Stressing on the fact that companies need to first identify the areas and then strategically adopt technology, Castellini emphasized the need for a proper management system in place. People Matters caught up with him to talk about the innovations in the recruitment technology space and how big data can be leveraged for recruitment.

What is driving innovation in recruitment technology?

We are in a larger innovation cycle, our technology has developed in a sophisticated manner and we are able to use that more effeciently. We have moved to Semantic search from Boolean search. People now understand the employment brand aspect and employment experience aspect. From a marketer’s point of view, one really has to understand, manage and brand the touch points that will reach the candidates. Candidate lifecycle is also expanding today and it has become necessary to see the talent network and engage them.

How will you define the different segments of recruitment technology? What are the products that are emerging and which category do they fall in?

CareerBuilder has had great success with Talent Network Product in the US market. Big Data analytics enables us to use the available data in a lot more effective manner in multiple and different systems, for instance, Job Board Data and Applicant Tracking Data. We are trying to approach the recruitment business by looking at it holistically and are trying to bring Big Data for specific roles, different divisions and target recruitment areas.

What is the product readiness from the seller’s side and how prepared are buyers in terms of adoption and adaptation of these products?

Progressive companies are continuously looking for ways to invest in technology that goes beyond identification of candidates on job boards. Today, it is a lot about being strategic and getting deeply embedded into the customers and becoming a valued partner. In markets like Europe and the US, where the labor pool is acute, they are well aware about the implications of things such as employer brand and it is therefore fairly high in terms of readiness. In other markets where labor is easily available at a cheap cost, the concept of employer brand is yet to be understood. So readiness from the seller’s point of view really depends on the kind of market we are looking at.

What makes successful implementation of recruitment technology possible?

There has to be an appropriate leadership or it will be extremely difficult to successfully transition to technology implementation. Next, it’s important to have a clear vision of your objectives – does it really matter to your business and does it connect with your client base? Once you have a clear understanding of your objective, you need to find the most effective way. So, it’s really about identifying an area and then strategically adopting technology rather than first buying a tool and then creating a strategy around it. Finally, you need to have a proper measurement of whether you are effectively sourcing across channels, engaging talent or promoting your brand.

How can HR be more effective in creating a business case and lead change?

HR is integral to the recruitment process and therefore they need to be more progressive in terms of how they approach that. More often than not, HR is observed to be reactive when it comes to recruitment. But it’s important for them to take charge and go to the management proactivelyand that’s the big challenge I see HR facing today.

What is the buzz in the recruitment technology space?

The first major buzzword in the recruitment technology space is analytics. The second one is engagement through mobile devices, especially in a market like India where people largely use mobile to connect. The next step would be to develop candidate experience in that area.