The growth of social networks is presenting a threat to recruiters unless they harness it to provide a suite of services which builds value for their clients according to Azmat Mohammed, Director General of the Institute of Recruiters, IOR.
Many hirers now feel they can bypass recruiters and use social networks such as LinkedIn, as a search tool to find candidates. However, Azmat feels that for hirers this is a short-term cost saving fix and highlights the need for recruiters to demonstrate the added value they bring to the whole recruitment process:
“New technologies cause disruption and lead to the simplifying of processes. We are seeing this in the recruitment sector, where the ability to search LinkedIn, for example, means that hirers are going it alone in their search for new talent.
“It is a fact that technology changes business models across all industries and recruitment is no different. As a profession, we have to change and show that while social networks are empowering they can never replace the role of the recruiter. For the forward-thinking it is time to demonstrate that the selection process is more than reading candidates’ CVs.”
Recruiters have to look at where they can add value. Opportunities exist in focusing on niche areas where it is possible to fully understand client’s needs by being aware of key issues in their market and helping them identify the talent which can actually meet those needs.
Azmat adds: “Putting forward candidates to hirers should be the culmination of a professional and ethical approach to identifying the talent by a number of means. Often if hirers go it alone and rely on social networks they may be missing potential suitable talented candidates, which networks and research can unearth.
“We are at this crossroads and need to demonstrate the value recruiters can bring to the hiring process. It is important to show that access to technology does not remove the requirement for companies to have professional support in meeting their human resources needs.”
The Institute of Recruiters (IOR) is a British Institute representing the highest standard mark in British recruitment. For further information please contact Azmat Mohammed, Director General on 0871 288 2108.
