3 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Technology to Recruit Support Workers
When tasked with the job of recruiting support workers, the use of technology can help your organisation connect with a multitude of workers. Given the need for support workers in the disability sector isn’t ever isolated to one geographical region, when used correctly technology (such as automations and job platforms) can save you time and money.
It is important however not to overlook the need for a thoughtful approach to avoid common mistakes which can result in suitable support workers being overlooked – workers that may become star employees and individuals your clients adore!
1. What are the Common Errors in Recruitment?
Overreliance on Automation
Automation has become an essential tool in streamlining various processes, including recruitment. However, it is important to strike a balance between the convenience of automation and the importance of personalised interactions with candidates.
While automation can undoubtedly speed up certain aspects of the recruitment process, such as initial outreach and basic screening, it is during the key stages of interviews and relationship-building that the human touch truly shines.
When it comes to interviews, nothing can replace the power of face-to-face conversations and the ability to gauge a candidate’s non-verbal cues and body language. These subtle yet significant nuances can only be truly understood and evaluated by skilled recruiters who possess the empathy and intuition necessary to make accurate assessments.
Likewise, building meaningful relationships with candidates requires genuine human connection, empathy, and active listening skills, which cannot be replicated by automation.
By striking a balance between automation and human interaction, we can ensure that candidates feel valued and respected throughout the recruitment process. While automation can help us efficiently handle administrative tasks and initial screening, it is the personalised interactions that leave a lasting impression and foster a positive candidate experience.
Ultimately, finding the perfect candidate for any role requires a combination of technology-driven efficiency and the human touch that only skilled recruiters can provide.
Ignoring Inclusivity and Diversity
Technology can unintentionally perpetuate biases if not used carefully. This is especially true when recruitment technology heavily relies on algorithms or AI for screening and shortlisting candidates.
To ensure fairness and equality in your recruitment practices, it is vital to conduct regular audits and fine-tuning of these systems. By doing so, you can effectively prevent any chance of unfairly favouring or excluding certain groups.
This proactive approach helps to create an inclusive and diverse workforce, where every candidate has an equal opportunity to showcase their skills and potential.
By being vigilant in monitoring and adjusting your recruitment technology, you demonstrate your commitment to building a truly fair and unbiased hiring process. Embracing this responsibility not only safeguards against potential discrimination but also enhances your company’s reputation as an advocate for equality and diversity.
Investing time and effort into auditing and fine-tuning recruitment technology will undoubtedly yield long-term benefits. It ensures that you are attracting the best talent from all backgrounds, fostering a sense of innovation, collaboration, and success.
Neglecting User Experience
In today’s competitive job market, it is essential to provide potential candidates with a seamless and user-friendly application process. Complicated and clunky application processes, poorly designed career websites, or confusing interfaces can be a major turn-off for top talent and may even lead them to abandon their applications.
A lack of user-friendly technology reflects poorly on your company’s image and may discourage talented individuals from applying altogether. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize the creation or implementation of technology that offers a seamless and intuitive user experience.
By doing so, you not only enhance your company’s reputation but also attract and retain the best candidates in the industry.
2. How to Use Technology to Recruit
Utilising Online Platforms
While popular platforms like SEEK and Indeed may be used across various industries, there is a significant advantage in opting for online job platforms that cater specifically to the disability sector.
By choosing platforms like Hirey, which specialize in NDIS and disability jobs, you can ensure that your job postings reach a targeted and relevant audience who are passionate about making a difference.
This targeted approach not only increases the chances of finding the perfect candidate but also saves time and resources by avoiding irrelevant applications.
Establish an Online Presence
Developing a user-friendly and informative website helps you establish an online presence and engage with a diverse audience. Your website should be designed with your target audience in mind, ensuring that it is easy to navigate and provides valuable information about your organisation.
Information should be made available in multiple formats, such as text, images, videos, and audio, so that individuals with different preferences and abilities can easily access and understand the content.
By highlighting your mission, values, and available opportunities, you can effectively showcase what sets your organization apart and attract new potential employees.
Leveraging Social Media and Digital Marketing
Social media has changed the way businesses connect with their target audience, allowing for more personal engagement and the opportunity to build trust and loyalty. Crafting engaging content and incorporating visual elements can increase its appeal and reach.
Utilising targeted advertising on platforms like Facebook and Google Ads can significantly improve outreach efforts by reaching the right people at the right time.
As the digital landscape is constantly evolving, what works today may not be as effective tomorrow. It is important to keep your finger on the pulse of emerging technologies and support worker behaviour in order to help you adapt your marketing efforts and stay ahead of the competition.
Leverage Video Pre-screening:
By incorporating this innovative approach, you can effectively evaluate candidates’ communication skills, empathy, and overall suitability for the role.
Video interviews provide an in-depth and holistic perspective on each candidate, which is particularly crucial for support worker positions that demand exceptional interpersonal abilities.
On Hirey, workers have the option to record a short 30 second video introduction which allows you to conduct a quick evaluation on their communication skills, even before you pick up the telephone. This can save you valuable time when it comes to shortlisting suitable workers for a particular role.
What is the key takeaway when using technology to recruit support workers?
Undoubtedly, technology has revolutionised the recruitment process for support workers with its automations and job platforms. However, striking the perfect balance between the convenience of automation and the significance of personal interactions is crucial.
Careful usage is necessary to avoid unintentionally perpetuating biases or neglecting the overall support worker experience, which could lead to abandoned applications or a negative reflection on your company.
But fear not! Embracing niche online platforms like Hirey, establishing a strong online presence, harnessing the power of social media and digital marketing, and utilising video pre-screening are all inclusive and innovative approaches that can immensely enhance the support worker recruitment process.
Eager to use technology the right way to recruit support workers?
That’s why we are here! Hirey was built to help connect support workers and service providers cheaper and faster than ever before. Book a free demo and we can chat about how Hirey can help grow your workforce.