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How Recruiting Automation is changing the talent game

Hiring has always been a challenge, but in today’s competitive market, it feels tougher than ever. The best candidates often juggle multiple offers, and companies that move too slowly lose out. On top of that, recruiters spend hours on repetitive work — scanning resumes, coordinating interviews, chasing paperwork.

Author

Medha Bisht

November 18, 2025

3 min read

Why recruiting automation matters today

This is where recruiting automation steps in. What was once considered a niche HR tool has now become a business essential. Done right, automation doesn’t replace human recruiters. Instead, it makes them more effective by freeing them from manual tasks so they can focus on building relationships and making smarter hiring decisions.

What recruiting automation really means

At its core, recruiting automation uses technology to handle tasks that recruiters traditionally did by hand. Think of activities like sourcing candidates, screening resumes, scheduling interviews, sending reminders, or even creating onboarding documents.

This idea is part of a bigger trend called hyperautomation, where multiple technologies like AI, machine learning, and robotic process automation come together to streamline entire workflows. In recruiting, it means integrating tools so that everything from finding talent to managing employee records connects smoothly. The real power lies in building an end-to-end system where data flows seamlessly across HR and business platforms. This way, hiring isn’t just a standalone process but part of the organization’s larger growth strategy.

How AI recruiting automation delivers results

The business case for AI recruiting automation isn’t just about saving effort — it’s about measurable returns.

Cutting time-to-hire

Speed is critical. The average time-to-hire in 2025 is 36 days, which leaves plenty of room for improvement. Companies like United HR Solutions showed how AI platforms reduced time-to-hire by 45% and time-to-fill by 47%. In many cases, automation slashes hiring time by 30–50%.

When candidates receive faster responses and quick offers, companies avoid losing them to competitors. This also reduces the cost of vacant positions and boosts candidate satisfaction.

Reducing cost-per-hire

Hiring is expensive. Globally, the average cost per hire is around $4,683 when factoring in ads, recruiter hours, and agency fees. Manual scheduling alone can eat up five hours per candidate.

Automation cuts these costs significantly. Studies show administrative overhead can drop by up to 80%. Some reports estimate that AI recruiters can save as much as $16,000 per hire, thanks to faster shortlisting and reduced manual screening.

Another advantage: while manual costs rise with the number of hires, automated systems stay stable, making them ideal for fast-growing companies.

Improving candidate quality

Automation also raises the bar on candidate quality. AI tools focus on skills and experience, reducing unconscious bias and creating a fairer process. Resume-screening accuracy can reach 85–95%, far higher than manual reviews.

Case studies show a 40% boost in candidate quality scores and a 36% rise in sourcing quality after automation. Hiring better-fit employees lowers turnover, saving money and building stronger teams.

Enhancing candidate experience

Today’s candidates expect fast, transparent communication. Automation ensures they get it. Chatbots answer questions 24/7, automated emails provide updates, and scheduling tools let candidates book interviews at their convenience.

Companies using these tools report a 49% drop in candidate drop-off and a 44% increase in satisfaction. For example, the American Heart Association doubled its sourcing activity and boosted recruiter engagement by 50% after cutting administrative work with automation.

Smarter tools: the HackerEarth example

Automation isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some platforms are designed for specific industries. HackerEarth, for instance, specializes in tech hiring.

Best practices for recruiting automation

Adopting recruiting automation requires more than just buying software. Success depends on strategy and people.

Choosing the right platform

Pick tools that are scalable, easy to use, and able to integrate with your HR stack.

Building seamless integrations

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) often serves as the hub. The best setups integrate with CRMs, payroll, and learning platforms. Tools like Zapier help connect different apps into a unified workflow.

Managing change and training teams

Resistance is common. Recruiters may worry about losing relevance or struggling with new tools. The solution is open communication and involvement. Bringing teams into the process early can increase adoption success rates. Hands-on training and continuous learning opportunities ease fears and ensure recruiters can fully use the new system.

The future of recruiting automation

The new Role of recruiters

Contrary to fears, AI will not replace recruiters. Instead, it will reshape their role. The best outcomes will come from a human-AI hybrid model. Recruiters will be able to focus more on relationship-building, candidate engagement, and employer branding, while automation provides efficiency and insights. Those who embrace this partnership will be the most successful in the talent market of the future.

Conclusion: The smarter way forward

Recruiting automation is no longer optional. It speeds up hiring, cuts costs, improves candidate quality, and enhances the overall experience. It’s about creating a partnership where automation handles the repetitive work, and recruiters focus on what they do best: building connections and making smart, strategic choices.

As competition for talent grows, the companies that thrive will be the ones that adopt automation thoughtfully and use it to empower their people. The message is clear: the future of hiring is human and automated — working together to create stronger, smarter organizations.

FAQs on recruiting automation

How does automation improve candidate experience?‍

By giving faster responses, consistent updates, and convenient scheduling. Chatbots answer questions anytime, and candidates can book interviews without delays. This respect for their time builds trust and strengthens employer branding.

Can automation replace human recruiters?‍

No. Automation is great for repetitive, high-volume tasks like screening or scheduling. But recruiters bring empathy, judgment, and cultural insight that machines can’t replicate. The future is about working together, not replacement.

How I used VibeCode Arena platform to build code using AI and learnt how to improve it

How a developer used VibeCoding to generate Image Carousal code using VibeCode Arena platform and used objective evaluations to improve the LLM generated code

Author

Vineet Khandelwal

November 8, 2025

3 min read

I Used AI to Build a "Simple Image Carousel" at VibeCodeArena. It Found 15+ Issues and Taught Me How to Fix Them.

‍

My Learning Journey

I wanted to understand what separates working code from good code. So I used VibeCodeArena.ai to pick a problem statement where different LLMs produce code for the same prompt. Upon landing on the main page of VibeCodeArena, I could see different challenges. Since I was interested in an Image carousal application, I picked the challenge with the prompt "Make a simple image carousel that lets users click 'next' and 'previous' buttons to cycle through images."

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Within seconds, I had code from multiple LLMs, including DeepSeek, Mistral, GPT, and Llama. Each code sample also had an objective evaluation score. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many solutions for the same problem. I picked gpt-oss-20b model from OpenAI. For this experiment, I wanted to focus on learning how to code better so either one of the LLMs could have worked. But VibeCodeArena can also be used to evaluate different LLMs to help make a decision about which model to use for what problem statement.

The model had produced a clean HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The code looked professional. I could see the preview of the code by clicking on the render icon. It worked perfectly in my browser. The carousel was smooth, and the images loaded beautifully.

But was it actually good code?

I had no idea. That's when I decided to look at the evaluation metrics

What I Thought Was "Good Code"

A working image carousel with:

Clean, semantic HTML
Smooth CSS transitions
Keyboard navigation support
ARIA labels for accessibility
Error handling for failed images

It looked like something a senior developer would write. But I had questions:

Was it secure? Was it optimized? Would it scale? Were there better ways to structure it?

Without objective evaluation, I had no answers. So, I proceeded to look at the detailed evaluation metrics for this code

What VibeCodeArena's Evaluation Showed

The platform's objective evaluation revealed issues I never would have spotted:

Security Vulnerabilities (The Scary Ones)

No Content Security Policy (CSP): My carousel was wide open to XSS attacks. Anyone could inject malicious scripts through the image URLs or manipulate the DOM. VibeCodeArena flagged this immediately and recommended implementing CSP headers.

Missing Input Validation: The platform pointed out that while the code handles image errors, it doesn't validate or sanitize the image sources. A malicious actor could potentially exploit this.

Hardcoded Configuration: Image URLs and settings were hardcoded directly in the code. The platform recommended using environment variables instead - a best practice I completely overlooked.

SQL Injection Vulnerability Patterns: Even though this carousel doesn't use a database, the platform flagged coding patterns that could lead to SQL injection in similar contexts. This kind of forward-thinking analysis helps prevent copy-paste security disasters.

Performance Problems (The Silent Killers)

DOM Structure Depth (15 levels): VibeCodeArena measured my DOM at 15 levels deep. I had no idea. This creates unnecessary rendering overhead that would get worse as the carousel scales.

Expensive DOM Queries: The JavaScript was repeatedly querying the DOM without caching results. Under load, this would create performance bottlenecks I'd never notice in local testing.

Missing Performance Optimizations: The platform provided a checklist of optimizations I didn't even know existed:

No DNS-prefetch hints for external image domains
Missing width/height attributes causing layout shift
No preload directives for critical resources
Missing CSS containment properties
No will-change property for animated elements

Each of these seems minor, but together they compound into a poor user experience.

Code Quality Issues (The Technical Debt)

High Nesting Depth (4 levels): My JavaScript had logic nested 4 levels deep. VibeCodeArena flagged this as a maintainability concern and suggested flattening the logic.

Overly Specific CSS Selectors (depth: 9): My CSS had selectors 9 levels deep, making it brittle and hard to refactor. I thought I was being thorough; I was actually creating maintenance nightmares.

Code Duplication (7.9%): The platform detected nearly 8% code duplication across files. That's technical debt accumulating from day one.

Moderate Maintainability Index (67.5): While not terrible, the platform showed there's significant room for improvement in code maintainability.

Missing Best Practices (The Professional Touches)

The platform also flagged missing elements that separate hobby projects from professional code:

No 'use strict' directive in JavaScript
Missing package.json for dependency management
No test files
Missing README documentation
No .gitignore or version control setup
Could use functional array methods for cleaner code
Missing CSS animations for enhanced UX

The "Aha" Moment

Here's what hit me: I had no framework for evaluating code quality beyond "does it work?"

The carousel functioned. It was accessible. It had error handling. But I couldn't tell you if it was secure, optimized, or maintainable.

VibeCodeArena gave me that framework. It didn't just point out problems, it taught me what production-ready code looks like.

My New Workflow: The Learning Loop

This is when I discovered the real power of the platform. Here's my process now:

Step 1: Generate Code Using VibeCodeArena

I start with a prompt and let the AI generate the initial solution. This gives me a working baseline.

Step 2: Analyze Across Several Metrics

I can get comprehensive analysis across:

Security vulnerabilities
Performance/Efficiency issues
Performance optimization opportunities
Code Quality improvements

This is where I learn. Each issue includes explanation of why it matters and how to fix it.

Step 3: Click "Challenge" and Improve

Here's the game-changer: I click the "Challenge" button and start fixing the issues based on the suggestions. This turns passive reading into active learning.

Do I implement CSP headers correctly? Does flattening the nested logic actually improve readability? What happens when I add dns-prefetch hints?

I can even use AI to help improve my code. For this action, I can use from a list of several available models that don't need to be the same one that generated the code. This helps me to explore which models are good at what kind of tasks.

For my experiment, I decided to work on two suggestions provided by VibeCodeArena by preloading critical CSS/JS resources with <link rel="preload"> for faster rendering in index.html and by adding explicit width and height attributes to images to prevent layout shift in index.html. The code editor gave me change summary before I submitted by code for evaluation.

Step 4: Submit for Evaluation

After making improvements, I submit my code for evaluation. Now I see:

What actually improved (and by how much)
What new issues I might have introduced
Where I still have room to grow

Step 5: Hey, I Can Beat AI

My changes helped improve the performance metric of this simple code from 82% to 83% - Yay! But this was just one small change. I now believe that by acting upon multiple suggestions, I can easily improve the quality of the code that I write versus just relying on prompts.

Each improvement can move me up the leaderboard. I'm not just learning in isolation—I'm seeing how my solutions compare to other developers and AI models.

So, this is the loop: Generate → Analyze → Challenge → Improve → Measure → Repeat.

Every iteration makes me better at both evaluating AI code and writing better prompts.

What This Means for Learning to Code with AI

This experience taught me three critical lessons:

1. Working ≠ Good Code

AI models are incredible at generating code that functions. But "it works" tells you nothing about security, performance, or maintainability.

The gap between "functional" and "production-ready" is where real learning happens. VibeCodeArena makes that gap visible and teachable.

2. Improvement Requires Measurement

I used to iterate on code blindly: "This seems better... I think?"

Now I know exactly what improved. When I flatten nested logic, I see the maintainability index go up. When I add CSP headers, I see security scores improve. When I optimize selectors, I see performance gains.

Measurement transforms vague improvement into concrete progress.

3. Competition Accelerates Learning

The leaderboard changed everything for me. I'm not just trying to write "good enough" code—I'm trying to climb past other developers and even beat the AI models.

This competitive element keeps me pushing to learn one more optimization, fix one more issue, implement one more best practice.

How the Platform Helps Me Become A Better Programmer

VibeCodeArena isn't just an evaluation tool—it's a structured learning environment. Here's what makes it effective:

Immediate Feedback: I see issues the moment I submit code, not weeks later in code review.

Contextual Education: Each issue comes with explanation and guidance. I learn why something matters, not just that it's wrong.

Iterative Improvement: The "Challenge" button transforms evaluation into action. I learn by doing, not just reading.

Measurable Progress: I can track my improvement over time—both in code quality scores and leaderboard position.

Comparative Learning: Seeing how my solutions stack up against others shows me what's possible and motivates me to reach higher.

What I've Learned So Far

Through this iterative process, I've gained practical knowledge I never would have developed just reading documentation:

How to implement Content Security Policy correctly
Why DOM depth matters for rendering performance
What CSS containment does and when to use it
How to structure code for better maintainability
Which performance optimizations actually make a difference

Each "Challenge" cycle teaches me something new. And because I'm measuring the impact, I know what actually works.

The Bottom Line

AI coding tools are incredible for generating starting points. But they don't produce high quality code and can't teach you what good code looks like or how to improve it.

VibeCodeArena bridges that gap by providing:

✓ Objective analysis that shows you what's actually wrong
✓ Educational feedback that explains why it matters
✓ A "Challenge" system that turns learning into action
✓ Measurable improvement tracking so you know what works
✓ Competitive motivation through leaderboards

My "simple image carousel" taught me an important lesson: The real skill isn't generating code with AI. It's knowing how to evaluate it, improve it, and learn from the process.

The future of AI-assisted development isn't just about prompting better. It's about developing the judgment to make AI-generated code production-ready. That requires structured learning, objective feedback, and iterative improvement. And that's exactly what VibeCodeArena delivers.

Here is a link to the code for the image carousal I used for my learning journey

#AIcoding #WebDevelopment #CodeQuality #VibeCoding #SoftwareEngineering #LearningToCode

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

November 8, 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 or Hostinger Horizons 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

December 1, 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. At the same time, some organizations complement their process with context-aware code security support to ensure AI-generated solutions follow secure development practices. 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

Future-proof Your Online Assessments With HackerEarth

HackerEarth's AI-powered online proctoring solution is a tested and proven way to outsmart cheating and take preventive measures at the right stage. With HackerEarth's Smart Browser, recruiters can mitigate the threat of cheating and ensure their online assessments are accurate and trustworthy.

Secure, sealed-off testing environment
AI-enabled live test monitoring
Enterprise-grade, industry leading compliance
Built-in features to track, detect and flag cheating attempts

Boost your hiring efficiency and conduct reliable online assessments confidently with HackerEarth's revolutionary Smart Browser.

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

November 8, 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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Gain insights to optimize your developer recruitment process.

Hiring Strategies

Hiring Remote Developers Versus Relocation - What To Choose in 2024?

The pandemic has reshaped the global workforce area dramatically, causing tech companies to hire more remote developers. According to a recent Eurofound report, 34% of employees residing in the EU worked exclusively from home as of July 2021. Compared to pre-COVID statistics from 2018, that’s a whopping six-fold increase.

The numbers are similar in other regions around the world. In the IT sector, telework had been the norm before the coronavirus crisis broke out, let alone the current circumstances. At some point, many software engineering companies run into difficulties filling job positions in their area and turn to the workforce overseas. In August 2021, 77% of job offers posted on a popular social news website for computer science professionals mentioned remote work.

That being said, HR departments often face a nontrivial dilemma when trying to bridge the talent gap with local coders: to hire remote developers from offshore locations or relocate employees so that they work in your office. For a start, let’s dwell on the differences between these two options.

In the relocation scenario, a programmer moves to another place (city or country) to work onsite. The employer typically assists with work permits, visas, transportation, and accommodations. The whole process extends over several months.

Contrary to this approach, remote developers enhance your office team from another location. This tactic is much more cost-efficient than relocation as long as the software engineering or web design workflow is backed by proper administrative support, digital infrastructure, and the security of collaboration at a distance.

India is one of the world’s fastest-growing remote developer hubs

Companies based in Europe and North America are increasingly hiring remote developers from South Asia. India is dominating this ecosystem due to the high level of education and long-running track record of its IT professionals. Furthermore, the country is exhibiting a booming growth of developer population.

Some may argue that being in different time zones will put a spanner in the works, but well-thought-out management and coordination of efforts between onsite and remote teams can smooth the edges in this context. Another important thing to consider is that most Indian developers speak fluent English, which facilitates the interaction considerably.

Things on the plus side of programmer relocation

The ability to communicate in person and collaborate side-by-side is the fundamental advantage of relocating personnel to your locale. It underlies effective teamwork, quick decision-making, and instant feedback. The following aspects make a difference in this case:

Keeping corporate culture high. Having all employees under the same umbrella is the pillar of some companies’ culture. These enterprises spare no expense to turn their offices into oases for synergy between team members.
Face-to-face communication. Beyond all doubt, being able to discuss work issues in the same office is important. It is a prerequisite for problem-solving in real time without the need to give someone a phone call or type a message and wait for a reply.

81% of professional developers are employed full-time, a decrease from 83% in 2020. The percentage of professional developers saying they were independent contractors, freelancers, or self-employed increased from 9.5% in 2020 to 11.2% in 2021 - indicating potential job insecurity or a shift to more flexible work arrangements.

- StackOverflow

Challenges of relocation

The bitter truth is that developer relocation is a bumpy road. You will have to tackle a handful of bureaucratic obstacles, incur significant costs, and spend a lot of time addressing all the accommodation nuances. Ultimately, these hurdles may eclipse the advantages and discourage company executives from carrying through with their original intentions.

Let’s get the lowdown on these gotchas:

A cumbersome hiring process. It’s hard to find a competent developer and get them on board these days, and even more so if the candidate resides in another country. This is doable, though. If you are successful in your scouting endeavors and recruit the right professional, that’s half the battle. Keep in mind that you will additionally need to prep and file paperwork for visas and work permits. Sorting out all these technicalities gobbles up your time, which means you may have to postpone your next major project.
Costs. Moving has never been cheap. If you are planning to cover your new employee’s relocation expenses, be ready to pay a few eyebrow-raising bills for the travel, temporary or corporate housing, and other services. You may additionally need to pay for language lessons. If the employee is moving with their family, assistance with schooling and childcare may be necessary, too. All this expenditure is particularly frustrating if it eventually turns out that the person is not the right fit.
Low flexibility. With relocation, it is problematic to align the size of your dev team with your current programming needs down the line. After investing funds and a ton of effort, such a decision can be tough.
Also, there are several caveats on the employee’s end. Culture shock, social integration difficulties, and a strain on family relationships due to the dramatic change are common problems encountered in light of relocation.

The benefits of recruiting remote developers

IT firms can get a lot of mileage out of working with remote coders. This method of cooperation is more cost-efficient and more flexible than the relocation approach, with today’s top-notch technologies helping you ruin communication barriers that used to be a serious concern. Here is a summary of arguments in favor of this move:

Less time, less spending. If you choose to cooperate with a remote development team, relocation costs won’t be draining your budget. Also, neither your company nor the employee has to go through the fuss of moving and finding an apartment near your office. At the end of the day, you save a great deal of time by extracting this tedious part out of the equation.
A competent crew. According to a SkillValue report, developers from India have a decent score index (78.13 out of 100), which means they are competent enough to meet your company’s programming needs. Their qualification stems, in part, from an increasing level of education in the country. Many of these coders have a wide spectrum of skills in both mainstream and rare programming languages. Most of them can easily communicate with foreigners owing to their excellent English, both written and spoken. Plus, diligence is part of their mentality.
Flexibility. Sometimes, software engineering businesses need to upsize or downsize their teams based on current projects and the state of the market niche they are in. A recruitment model involving remote devs allows you to adjust the size of your team to different circumstances quickly. As a rule, this can be done with a month’s notice.
Corporate culture. There is no denying that an in-house team is the best environment for nurturing your company’s values. With remote workers, you can fill the void by having a dedicated HR manager who is responsible for continuous communication with an overseas team. This is also a great way to gather feedback from remote colleagues and address their concerns in real time.
Plenty of secure communication channels. There is no need to reinvent the wheel here. Specialized platforms such as Slack and Zoom will help you maintain permanent communication with your staff working from another place. These services provide end-to-end encryption of your video conferences and chats to keep sensitive information intact. Although Zoom dealt with a series of security and privacy scandals last year, it has since addressed those vulnerabilities and is now a reliable tool to stay in touch with your teleworkers.

Are you up to hiring remote developers? HackerEarth is here to help

HackerEarth is a company headquartered in San Francisco, US, that specializes in assessing and screening software developers to help organizations make informed, data-driven hiring decisions. Boasting a decade of experience in this area, it provides enterprise software that accurately evaluates candidates for more than 12 roles and 80 skills across all levels. The company has conducted over 1,000 virtual hackathons over the years.

With HackerEarth’s automated tools, you can easily set up a real-time remote programming or video interviewing session with your candidates. Frictionless integration with the world’s top applicant tracking systems (ATS), such as Zoho, Workable, and Greenhouse, further facilitates the hiring workflow. This platform is used by hundreds of high-profile customers around the world, including Amazon, Barclays, Intel, VMWare, and Zalora.

You can hire remote developers, grow, and build strong teams with the company’s flexible assessment as well as learning and development plans. If you want to enhance your business with remote development talent, outsourcing the hardest part to HackerEarth is a sure-shot way to give your recruitment effort a boost.

This article is contributed by David Balaban. David is a computer security researcher with over 17 years of experience in malware analysis. He is also a regular contributor to 500+ high-profile tech and security websites. David regularly covers topics related to the cyber threat landscape and has a strong track record as an investigative journalist.

You can find some of his guest articles here OR connect with him at David Balaban Security.

Developer Insights

The Self-Taught Developer’s Guide to Learning How to Code on Their Own

I have had a lot of fun these last two years seeing Twitter blow up every time Elon Musk took to it. There’s a reason I follow Musk - besides the promise of a Mars trip, I look at him as one of the prime examples of a successful, self-taught developer.

He’s not the first; of course. From Ada Lovelace who created the first algorithm, to Steve and Steve who transformed our favorite fruit into a global tech giant, there have been many. Every generation has had at least one name who has proven that the best developers are the ones with the best skills, not the best resumes.

So, if you’re looking to join their ranks and learn how to code on your own how do you start? Let this guide be your Bible.

Learning how to code on your own with these tips

Learning how to code on your own with these tips

Step 1: Pick a niche

When choosing what to excel in, remember the adage “If you want to succeed, limit yourself.” There are many skills that recruiters are hiring for and these trends will stay for a while. Trying to learn everything at once will only overwhelm you. So, start by getting an overview of what software programming involves. Understand what a backend engineer’s life looks like versus what a blockchain developer does daily. If you have an interest in a particular field, say fintech or gaming, then factor that in, too.

Every good developer should know at least one or two of these languages: Python, R, Java, JavaScript, C++, Go, and Rust; along with frameworks such as Springboot, Django, Node JS (for backend) and AngularJS, Angular 6, Redux, and React (for frontend). Upcoming sectors that are sunrise-career options in the post-pandemic world include cloud computing, AI and ML, Full Stack, and Data Science.

Step 2: Find online resources

There are a host of resources online that suit every style. If you’re a complete beginner, you can try out sites that offer introductory courses. CodeSchool and Treehouse are good examples of interactive websites. You can also find many YouTube 'learn to code' tutorials if learning through videos is your preferred mode.

If you’re at an intermediate level, you can follow sites that allow you to practice and hone your skills. Community platforms like the one offered by HackerEarth let you upskill while interacting with fellow developers. You can duel with other developers, engage with them on forums, or expand your coding knowledge through practice sessions that are designed to push you to the next level.

I cannot stress the importance of joining a community enough. Not only does it help to have your peers readily available for guidance and mentorship, you learn a lot about the industry from experienced developers. I would highly suggest that self-learners join one.

Step 3: Build, break, build again

There is a ‘tutorial hell’ reserved for those developers who get stuck in the ‘learning’ phase and forget to translate that expertise into experience. A developer is only as good as their code, so try to iterate along with learning. Always remember to keep a repository of your builds on GitHub or similar platforms. A good way to practice is to add new features to your project after learning a new module.

Don’t worry about it being too ‘fancy’. The important thing here is to make errors, find out how to solve those bugs and eliminate mistakes from your code.

Step 4: Practice for interviews

Once you have gained suitable mastery over your chosen language or tech stack, it’s time to look for a job. You can choose to freelance or find a full-time job. For either, you will need to showcase your coding skills and some other ‘softer’ skills.

Apart from writing clean code, a developer in a workplace is also required to communicate and collaborate with teams. Engineering managers look for problem-solving and analytical skills, efficient workplace communication, and a good work ethic when they hire. While you are improving your coding skills, it would behoove you to spend some time prepping for interviews.

Step 5: Read, learn, and network

Software development is a rapidly shifting landscape. The only way to hold your own is to always stay ahead of the curve. I recommend reading and following tech blogs from the best brands (the Netflix tech blog is one name that pops to mind).

For a developer, learning is fuel to shine brighter. A highly interactive way to upskill is via hackathons where you can present groundbreaking ideas and network with developers from across the globe.

In conclusion

The pandemic has brought skills into sharp focus, and recruiters and tech managers are looking for talented developers at a rapid scale. Expertise has started to truly trump other traditional hiring criteria like academic pedigree, and previous experience. If ever there was a time for self-taught developers to come out of the woodwork and grab their moment in the sun, this would be it.

However, it is also important to recognize that learning to code on your own has its own set of challenges. You need to be self-reliant to a high degree and be comfortable learning in a non-traditional format. There will definitely be bad days, and having a community or a mentor to support you through these days would be beneficial.

In the long run, your hard work and self-reliance will definitely pay off. Solving real-world issues through technology is a beautiful feeling, and I say that with almost two decades of experience. So, keep at it, and keep coding!

Tech Assessment

The A-Zs Of Tech Recruiting: A Guide

Developers today require a lot more from their jobs than just decent compensation and bonuses. In 2025, flexibility and work-from-home options take on a lot more priority than ever. In times of The Great Resignation, companies need to rework their tech recruiting policies and practices to attract top talent.

Conventional recruitment strategies don’t hold much water in the current tech hiring landscape. Recruiters and hiring managers who recognize this and start looking at newer recruiting methods will come out on top this year — create a workforce that is engaged, loyal, and future-ready.

With our collection of tech recruiting resources, change the way you build your tech teams for the better.

The smart recruiter does not wait for a talented employee to resign to jump into action. They would have engaged and started a dialogue with the developer community long before any job role opens up.

If developers recognize your brand they are quick to respond to you and your company’s updates. This way you have a warmed-up, talented developer pool at your fingertips.

What are the best ways for engaging and hiring tech talent?

In our recent survey of recruiters, we asked them to tell us their top methods of pre-hiring engagement. Here’s what they said:

Hackathons (32.1%)
Coding contests (27.4%)
Workshops (22.3%)
Webinars (16.2%)

The power of hackathons for tapping into the power of the developer community is something HackerEarth has been harnessing for eight years now.

What are the things you need to know going into a hackathon?

Read our Hackathon Survival Guide

What were the lessons we learned from running over 200 hackathons?

5 lessons we want to share with you

Sourcing for a freshly opened job role is a tough ask. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find great candidates, the deadlines to close a job role are unrealistic, and your talent pool is saturated. And this is where we got you covered!

How to write job postings that actually work where applications pour in by the thousands?

Download your copy today!

To write even better job postings and understand what you are looking for, design candidate personas. There is also a free template attached.

Guide to creating candidate personas

How do you make sure that your job postings are not gender-biased?

Write gender-fluid job descriptions

Hiring tech talent from social media is a skill in itself. Tailor your recruitment strategies to each platform with this cheat sheet.

Get the social recruiting cheat sheet

Why do traditional recruitment strategies fail, especially when assessing candidates?

In most campus hiring scenarios, developers are expected to solve coding problems with pen and paper. This is not how the real world works, and is akin to asking somebody to bake a cake without an oven — only leads to subpar performance. Showcasing their coding skills is the one thing developers need to be able to do and that can’t happen on a word processor tool.
If we put aside issues with manual testing methods, there’s the bigger problem of proctoring. With recruiters being worked to the bone during hiring season, human error is inevitable. Robust proctoring measures are the only way to ensure your candidates are not using unfair means to ace the test.

Given that coding assessments play a huge role in screening potential candidates, you ought to employ recruitment strategies that are the most intelligent, objective, and skill-based.

How can you take your recruitment strategies to the next level?

At HackerEarth, our motto has always been to match developers with the right opportunities. We designed our Assessment platform to make it easier for recruiters to create role-based tests.

Features of an online automated assessment tool

Let me show you 4 simple ways to create tests on our platform.

Create coding assessments on HackerEarth

It also comes with a built-in proctoring feature, making it easy for both developers and interviewers.

Explore our built-in proctoring features

The last step in any tech recruiting process is the ‘Interview’. It is probably the most hated step, with developers over the years complaining about clunky and long-drawn-out interviews.

Why are coding interviews broken?

While this is not an exhaustive list, here are the most common reasons:

The interview looks nothing like the job. Developers are asked questions that do not showcase the technical skills required for the job. Solving questions using binary trees cannot be the most efficient way to test a developer’s coding knowledge.
Coding interviews are extremely hard, which has made developers wonder who they are designed for. Also, they happen to be conducted in unrealistic environments where developers have no access to code editors or IDEs.
Recruiters ghost candidates during the long interview process. They are left in the dark with no feedback, no idea what comes next, and no inkling of how they performed.

Can we fix them? Yes, it’s not too late!

First things first. What to look for when hiring a software developer? Will simply evaluating technical skills suffice? The answer is no.

If you want to hire the crème de la crème of the developer talent out there, you have to look for a well-rounded candidate.

#1 After speaking with several hiring managers, we’ve come up with a list of questions that showcase a developer’s technical skills.

Technical interview questions list

#2 Soft skills are like the cherry on top. They set the best of the candidates apart from the rest.

Behavioral interview questions list

#3 Our product whizkids have added new features to our intelligent remote interviewing tool, FaceCode to make the remote interview experience even better.

New updates for FaceCode

#4 Candidate experience in a tech interview is underrated. It is not given the attention it deserves, which leads to driving away talented candidates. Design a delightful candidate experience with FaceCode.

Get your copy of the ebook today!

What do the developer hiring trends look like in 2025?

It is always a good idea to stay abreast with the latest developer hiring trends that will inform the upcoming year.

Our 2021 Developer Survey report is packed with responses from 25,431 developers across 171 countries. Let’s find out what makes a developer tick, shall we?

Get your copy of the report now!

The brand new edition of our Developer Recruitment survey captured responses from 2500 HR and Engineering personnel. Let’s see how we can build great tech teams, going forward.

Download your copy of the report

Recruiting top tech talent the right way with our bonus recruiting resources

“How to recruit top tech talent in 2025?” is the main priority of recruiters across the globe. Coupled with everything we spoke about till now, here are some additional resources from HackerEarth’s archives that will set you up for success!

What does the developer hiring process include? Read more in this playbook on Better Tech Hiring.
Recruitment strategies in 2025 need to be highly data-driven. This is where a recruitment dashboard comes in handy. There’s a free template attached too.
Here is a 6-step guide to creating the most detailed and optimized recruiting budget sheet in 2025. Also, attached is a sample sheet for your reference.
Diversity and inclusion matter in 2025. With this handbook, ensure you stay on top of your D&I strategies.
What would be the best platform for hiring developers? What tools would you require for each stage of the tech recruiting process? Here is a comprehensive list of everything you’ll need.

Developer Insights

Boolean Search Strings: 5 Essential Tips For Recruiters

Blindly sinking resources into hiring drives with recruiters scouring the Internet for hours looking for suitable job profiles will not cut it anymore. An alarming insight from our brand new report, 2021 State Of Developer Recruitment, shows that 37% of recruiters agree sourcing is a big challenge, post-pandemic.

Most of us barely scratch the surface when it comes to the Google search engine. Enter a keyword or a key phrase and hit search. But here’s the thing – Google search holds such power to offer highly customized results should you want it. And that’s exactly where Boolean search strings step in!

For a recruiter, Boolean search strings are a godsend. They can make your life painless, and your search exponentially more effective.

What is Boolean search?

Boolean search helps you define your search specifically to what you are looking for. Words or phrases such as AND, OR, NOT can be used to limit, broaden and determine the search results — utilize a search engine to its fullest potential.

Why is Boolean searching important for recruiting

Boolean searching isn’t just a fancy tech term; it’s the heart of modern recruitment. In an age where data is vast and candidates numerous, the power to narrow down searches with precision is crucial. Here’s why:

Precision targeting: Ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of profiles on LinkedIn or resumes in your database? Boolean search cuts through the noise, targeting specifics like skills, experience, and location.

Time efficiency: Recruiters juggle multiple roles – interviewing, networking, and candidate management. Boolean search speeds up the candidate-finding process, freeing up time for other essential tasks.

Diverse candidate pool: By using the NOT operator, recruiters can avoid repetitive profiles and expand their search, ensuring a diverse mix of potential candidates.

Competitive edge: In the race to find top talent, being quicker and more precise gives recruiters a significant advantage. Boolean search ensures you find the right candidates before the competition does.

Cost-effective: Every hour spent searching is an hour paid for. By streamlining the search process, Boolean logic can lead to significant cost savings.

Adaptable to different platforms: Whether you’re scouting on job portals, LinkedIn, or even Google, Boolean search strings remain applicable and effective.

Boolean search operators to the rescue

Take the most simple search query. Type out a keyword and hit enter. Now add a few additional operators and symbols to the mix and bingo! You have written your very first Boolean search string.

It is simple enough to do. You follow a recipe closely when you bake, and here you need to write the syntax correctly, for your search query to work.

OperatorWhat it doesBoolean Search ExamplesANDIncludes all keywords specified in the search

developer AND JavaOR or |Includes one or both keywords in the resultsEngineer OR developerEngineer | developerNOT or –Excludes unwanted terms from your search

-example“ ”Includes results containing the exact phrase specified“Machine Learning”“Who wants to be hired”()Groups multiple search keywords to set prioritiesDeveloper (android OR python)*Includes all variations of the keyword

recruit* = recruiter, recruiting, recruitment

#1 AND Operator

If you add AND operator between your keywords, the search results will show only results that include all of your keywords.

#2 OR Operator

This operator will show results that include either of the two keywords or both of them simultaneously.

#3 NOT Operator

The NOT operator excludes unwanted terms from your search. Instead of NOT, you can also use the minus symbol (-) followed by your unwanted term without leaving a space (e.g. ‘NOT sample’ or ‘-sample.’)

#4 Parenthesis ()

Brackets are used to wrap multiple keywords in OR search. This defines the priorities of each segment of the search string. This will come in handy, as most candidate searches are not straightforward and combine various keywords.

#5 Quotation Marks (“ ”)

Quotation marks are used to search for the exact phrase specified. For example, leaving a blank space between ‘product’ and ‘manager’ will provide irrelevant results that contain both of the words ‘product’ and ‘manager,’ but not necessarily together.

**#6 Asterisk (*)**

The wild card (*) is used to get more variations of the results for the keyword you’re searching for. For example, dev* will provide you with results for both developer and development.

A guide to advanced Boolean search strings

Hiring for rather niche positions or specific skill sets calls for using boolean strings that are slightly more advanced than the norm.

For instance, you need email addresses of candidates who are working in machine learning or data science, then the search string would be:

Syntax

site: linkedin.com/in (“@gmail.com” OR “@yahoo.com”) (“machine learning” OR “ML” OR “data scientist”)

Still, struggling to wrap your head around it? Take a pen and paper to note the following details:

Job title of the position you’re hiring for, as well as any other variations that it could have
Skills that the candidate needs to be proficient in, or any other industry-specific terms
Platforms you want to run your search on
Other details that you need like email address, resume, country, etc
Swap out the text in the below generic search string for what you’ve written down on your list!

Generic Syntax

site: (platform URL) (“The job title you’re recruiting for” OR “enter another variant”) OR “skill 1” OR “other details”

Narrow down your search by using the country name, postal code, diversity preference, company, or natural language in your Boolean search strings, for better results.

Refine your Boolean search strings further

#1 Limit your search to a specific website with the site: search syntax. It is also called x-raying or an x-ray search. It is particularly useful for obtaining profiles with specific skill sets

Syntax

site:linkedin.com/in (“@gmail.com” OR “@yahoo.com”) (“machine learning” OR “ML”) (“she leads” | “she led”)

You can directly glean the contact information of potential candidates with this search query free of cost instead of using LinkedIn’s InMail service, which is expensive. In this example, “she leads” refers to the natural language we use in a conversation. This query will yield all email addresses containing Gmail or yahoo of women developers who work with machine learning, which are tied to their LinkedIn profile.

#2 Restrict your search to a specific file type with the filetype: search syntax. It could be a resume or a portfolio in a PDF, doc, txt, etc

Syntax

filetype:pdf resume (engineer OR “software developer”) Boston 2017..2020 -example -sample

This query captures the results of all resumes in a PDF format, from the location specified. The minus operator has been used to eliminate sample resumes from your search. You can also specify a date range; in this case, you don’t want resumes older than 2017 or later than 2020.

#3 Use intitle: search syntax to refine your search to websites with specific keywords in their title. Most candidates upload a resume to all job boards. That could be your keyword to scraping suitable resumes for your requirements

Syntax

intitle:resume (“senior developer” | “lead developer”) India 2018..2020 -sample -example

#4 Use inurl: search syntax to refine your search to websites with specific keywords in their URL

Syntax

inurl:(resume OR CV) python India 2018..2020 -sample -example

Using various combinations of Boolean search strings, it becomes a cakewalk for recruiters to source candidates for a particular job. And not just any candidate, but a candidate who exhibits all the necessary skills for that job. Isn’t that every recruiter’s dream?!

Know more about Boolean search strings for diversity sourcing in this video.

5 Boolean Search tips for recruiters

To take your search one step further, you need to think out of the box. Talented candidates are everywhere, if only you know where and how to look.

#1 Podcasts

Podcasts are a great way to get in touch with candidates who possess unique skill sets. Using the site: search syntax you can identify candidates and their interests depending on which podcast you find them. Tailor your pitch accordingly, and voila, you have an interested candidate in your talent pool.

Here’s an example of a query that searches for diverse podcasters.

Syntax

site: podcasts.google.com “@gmail.com” (lgbtq OR advocacy OR ally)

#2 Github

It is a popular developer community and a live bed for talented developers looking for work.

Use Octohunt, a tool that allows you to find developers on Github, based on their location and coding skill sets.
The resumes uploaded to this platform are in a different format from the usual PDFs, texts, and docs.

Syntax

site:github.com resume (kubernetes OR docker) “new york”

This search query will pull up all results of people in New York who have their resumes tied to their Github profile.

Use this search query to pull up different results from the github.io domain when compared to the github.com domain.

Syntax

site:github.io resume (kubernetes OR docker) “new york”

#3 More online communities

Communities and groups will be thriving with developers of all levels. Gathering information about them helps you personalize your cold email with an appropriate proposal for each candidate.

Meetup is an online community that is an amalgamation of various groups related to every walk of life. PhantomBuster is a tool that can scrape member information from groups you identify with your search query.

Syntax

site: meetup.com (developer | engineer) “women”

Medium is another vast community where identifying candidates with niche skills pays off.

Syntax

site: medium.com (developer | “cybersecurity engineer”) “women”

HackerNews has a conversation running where developers looking for work leave their contact information in the comments.

Syntax

site: news.ycombinator.com “who wants to be hired”

#4 Expand your search

Don’t restrict your search efforts to Linkedin. Social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit also respond well to Boolean search strings. Utilize hashtags, and keywords being used in popular communities on there and add them to your search strings.

Syntax

site:twitter.com (“follow me on Twitter”) (engineer OR developer) India

#5 Use tools

There are several image recognition tools like TinEye that help in conducting searches through images. Image sourcing is gaining popularity and can pull up candidate profiles from Github, LinkedIn, and so on.

Recommended read: A List Of Boolean Search Strings

FAQs on Boolean Search String

What are the basic Boolean search operators used in recruiting?

The fundamental operators are AND (to combine terms), OR (to search multiple terms), and NOT (to exclude terms). Additionally, symbols like asterisks (*) for wildcards and parentheses () to group terms are frequently used.

Can I use Boolean searching on all job boards?

Most modern job boards and recruiting platforms support Boolean searching. However, always check the platform’s guidelines or help section to understand the specific syntax they might use.

How can I improve my Boolean search skills?

Regular practice is key. Start with basic strings and as you get comfortable, incorporate more complex operators. Attending webinars, courses, or workshops can also help.

Are there tools to assist with Boolean searches?

Yes, many tools and plugins, especially for browsers, can help craft and test Boolean search strings. These can be invaluable for recruiters looking to enhance their searching capabilities.

Is there a risk of missing out on candidates using Boolean search?

If not used correctly, Boolean search can exclude potential candidates. It’s crucial to strike a balance, ensuring the search is neither too narrow nor too broad. Regularly revisiting and tweaking your search strings can mitigate this risk.

Bonus tip

Instead of spending too much time creating customized search queries, rely on tools like NativeCurrent that curate Boolean string suggestions based on your requirements. Use these pre-built search strings on the Google search engine. Saves you a lot of time and effort!

DEI Hiring

3 Tips To Help You Make The Shift Towards Remote Hiring In 2022

In the face of it all, remote hiring turned out to be a convenient, efficient, cost and time-effective option for both recruiters and candidates. In the post-Covid world, remote hiring has emerged as a common phenomenon in contemporary HR practices. The use of online AI-enabled talent management platforms such as the one provided by HackerEarth has now made it possible to hire from anywhere in an objective and skill-first manner while rooting out the inherent biases that have been the bane of traditional hiring practices.

Creating an effective remote hiring and onboarding process

Regardless of the differences between in-house and remote work, there are some fundamentals of employee screening and hiring that remain unchanged. At HackerEarth, we have always believed in matching skills to the best opportunities—which is what talent hiring is, in a nutshell. The hiring organization needs a skilled developer who will meet or exceed performance expectations. The candidate, on the other hand, is looking for opportunities to showcase their gamut of skills and experience, meet their financial and benefits goals, and feel empowered, engaged, and appreciated.

For this matchmaking (pun intended) to be successful, there are a few criteria that need to be met. As an employer, here are some tips that can help you create better processes to accelerate remote hiring in 2022:

#1. Imbibe a skill-first approach to tech hiring and change processes as needed

While this shift towards a skill-first approach to hiring is welcome, it also means that companies have to change their traditional processes. In a recent survey that we conducted, we found that companies that use assessment tools for their tech hiring report have a more standardized process. The process is also more objective, and evaluations more accurate.

What may have worked before may not necessarily work in the post-pandemic world where candidates are more sensitized to flaws in the process and are demanding change. Our annual Developer Survey showed that about 40% of developers would like to be interviewed via dedicated platforms, and by not making these tools a part of the process, companies are only losing out on top talent.

Along with these tools, a mindset change is also needed; and I couldn’t stress this enough. We need to break the conventional mold of a good developer and hire candidates who demonstrate excellence in real life, and not just on paper.

#2. Provide opportunities, pay, upskilling initiatives, and other benefits that distinguish you from other employers

Remember, the talent you are vying for has many opportunities knocking on their door. In the candidate market we are living in, employers are being pitted against each other. Mercilessly, if I may add.

How do you distinguish yourself from all other employers then? High pay aside, student developers, who are just starting in the tech world, say a good career growth curve is a must-have. Working professionals can be wooed by offers of a good career path and compensation.

The last two years have taught developers the importance of self-growth, happiness, and fuelling their creativity. They would not want to go back to a job that feels like a rut when there are better opportunities elsewhere. Diversity and inclusion policies are also prominent asks. As remote hiring opens up the talent sourcing funnel, it also lends itself to this new and improved archetype where equality is paramount.

This is again, proof of how ‘traditional’ just won’t work anymore in the new post-pandemic paradigm. We have outgrown the phase where only candidates were required to prove they had that ‘X factor’; employers too have to prove that they are worthy of the talent they are hiring.

Recommended read: Diversity And Inclusion In 2022

#3. Check for culture, emotional, and psychological fit before making an offer

Remote work has its own mores. Code needs to be shipped on agreed timelines, a common repository has to be maintained, communication needs to be succinct but also frequent. The frameworks for processes like promotions and appraisals also change. Goes without saying that the candidate you hire must be emotionally and psychologically fit to work in such an environment. Coding is, in many ways, a synergetic process, and it is not always easy on individual, remote contributors. Hire someone who can shoulder the burden without crumbling under the pressure, and who can work seamlessly with the tech team you have already built.

And thus, the takeaways…

When I look back at the last two years, I am amazed—as many others have been—at the amount of resilience the technology sector has displayed in the face of a massive outswinger (the World Cup hangover still holds fort as you can see). Adopting a remote-first work policy will, in my opinion, only increase this resilience. It will open the doors for more diverse talent, foster pay, and gender equality, and nudge companies to appreciate and nurture talent. It is not easy, and it requires us to change processes, use new tools and platforms, and bid goodbye to traditional mindsets.

As tech hiring begins to scale again, and businesses look to future-proof themselves, the need for top-tier tech talent is only set to increase. It is a war out there, and the only way to win it is by adapting to the ‘new normal’ and taking a fresh, improved approach to tech hiring.

AI Recruiting

3 Tips To Help You Make The Shift Towards Remote Hiring

2020 changed the way the globe went to work. While business continuity plans were quickly activated to offset the volatility of the pandemic, and people grew accustomed to the new normal of virtual meetings and remote working, talent hiring, on the whole, presented a challenge for HR and other people teams.

In the face of it all, remote hiring turned out to be a convenient, efficient, cost and time-effective option for both recruiters and candidates. In the post-Covid world, remote hiring has emerged as a common phenomenon in contemporary HR practices. The use of online AI-enabled talent management platforms such as the one provided by HackerEarth has now made it possible to hire from anywhere in an objective and skill-first manner while rooting out the inherent biases that have been the bane of traditional hiring practices.

Creating an effective remote hiring and onboarding process

Regardless of the differences between in-house and remote work, there are some fundamentals of employee screening and hiring that remain unchanged. At HackerEarth, we have always believed in matching skills to the best opportunities - which is what talent hiring is, in a nutshell. The hiring organization needs a skilled developer who will meet or exceed performance expectations. The candidate, on the other hand, is looking for opportunities to showcase their gamut of skills and experience, meet their financial and benefits goals, and feel empowered, engaged, and appreciated.

For this matchmaking (pun intended) to be successful, there are a few criteria that need to be met. As an employer here are some tips that can help you create better processes to accelerate remote hiring in 2022:

#1. Imbibe a skill-first approach to tech hiring and change processes as needed

Before the pandemic, location-specific hiring was at its peak. Recruiters preferred candidates who were in the same geographical location or were ready to relocate. Post-pandemic, we know that code can be shipped from anywhere in the world as long as the developer writing it is skilled. Remote hiring in 2022 puts the spotlight on objective bias-free hiring because when you take parameters like location, academic pedigree, race, ethnicity, etc. out of the picture, all you are left with is core skills.

While this shift towards a skill-first approach to hiring is welcome, it also means that companies have to change their traditional processes. In a recent survey that we conducted, we found that companies that use assessment tools for their tech hiring report have a more standardized process. The process is also more objective, and evaluations more accurate.

What may have worked before may not necessarily work in the post-pandemic world where candidates are more sensitized to flaws in the process and are demanding change. Our annual Developer Survey showed that about 40% of developers would like to be interviewed via dedicated platforms, and by not making these tools a part of the process, companies are only losing out on top talent.

Along with these tools, a mindset change is also needed; and I couldn’t stress this enough. We need to break the conventional mold of a good developer and hire candidates who demonstrate excellence in real life, and not just on paper.

Recommended read: 4 Features of FaceCode That Make Remote Interviews Are Easier!

#2. Provide opportunities, pay, upskilling initiatives, and other benefits that distinguish you from other employers

Remember, the talent you are vying for has many opportunities knocking on their door. In the candidate market, we are living in, employers are being pitted against each other. Mercilessly, if I may add.

How do you distinguish yourself from all other employers then? High pay aside, student developers, who are just starting in the tech world, say a good career growth curve is a must-have. Working professionals can be wooed by offers of a good career path and compensation.

The last two years have taught developers the importance of self-growth, happiness, and fuelling their creativity. They would not want to go back to a job that feels like a rut when there are better opportunities elsewhere. Diversity and inclusion policies are also prominent asks. As remote hiring opens up the talent sourcing funnel, it also lends itself to this new and improved archetype where equality is paramount.

This is again, proof of how ‘traditional’ just won’t work anymore in the new post-pandemic paradigm. We have outgrown the phase where only candidates were required to prove they had that ‘X factor’; employers too have to prove that they are worthy of the talent they are hiring.

Recommended read: Diversity And Inclusion In 2022

#3. Check for culture, emotional, and psychological fit before making an offer

The terms ‘culture’, ‘collaboration’, and ‘commitment’ have different meanings in today’s world. Collaborating on code from halfway across the world requires a different etiquette. It’s not the same as turning around in your swivel hair in your office and asking your colleague for help.

Remote work has its own mores. Code needs to be shipped on agreed timelines, a common repository has to be maintained, communication needs to be succinct but also frequent. The frameworks for processes like promotions and appraisals also change. Goes without saying that the candidate you hire must be emotionally and psychologically fit to work in such an environment. Coding is, in many ways, a synergetic process, and it is not always easy on individual, remote contributors. Hire someone who can shoulder the burden without crumbling under the pressure, and who can work seamlessly with the tech team you have already built.

And thus, the takeaways…

When I look back at the last two years, I am amazed - as many others have been - at the amount of resilience the technology sector has displayed in the face of a massive outswinger (the World Cup hangover still holds fort as you can see). Adopting a remote-first work policy will, in my opinion, only increase this resilience. It will open the doors for more diverse talent, foster pay, and gender equality, and nudge companies to appreciate and nurture talent. It is not easy, and it requires us to change processes, use new tools and platforms, and bid goodbye to traditional mindsets.

As tech hiring begins to scale again, and businesses look to future-proof themselves, the need for top-tier tech talent is only set to increase. It is a war out there, and the only way to win it is by adapting to the ‘new normal’ and taking a fresh, improved approach to tech hiring.

Authors

Meet our Authors

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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.

Hiring Tools

Recruitment Chatbot: A How-to Guide for Recruiters

Recruiters constantly look for innovative ways and solutions to efficiently attract and engage top talent. One of the recruiter tools at their disposal is the recruitment chatbot. These digital assistants are revolutionizing how recruiters work.

Are you looking to add a chatbot to your hiring process?

Our comprehensive guide will take you through the essentials of a recruitment chatbot-from its role and benefits to planning and building one and optimizing your own.

The rise of AI in recruitment

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a transformative force reshaping most industries, if not all. Today, you'll find AI-generated marketing content, financial predictions, and even AI-powered contact center solutions. The recruitment field has not been left behind. Professionals are using AI technologies, such as machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and predictive analytics, to enhance various aspects of recruitment.

A report by Facts & Factors projects the global AI recruitment market size will grow to $890.51 million by 2028.
AI-Recruitment-Market-Size

Source

Chatbots are a prime example of AI's practical application in the hiring process. They efficiently handle tasks that traditionally require constant human intervention-as we'll see in the next section.

Understanding recruitment chatbots

Now that you understand the role of AI in modern recruiting processes, let's focus on recruitment chatbots in particular.

What is a recruitment chatbot?

A recruitment chatbot is software designed to assist in the recruitment process by simulating human-like conversations and automating various tasks. The core functionalities include:

Asking candidates predefined questions about their qualifications, experience, and skills
Instantly responding to common questions about job openings, company culture, benefits, and application process
Automated interview scheduling process with human recruiters
Keeping qualified candidates informed about their application status

As of 2023, 35%-45% of companies were using AI recruitment tools. Here are two key notable ones:

General Motors

General Motors (GM) has a conversational hiring assistant, Ev-e, that appears as soon as you land on their career site.
General-Motors-Recruitment-Chatbot

Source

This AI-powered chatbot enabled GM to manage candidate communications efficiently. The company also lowered its interview scheduling time from 5-7 days to just 29 minutes. They also save around $2 million annually.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) also has a great recruiting chatbot- the HPE Career Bot. It also pops up when you land on HPE's career site.
HP-Career-Chatbot

Source

HPE's goal was to use the chatbot to convert passive candidates into actual job applicants, and they did just that.

Within the first three months of its rollout, the career bot more than doubled its usual career site visitors, reaching over 950,000 candidates. Additionally, HPE converted 26% of job seekers into actual hires.

Benefits of using recruitment chatbots

> The key benefits of using a recruitment chatbot include:

Saving valuable time: Recruitment chatbots can automate repetitive tasks like answering FAQs. That speeds up the recruitment process, allowing recruiters to focus on other administrative tasks.
24/7 availability: Unlike human recruiters, who can only work 9-10 hours daily, chatbots are available around the clock.
Better quality of hires: Chatbots use predetermined criteria for the initial candidate screening process, meaning they only approve qualified candidates.
Lower hiring costs: By automating various time-consuming tasks, chatbots help significantly reduce recruitment costs.

By doing all the above, recruitment chatbots help you save resources that would be unnecessarily wasted if you were using the traditional hiring process.

Planning your recruitment chatbot

Without a well-thought-out plan, even the most advanced chatbot will fall short of expectations.

Defining your chatbot's objectives

Before building your recruitment chatbot, clearly understand what you want to achieve with it. Setting specific objectives. Some objective examples are:

To screen applicants
To schedule interviews
To provide company information

To identify the ideal objectives for your recruitment chatbot, map out the candidate journey from their initial interaction to the final hiring decision. Then, identify the touchpoints where the chatbot can add value.

For instance, if you waste most of your time screening candidates, create a chatbot that can efficiently assess qualifications and experience.

Establish metrics to measure chatbot success. They should align with the goals you set. Some great metrics could be a reduction in time-to-hire or candidate satisfaction scores.

Designing conversations for optimal engagement

The next step is to design the conversations your chatbot might have with candidates. Cover everything from greetings to solutions to misunderstood queries.

Greetings: Always begin with a warm greeting.
Language: Avoid jargon and overly formal language. Use simple, straightforward, conversational language.
Guided approach: Steer the conversation, providing clear instructions. You can also include quick reply buttons for common responses.
Misunderstood queries: Ensure your chatbot handles misunderstandings gracefully by politely asking for clarification.

Don't forget to include options for the chatbot to escalate complex queries to a human recruiter.

Building your recruitment chatbot

Now, you're ready to build a recruitment chatbot that will improve your overall talent acquisition strategy.

Choosing the right platform

Start by choosing the right chatbot platform. For this, there are factors you must consider.

The first is whether it will help you build a chatbot that meets your needs. To determine this, refer to your objectives. For instance, if your objective is to reduce repetitive inquiries, ensure the platform has strong NLP capabilities to understand and respond to candidate queries naturally.

The other factor is your technical expertise. Determine whether you need a no-code/low-code platform or have the technical resources to build a custom solution.

The no-code or low-code solution with pre-built templates is ideal for recruitment teams without extensive technical expertise. The custom solution, on the other hand, suits teams with technical resources.

Besides that, consider the features each chatbot tool offers. For instance, does it have multi-channel support, customization options, integration capabilities, and detailed analytics? Also, ensure you choose an option within your budget.

Some popular chatbot platforms include Mya, Olivia, XOR, and Ideal.

Development and integration

Developing and integrating your recruitment chatbot is the next. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Define the scope and workflows: Identify the ideal candidate touchpoints-where and how the chatbot will interact with potential candidates.
Scriptwriting: Write scripts for possible interactions the chatbot will have with candidates. Use generative AI tools to generate great responses that align with your desired conversation tone and style in minutes.
Build the chatbot: Use your chosen platform to build a chatbot that aligns with your workflow and scripts.
Testing: Conduct thorough testing to identify and fix any issues. You can start with your team and then beta-test it with a small group of suitable candidates.
Integrate with existing HR systems: Integrate your recruitment chatbot with your Applicant Tracking System (ATS), your calendar, among others.

Once you're confident in the chatbot's performance, roll it out to candidates.

Training and optimizing your chatbot

Continuously train and optimize your recruitment chatbot to keep it aligned with your goals, changing recruitment needs, and company policies. Let's break this down:

Training your chatbot with AI and Machine Learning

Start by collecting historical data from past interactions, such as emails, chat logs, and support tickets, to use as the initial training data set. Leverage the data to teach your chatbot how to understand and respond to various candidate inquiries.

The data should include a wide range of scenarios.

Also, use NLP to train your recruitment chatbot to understand and process human language. You can use NLP frameworks like AllenNLP, Apache OpenNLP, or Google's BERT.

Implement a continuous learning loop where your recruitment chatbot can learn from new interactions to expand its knowledge base and adjust its conversational strategies.

Monitoring and improving chatbot performance

Regularly monitor your recruitment chatbot interactions and metrics to improve your recruitment chatbot performance and ensure candidate satisfaction.

Constantly review your interaction logs to understand how candidates are interacting with the chatbot. Identify common issues or misunderstandings. You can also collect user feedback directly from candidates who have interacted with the chatbot.

Track metrics like response accuracy, conversation completion rate, candidate satisfaction scores, and time saved for recruiters. You can then use the valuable insights to refine the scripts, improve responses, and address the knowledge gaps.

Additionally, keep up with the latest trends and advancements in AI and recruitment technology to maintain the chatbot's relevance over time.

Legal and ethical considerations

Using AI in recruitment comes with legal and ethical challenges. These include:

Ensuring compliance and privacy

Ensure your chatbot complies with data protection laws and regulations to avoid unnecessary legal suits.

Most regulations require you to inform candidates about the personal data collected, how you will use it, and your data retention policy.

Popular regulations include the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and Canada's PIPEDA.

Addressing bias in AI

AI-driven recruitment tools can unknowingly carry on biases from the training data or algorithms. You must address these biases to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all candidates.

Use diverse and representative training data to reduce the risk of biased outcomes. Also, regularly audit your training data for biases related to gender, race, age, disability, or other protected characteristics.

Best practices and tips

Implementing a recruitment chatbot requires you to follow best practices to effectively meet your hiring goals while providing a positive candidate experience.

Dos and don'ts for recruitment chatbots

Here are some of the most essential tips and common pitfalls:

Dos

-Ensure your chatbot is user-friendly and capable of handling various inquiries at a go.

-Offer personalized experiences.

-Provide relevant and timely information.

-Ensure the chatbot is accessible to all candidates, including those with disabilities.

Don'ts

-Don't over-automate. Maintain a balance with human touchpoints

-Don't overwhelm candidates with too much information at once

Future trends in AI recruitment

The future of AI in recruitment looks promising, with trends such as advanced natural language processing (NLP). The advanced capabilities will allow chatbots to understand and respond to more complex queries.

Besides that, we can expect future chatbots to use more interactive content, like video intros, virtual reality (VR) job previews, or virtual workplace tours to boost candidate engagement. A company like McKinsey & Company is already using gamified pre-employment assessments.
McKinsey-Gamified-Recruitment-Chatbot

Source

We will also see more advanced AI-powered candidate matching that provides personalized job recommendations based on a candidate's skills, experience, and career aspirations.

Conclusion

Recruitment chatbots are revolutionizing the recruiting process. By automating routine tasks, providing instant responses, and offering data-driven insights, chatbots enhance both recruiters' and candidates' experiences.

As discussed in this guide, implementing a recruitment chatbot involves several crucial steps.

Define the objectives and design conversation paths. Next, choose your ideal platform and build your chatbot. After that, train and continuously optimize it to ensure it remains accurate and relevant. Also, ensure you're complying with the core legal and ethical considerations.

Now go build a recruitment chatbot that slashes your workload and gives your candidates a great experience.

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