so we went ahead and built The HackerEarth Smart Browser to ensure our assessments remain as foolproof as ever.

Presenting to you, the latest HackerEarth proctoring fix - The Smart Browser

Our Smart Browser is the chocolatey version of a plain donut when compared to a regular web browser. It is extra effective and comes packed with additional remote proctoring capabilities to increase the quality of your screening assessments.

The chances of a candidate cheating on a HackerEarth technical assessment are virtually zero with the latest features! Spilling all our secrets to show you why -

1. Sealed-off testing environment makes proctoring simpler

To get started with using the Smart Browser, enable the Smart Browser setting as shown above. This setting is available under the test proctoring section on the test overview page.

As you can see, several other proctoring settings such as disabling copy-paste, restricting candidates to full-screen mode, and logout on leaving the test interface are selected automatically.Now, every candidate you invite to take the assessment will only be able to do so through the Smart Browser. Candidates are prompted to download the Smart Browser from the link shared in the test invite mail.When the candidate needs to click on the ‘start test’ button on the launch test screen, it opens in the Smart Browser. The browser also prompts the candidate to switch to full-screen mode. Now, all candidates need to do is sign in and attempt the test, as usual.

Also read: 6 Ways Candidates Try To Outsmart A Remote Proctored Assessment

2. Eagle-eyed online test monitoring leaves no room for error

Eagle-eyed online test monitoring with the smart browser leaves no room for error

Our AI-enabled Smart Browser takes frequent snapshots via the webcam, throughout the assessment. Consequently, it is impossible to copy-paste code or impersonate a candidate.The browser prevents the following candidate actions and facilitates thorough monitoring of the assessment:

Screensharing the test window
Keeping other applications open during the test
Resizing the test window
Taking screenshots of the test window
Recording the test window
Using malicious keystrokes
Viewing OS notifications
Running the test window within a virtual machine
Operating browser developer tools

Any candidate actions attempting to switch tabs with the intent to copy-paste or use a generative AI like ChatGPT are shown a warning and captured in the candidate report.HackerEarth’s latest proctoring fixes bulletproof our assessment platform, making it one of the most reliable and accurate sources of candidate hiring in the market today.

Also read: 4 Ways HackerEarth Flags The Use Of ChatGPT In Tech Hiring Assessments

Experience reliable assessments with the Smart Browser!

There you have it - our newest offering that preserves the integrity of coding assessments and enables skill-first hiring, all in one go. Recruiters and hiring managers, this is one feature that you can easily rely on and can be sure that every candidate’s test score is a result of their ability alone.Curious to try out the Smart Browser? Well, don’t take our word for it. Head over here to check it out for yourself!

We also love hearing from our customers so don’t hesitate to leave us any feedback you might have.

Until then, happy hiring!

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Hiring Tools

What is Headhunting In Recruitment?: Types & How Does It Work?

In today’s fast-paced world, recruiting talent has become increasingly complicated. Technological advancements, high workforce expectations and a highly competitive market have pushed recruitment agencies to adopt innovative strategies for recruiting various types of talent. This article aims to explore one such recruitment strategy – headhunting.

What is Headhunting in recruitment?

In headhunting, companies or recruitment agencies identify, engage and hire highly skilled professionals to fill top positions in the respective companies. It is different from the traditional process in which candidates looking for job opportunities approach companies or recruitment agencies. In headhunting, executive headhunters, as recruiters are referred to, approach prospective candidates with the hiring company’s requirements and wait for them to respond. Executive headhunters generally look for passive candidates, those who work at crucial positions and are not on the lookout for new work opportunities. Besides, executive headhunters focus on filling critical, senior-level positions indispensable to companies. Depending on the nature of the operation, headhunting has three types. They are described later in this article. Before we move on to understand the types of headhunting, here is how the traditional recruitment process and headhunting are different.

How do headhunting and traditional recruitment differ from each other?

Headhunting is a type of recruitment process in which top-level managers and executives in similar positions are hired. Since these professionals are not on the lookout for jobs, headhunters have to thoroughly understand the hiring companies’ requirements and study the work profiles of potential candidates before creating a list.

In the traditional approach, there is a long list of candidates applying for jobs online and offline. Candidates approach recruiters for jobs. Apart from this primary difference, there are other factors that define the difference between these two schools of recruitment.

AspectHeadhuntingTraditional RecruitmentCandidate TypePrimarily passive candidateActive job seekersApproachFocused on specific high-level rolesBroader; includes various levelsScopeproactive outreachReactive: candidates applyCostGenerally more expensive due to expertise requiredTypically lower costsControlManaged by headhuntersManaged internally by HR teams

All the above parameters will help you to understand how headhunting differs from traditional recruitment methods, better.

Types of headhunting in recruitment

Direct headhunting: In direct recruitment, hiring teams reach out to potential candidates through personal communication. Companies conduct direct headhunting in-house, without outsourcing the process to hiring recruitment agencies. Very few businesses conduct this type of recruitment for top jobs as it involves extensive screening across networks outside the company’s expanse.

Indirect headhunting: This method involves recruiters getting in touch with their prospective candidates through indirect modes of communication such as email and phone calls. Indirect headhunting is less intrusive and allows candidates to respond at their convenience.Third-party recruitment: Companies approach external recruitment agencies or executive headhunters to recruit highly skilled professionals for top positions. This method often leverages the company’s extensive contact network and expertise in niche industries.

How does headhunting work?

Finding highly skilled professionals to fill critical positions can be tricky if there is no system for it. Expert executive headhunters employ recruitment software to conduct headhunting efficiently as it facilitates a seamless recruitment process for executive headhunters. Most software is AI-powered and expedites processes like candidate sourcing, interactions with prospective professionals and upkeep of communication history. This makes the process of executive search in recruitment a little bit easier. Apart from using software to recruit executives, here are the various stages of finding high-calibre executives through headhunting.

Identifying the role

Once there is a vacancy for a top job, one of the top executives like a CEO, director or the head of the company, reach out to the concerned personnel with their requirements. Depending on how large a company is, they may choose to headhunt with the help of an external recruiting agency or conduct it in-house. Generally, the task is assigned to external recruitment agencies specializing in headhunting. Executive headhunters possess a database of highly qualified professionals who work in crucial positions in some of the best companies. This makes them the top choice of conglomerates looking to hire some of the best talents in the industry.

Defining the job

Once an executive headhunter or a recruiting agency is finalized, companies conduct meetings to discuss the nature of the role, how the company works, the management hierarchy among other important aspects of the job. Headhunters are expected to understand these points thoroughly and establish a clear understanding of their expectations and goals.

Candidate identification and sourcing

Headhunters analyse and understand the requirements of their clients and begin creating a pool of suitable candidates from their database. The professionals are shortlisted after conducting extensive research of job profiles, number of years of industry experience, professional networks and online platforms.

Approaching candidates

Once the potential candidates have been identified and shortlisted, headhunters move on to get in touch with them discreetly through various communication channels. As such candidates are already working at top level positions at other companies, executive headhunters have to be low-key while doing so.

Assessment and Evaluation

In this next step, extensive screening and evaluation of candidates is conducted to determine their suitability for the advertised position.

Interviews and negotiations

Compensation is a major topic of discussion among recruiters and prospective candidates. A lot of deliberation and negotiation goes on between the hiring organization and the selected executives which is facilitated by the headhunters.

Finalizing the hire

Things come to a close once the suitable candidates accept the job offer. On accepting the offer letter, headhunters help finalize the hiring process to ensure a smooth transition.

The steps listed above form the blueprint for a typical headhunting process. Headhunting has been crucial in helping companies hire the right people for crucial positions that come with great responsibility. However, all systems have a set of challenges no matter how perfect their working algorithm is. Here are a few challenges that talent acquisition agencies face while headhunting.

Common challenges in headhunting

Despite its advantages, headhunting also presents certain challenges:

Cost Implications: Engaging headhunters can be more expensive than traditional recruitment methods due to their specialized skills and services.

Time-Consuming Process: While headhunting can be efficient, finding the right candidate for senior positions may still take time due to thorough evaluation processes.

Market Competition: The competition for top talent is fierce; organizations must present compelling offers to attract passive candidates away from their current roles.

Although the above mentioned factors can pose challenges in the headhunting process, there are more upsides than there are downsides to it. Here is how headhunting has helped revolutionize the recruitment of high-profile candidates.

Advantages of Headhunting

Headhunting offers several advantages over traditional recruitment methods:

Access to Passive Candidates: By targeting individuals who are not actively seeking new employment, organisations can access a broader pool of highly skilled professionals.

Confidentiality: The discreet nature of headhunting protects both candidates’ current employment situations and the hiring organisation’s strategic interests.

Customized Search: Headhunters tailor their search based on the specific needs of the organization, ensuring a better fit between candidates and company culture.

Industry Expertise: Many headhunters specialise in particular sectors, providing valuable insights into market dynamics and candidate qualifications.

Conclusion

Although headhunting can be costly and time-consuming, it is one of the most effective ways of finding good candidates for top jobs. Executive headhunters face several challenges maintaining the g discreetness while getting in touch with prospective clients. As organizations navigate increasingly competitive markets, understanding the nuances of headhunting becomes vital for effective recruitment strategies. To keep up with the technological advancements, it is better to optimise your hiring process by employing online recruitment software like HackerEarth, which enables companies to conduct multiple interviews and evaluation tests online, thus improving candidate experience. By collaborating with skilled headhunters who possess industry expertise and insights into market trends, companies can enhance their chances of securing high-caliber professionals who drive success in their respective fields.

Hiring Tools

A Comprehensive Guide to External Sources of Recruitment

The job industry is not the same as it was 30 years ago. Progresses in AI and automation have created a new work culture that demands highly skilled professionals who drive innovation and work efficiently. This has led to an increase in the number of companies reaching out to external sources of recruitment for hiring talent. Over the years, we have seen several job aggregators optimise their algorithms to suit the rising demand for talent in the market and new players entering the talent acquisition industry. This article will tell you all about how external sources of recruitment help companies scout some of the best candidates in the industry, the importance of external recruitment in organizations across the globe and how it can be leveraged to find talent effectively.

Understanding external sources of recruitment

External sources refer to recruitment agencies, online job portals, job fairs, professional associations and any other organizations that facilitate seamless recruitment. When companies employ external recruitment sources, they access a wider pool of talent which helps them find the right candidates much faster than hiring people in-house. They save both time and effort in the recruitment process.

Online job portals

Online resume aggregators like LinkedIn, Naukri, Indeed, Shine, etc. contain a large database of prospective candidates. With the advent of AI, online external sources of recruitment have optimised their algorithms to show the right jobs to the right candidates. Once companies figure out how to utilise job portals for recruitment, they can expedite their hiring process efficiently.

Social Media

Ours is a generation that thrives on social media. To boost my IG presence, I have explored various strategies, from getting paid Instagram users to optimizing post timing and engaging with my audience consistently. Platforms like FB an IG have been optimized to serve job seekers and recruiters alike. The algorithms of social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have been optimised to serve job seekers and recruiters alike. Leveraging them to post well-placed ads for job listings is another way to implement external sources of recruitment strategies.

Employee Referrals

Referrals are another great external source of recruitment for hiring teams. Encouraging employees to refer their friends and acquaintances for vacancies enables companies to access highly skilled candidates faster.

Campus Recruitment

Hiring freshers from campus allows companies to train and harness new talent. Campus recruitment drives are a great external recruitment resource where hiring managers can expedite the hiring process by conducting screening processes in short periods.

Recruitment Agencies

Companies who are looking to fill specific positions with highly skilled and experienced candidates approach external recruitment agencies or executive headhunters to do so. These agencies are well-equipped to look for suitable candidates and they also undertake the task of identifying, screening and recruiting such people.

Job Fairs

This is a win-win situation for job seekers and hiring teams. Job fairs allow potential candidates to understand how specific companies work while allowing hiring managers to scout for potential candidates and proceed with the hiring process if possible.

Importance of External Recruitment

The role of recruitment agencies in talent acquisition is of paramount importance. They possess the necessary resources to help companies find the right candidates and facilitate a seamless hiring process through their internal system. Here is how external sources of recruitment benefit companies.

Diversity of Skill Sets

External recruitment resources are a great way for companies to hire candidates with diverse professional backgrounds. They possess industry-relevant skills which can be put to good use in this highly competitive market.

Fresh Perspectives

Candidates hired through external recruitment resources come from varied backgrounds. This helps them drive innovation and run things a little differently, thus bringing in a fresh approach to any project they undertake.

Access to Specialized Talent

Companies cannot hire anyone to fill critical roles that require highly qualified executives. This task is assigned to executive headhunters who specialize in identifying and screening high-calibre candidates with the right amount of industry experience. Huge conglomerates and companies seek special talent through external recruiters who have carved a niche for themselves.

Now that you have learnt the different ways in which leveraging external sources of recruitment benefits companies, let’s take a look at some of the best practices of external recruitment to understand how to effectively use their resources.

Best Practices for Effective External Recruitment

Identifying, reaching out to and screening the right candidates requires a robust working system. Every system works efficiently if a few best practices are implemented. For example, hiring through social media platforms requires companies to provide details about their working environment, how the job is relevant to their audience and well-positioned advertisements. The same applies to the other external sources of recruitment. Here is how you can optimise the system to ensure an effective recruitment process.

Craft Clear and Compelling Job Descriptions

Detail Responsibilities: Clearly outline the key responsibilities and expectations for the role.

Highlight Company Culture: Include information about the company’s mission, values, and growth opportunities to attract candidates who align with your organizational culture.

Leverage Multiple Recruitment Channels

Diversify Sources: Use a mix of job boards, social media platforms, recruitment agencies, and networking events to maximize reach. Relying on a single source can limit your candidate pool.

Utilize Industry-Specific Platforms: In addition to general job boards, consider niche job sites that cater to specific industries or skill sets

Streamline the Application Process

Simplify Applications: Ensure that the application process is user-friendly. Lengthy or complicated forms can deter potential candidates from applying.

Mobile Optimization: Many candidates use mobile devices to apply for jobs, so ensure your application process is mobile-friendly.

Engage in Proactive Sourcing

Reach Out to Passive Candidates: Actively seek out candidates who may not be actively looking for a job but could be a great fit for your organization. Use LinkedIn and other professional networks for this purpose.

Maintain a Talent Pool: Keep a database of previous applicants and strong candidates for future openings, allowing you to reach out when new roles become available.

Utilize Social Media Effectively

Promote Job Openings: Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to share job postings and engage with potential candidates. This approach can also enhance your employer brand

Conduct Background Checks: There are several ways of learning about potential candidates. Checking out candidate profiles on job boards like LinkedIn or social media platforms can give companies a better understanding of their potential candidates, thus confirming whether they are the right fit for the organization.

Implement Data-Driven Recruitment

Analyze Recruitment Metrics: Track key metrics such as time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, and source effectiveness. This data can help refine your recruitment strategies over time. Using external hiring software like HackeEarth can streamline the recruitment process, thus ensuring quality hires without having to indulge internal resources for the same.

Use Predictive Analytics: In this age of fast paced internet, everybody makes data-driven decisions. Using predictive analytics to study employee data will help companies predict future trends, thus facilitating a productive hiring process.

Conclusion

External sources of recruitment play a very important role in an organization’s talent acquisition strategy. By employing various channels of recruitment such as social media, employee referrals and campus recruitment drives, companies can effectively carry out their hiring processes. AI-based recruitment management systems also help in the process. Implementing best practices in external recruitment will enable organizations to enhance their hiring processes effectively while meeting their strategic goals.

AI Recruiting

Progressive Pre-Employment Assessment - A Complete Guide

The Progressive Pre-Employment Assessment is a crucial step in the hiring process, as it evaluates candidates through various dimensions including cognitive abilities, personality traits, and role-specific skills.

While employers and recruiters have this in the palm of their hand, candidates who master it will successfully navigate the assessment and have a higher chance of landing that dream job. But what does it entail in the first place?

Candidates can expect to undergo tests that assess verbal, numerical, and work style capabilities, as well as a personality assessment. Hence, understanding the structure and purpose of the Progressive Pre-Employment Assessment can give candidates a competitive edge. But before one tackles online tests, we must first dissect what this assessment is and what it consists of.

The evolution of pre-employment assessments

Pre-employment assessments have undergone significant changes over the decades, from rudimentary tests to sophisticated, modern evaluations. Let’s put the two side by side.

Traditional methods:
Initially, pre-employment assessments focused on basic skills and educational qualifications. These paper-based tests primarily assessed cognitive and verbal abilities, without any conclusions about the candidates’ output in very specific situations.
Modern techniques:
Today, online assessments are prevalent, evaluating a variety of dimensions, including cognitive skills, personality traits, and behavioral evaluations. These tools offer a more comprehensive view of a candidate's job performance potential, while, at the same time, saving precious time for both parties involved.

In today’s competitive job market, progressive pre-employment assessments play a crucial as they not only measure technical skills and knowledge but also provide insights into a candidate's ethical bias, cultural fit, and communication skills.

Likewise, assessment tests have evolved to include situational judgment tests and culture fit analyses, which are pivotal in assessing the suitability of a candidate for specific roles. And this isn’t just in terms of skillsets—they help in identifying candidates who align well with the company's values and working environment.

This is mainly for the tests’ ability to accurately gauge a candidate's interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence, which are essential for roles that require teamwork and client interactions.

What are progressive pre-employment assessments?

Progressive pre-employment assessments are structured evaluations designed to judge a candidate’s abilities and fit for a role at Progressive Insurance. Unlike traditional aptitude tests, these assessments encompass various elements such as cognitive abilities, situational judgments, and personality traits.

These tests typically include verbal and numerical reasoning sections, as well as work style assessments that gauge behavioral tendencies. Through this merger of multiple dimensions, Progressive seeks to understand not just the skills and knowledge of the candidate, but also their ethical perspectives and communication skills.

Components of a progressive assessment strategy

What sets progressive assessments apart? Well, as most employers just focus on the basic credentials and competencies, the comprehensive assessment strategy at Progressive includes several key components:

Cognitive evaluations: These tests measure candidates' logical reasoning and problem-solving capabilities through verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning questions.
Personality assessments: These tests evaluate traits and tendencies to understand how a candidate might behave in various workplace scenarios. They aim to provide insight into their ethical bias and interpersonal skills.
Behavioral evaluations: These sections analyze how candidates might act in specific situations, ensuring a good cultural fit and alignment with Progressive's values.
Role-specific skills tests: These assessments focus on the specialized skills required for the position, ensuring the candidate has the necessary technical knowledge and expertise.

Implementing progressive assessments

Successful implementation of Progressive Assessments in the hiring process requires designing an effective assessment process and following best practices for administration. This ensures accuracy, better data security, and reliable decision-making. In particular, the implementation hinges on the feasibility of the original design.

Step 1 --- Designing the assessment process

Designing an effective Progressive Assessment involves understanding the specific needs of the role and the company's approach to hiring. Each test component — verbal, numerical, and work style — must align with the desired skills and personality traits for the role.

HR teams need to define clear objectives for each assessment section. This includes establishing what each part aims to evaluate, like the problem-solving or personality assessments. Incorporating legal and policy guidelines ensures the assessments are fair and non-discriminatory, which is crucial for avoiding legal issues.

Likewise, everaging online assessment tests provides flexibility and efficiency. These tests allow candidates to complete them remotely, easing logistics and scheduling concerns. Ensuring security is also essential, and implementing testing and other recruitment tools can help enhance data security and accuracy.

Step 2 --- Best practices for assessment administration

Administering assessments effectively revolves around consistency and fairness. Establish structured guidelines for the administration process to ensure each candidate undergoes the same conditions, promoting reliability. This includes standardizing the timing, environment, and instructions for all assessments.

Training HR representatives is vital. They should be well-versed in handling the assessments, from initial candidate interactions to evaluating the results. Regular training updates ensure the team remains knowledgeable about best practices and any new tools used in the assessment process.

Administering assessments also involves maintaining better data security and accuracy. This is achieved by utilizing secure online platforms and ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive data. Leveraging top API penetration testing tools is one approach to securing candidate data and preserving the integrity of the assessment process.

Implementing consistent feedback mechanisms for candidates can also improve the process. Providing insights on their performance helps candidates understand their strengths and areas for growth, which reflects positively on the company’s commitment to candidate experience.

Benefits of progressive assessments

Progressive assessments offer significant advantages in the hiring process, such as improving the accuracy of hiring decisions and enhancing the overall candidate experience. These benefits help companies find better-fitting candidates and reduce turnover rates.

1. Improved hiring accuracy

Progressive pre-employment assessments allow companies to evaluate candidates more comprehensively. By assessing personality traits, cognitive abilities, and ethical biases, employers can identify individuals who align with the company’s values and have the necessary skills for the job.

For example, personality assessments can pinpoint traits like empathy, communication, and problem-solving abilities. This helps employers select candidates who are not only qualified but also fit well within the team. Evaluating these qualities ensures that new hires can thrive in customer service roles where empathy and effective communication are crucial.

Moreover, using tools like the DDI Adaptive Reasoning Test helps to simulate real job tasks. This gives employers deeper insights into a candidate's capability to handle job-specific challenges. As a result, the company is more likely to experience lower turnover rates due to better candidate-job fit.

2. Enhanced candidate experience

A well-structured assessment process can significantly enhance the candidate experience. Clear instructions,fair testing procedures, and timely feedback create a positive impression of the company. Candidates appreciate transparency and feel valued when the process is designed with their experience in mind.

Implementing assessments that reflect actual job roles and responsibilities gives candidates a realistic preview of the job. This reduces later dissatisfaction and turnover. Additionally, personality assessments that highlight traits such as confidence and empathy provide a more engaging candidate experience.

Companies can also strengthen their employer brand by showcasing their commitment to a fair and comprehensive hiring process. Providing resources like practice tests helps candidates feel better prepared and less anxious about the assessment, leading to a more positive perception of the company.

Common pitfalls in progressive assessments

Candidates often struggle with the cognitive abilities section, which requires strong analytical skills and problem-solving capabilities. The situational judgment tests can also be tricky as they assess empathy, decision-making, and customer service scenarios. Personality assessments can pose challenges as well, especially for those unsure how to present their personality traits aligned with the job role.

A significant issue is also misinterpretation of the test's format and expectations. Many find it daunting to navigate through various sections, such as verbal, numerical, and work style assessments. Lastly, some candidates might overlook the legal nuances of personality assessments or document redaction protocols, leading to compliance issues.

Strategies to overcome challenges

To tackle cognitive abilities assessments, candidates should engage in consistent practice with sample questions and mock tests. This helps enhance their analytical and problem-solving skills. For situational judgment tests, it is essential to practice empathy and customer service scenarios to develop a better understanding of role-specific challenges.

In personality assessments, being honest while demonstrating relevant personality traits like being a team player is crucial. Seeking guidance from study materials such as Job Test Prep can provide a realistic testing environment.

Understanding legal considerations, such as those around document redaction, is important for compliance. Utilizing a document redaction SDK can ensure adherence to required policies. Familiarity with each section's format will aid in navigating the assessments confidently and effectively.

Trends and innovations in employee assessments

There is a growing emphasis on AI-powered assessments —these tools analyze vast amounts of data to predict a candidate's job performance, ensuring a more objective and efficient selection process.

Personality assessments are evolving to include metrics like empathy and communication skills, which are crucial for roles in customer service and other people-centric positions.

Additionally, gamified assessments, which make the evaluation process engaging, are gaining popularity. They not only assess problem-solving skills but also gauge how candidates perform under pressure.

Organizations can prepare for the future by integrating cutting-edge technologies into their hiring processes. Investing in training for evaluators to accurately interpret new assessment metrics is crucial. This involves

understanding how to measure soft skills such as empathy and effective communication.

Moreover, companies should stay updated on legal requirements to maintain compliance and ensure fair assessment practices.

Encouraging candidates to focus on developing their personality traits, such as being team players and showing confidence, can also better prepare them for progressive assessments that look beyond technical skills.

The strategic value of progressive assessments

Progressive pre-employment assessments rigorously evaluate candidates on multiple fronts, including cognitive abilities, situational judgment, personality fit, and role-specific skills. This multifaceted approach not only helps in identifying the best match for specific roles but also reduces the risk of bad hires.

By investing in these assessments, companies can significantly enhance their recruitment processes. Consistent use of these tools leads to more informed decision-making, reducing turnover rates and ensuring employee retention.

Appropriate preparation and implementation of these assessments can streamline the hiring pipeline, saving time and resources. Furthermore, this approach bolsters team performance and aligns employee roles with their strengths, promoting a culture of efficiency and productivity. While Progressive is far from the only company using this approach, they’ve set a standard in terms of looking at candidates holistically and making sure they’re truly ready for the job.

Frequently Asked Questions

This section covers common inquiries related to the Progressive Pre-Employment Assessments, including differences from psychometric tests, benefits for small businesses, legal considerations, and the role of technology.

How do progressive assessments differ from psychometric testing?

Progressive assessments typically examine a candidate's ethical bias and personality traits. In contrast, psychometric tests focus on cognitive abilities and personality dimensions. The Progressive Pre-Employment Assessment includes verbal, numerical, and work style components, offering a broader evaluation spectrum.

Can small businesses benefit from implementing progressive assessment strategies?

Small businesses can gain significant advantages from adopting progressive assessment strategies. These assessments help identify candidates that align closely with the company’s values and culture, reducing turnover rates. Additionally, they provide insights into a candidate's ethical stance and work style, which are crucial for cohesive team dynamics.

What are the legal considerations when using pre-employment assessments?

Legal considerations include ensuring compliance with equal employment opportunity laws and avoiding discrimination based on race, gender, or disability. It is essential to validate the assessment tools and ensure they are scientifically proven to be fair. Companies must also maintain transparency about the purpose and usage of the assessments.

How can technology enhance the effectiveness of progressive assessments?

Technology can streamline the assessment process by allowing candidates to complete the tests remotely. Advanced analytics help in the accurate interpretation of results, ensuring a better match between the candidate and the job role. Many platforms offer practice tests that mirror the actual assessment, aiding in preparation and reducing test anxiety.

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