Why it’s time for the recruitment industry to think big

In an era of ever more sophisticated data analysis, it’s possible to gain important insights into business performance. Tim Gibson explores the implications for the recruitment industry.

In the Steven Spielberg sci-fi movie Minority Report (2002), advertising is personalised. As characters travel from A to B, iris scanners identify them, and beam ads aimed at their particular tastes onto screens that only they can see.

When the film came out, this counted as a piece of fantasy. But we’re not a million miles away from such a world just 15 years later – and it’s all thanks to the power of big data.

Think about what happens when you surf the internet. If you pay attention to the adverts that flash up on-screen, you’ll notice that many of them have a particular allure for you. They correlate to your search habits, to the sites you’ve visited, and to the things you write about in emails.

In other words, these ads are personalised for you. Advertisers use analytics that are derived from your online activity, as well as demographic identifiers and data about the sorts of things people like you buy. By putting all that information in the mix, they can pinpoint what will have you reaching for your credit card to make a purchase.

If that illustrates the power of big data to illumine business activity, it also demonstrates the wealth of information that is available in a digital age. Even the most cautious internet user leaves a trail of breadcrumbs in their wake, with every transaction, every search and every browse of a website revealing a huge amount about them.

Whenever a wealth of information is recorded, whether online or offline by sensors, say, or surveying techniques, it can be manipulated in all sorts of ways to sharpen practice and improve performance. That’s precisely how big data is being used to improve healthcare, for example, or to help the emergency services respond to crisis situations. It’s even informing town planning.    

So it is no surprise that recruiters are coming to recognise the power of big data to improve staffing procedures and personnel management. With the right information at your fingertips, you can significantly enhance your HR activity, giving you a valuable edge over your rivals.

“One of the most obvious ways to use big data in recruitment is identifying potential candidates for a vacancy,” explains Peter Foy, a Director at Just Recruitment Group Ltd in East Anglia. “If you have a database of roles, and a database of the skills and aptitudes of people who have thrived in them, it’s easy to cross-refer them to a list of current candidates and produce a narrow field of suitable applicants for a given opportunity.”

That sort of matching process is what recruitment consultants like Mr Foy have done throughout the ages, of course. Which means a key part of their traditional work can now be undertaken by machines. 

“That’s true,” he admits. “But even the cleverest computer can’t discern if someone has the right personality to fit in with a particular team dynamic, for example, or the discipline to wear a smart suit to the office every day.”

In other words, there will always be details about a person that no amount of data analysis can spot. But the list of such details seems to shrink by the day, as algorithms grow in sophistication. So will there come a time when recruiters are replaced by computers?

“I don’t think so,” asserts Mr Foy. “This is a people-centred profession. Any agency that relies utterly on the conclusions of analytics, even highly advanced ones, will very soon lose credibility with clients and candidates alike.”

The reason is simple, he continues: “While big data – or ‘human analytics’ as it is sometimes called – makes it easier to draw up a shortlist, the final decision to appoint will always be made by a human.”

Which isn’t to say big data doesn’t have a wider application in the HR space, as Bridie James, also from Just Recruitment, explains: “With the potential to record a wealth of information about, for example, staff behaviours, productivity, profitability, working conditions, management techniques, and the use of incentives, there is the opportunity to crunch data that reveals a huge amount about the workplace.

“Such predictive analytics could help businesses plan staff cover, structure pay rises, decide which bonuses to offer and iron out deficiencies in operating practices. The opportunities to enhance business performance really do seem to be limitless.

To take full advantage of such opportunities, Ms. James says it is necessary to have the right partner to analyse and curate relevant data. And she sees this as a valuable way for recruitment specialists to enhance their offer: “We understand people management and HR. So we know the sorts of questions to ask of data, as well as having a huge amount of aggregated data of our own to draw upon. So we could partner businesses to optimise the performance of their people, as well as finding the very best candidates as vacancies arise.”

All of these signals, a brave new world for the recruitment industry, as well as the businesses it serves. As Spielberg’s dystopian vision in Minority Report illustrated with unnerving foresight, though, machines are merely the means of deriving such insight. “We need to maintain the centrality of human beings in the new order,” concludes Peter. “Sometimes, the best decisions are based on intuition alone. No amount of data analysis can compete with that.”

© 2018 Just Recruitment Group Ltd

If you liked this article you may like to read – Six of the best reasons to work in recruitment

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Warehouse Supervisor
Sector: Warehouse
Salary: Competitive
Location: Colchester
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913695
About the role

Just Recruitment is recruiting for a growing organisation, based on the outskirts of Colchester, looking to add another Warehouse Supervisor to their team.

The key purpose of the role is to work closely with the senior management team, supervising the warehouse and completing all associated tasks as expected.

Duties include:

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  • Monitor employee performance to ensure they are meeting company standards
  • Work closely with the General Manager to monitor staff levels and adjust accordingly
  • Perform regular Quality Audits, documenting the results
  • Work closely with the Customer Account Manager to ensure any issues are resolved quickly and effectively with minimal disruption to both the customer and the company
  • Ensure all Health & Safety regulations and relevant laws are adhered to
  • Monitor depot housekeeping, ensuring a clean and safe work area is maintained
  • Work closely with the Senior Management Team to ensure that work tasks are completed on time and within budget
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  • Coordinate with colleagues on the retrieval of stock replenishment and outsourced stock

Key requirements for this role:

  • Have previous warehouse experience or proven experience with a leadership position in a similar role
  • Have excellent communication and problem-solving skills
  • Have proven leadership and employee management skills
  • Have knowledge of warehouse management systems (WMS)
  • Hold a valid Forklift Licence

This role is located in a great working environment with free parking available on-site.

Please note that due to the company’s location, you will need to have access to your own transport.

Working hours:

8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.
You are required to work 2 x Saturdays out of 4 (with a day off in lieu that week).

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

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Sector: Production and Stock Control
Salary: £16.87 per hour
Location: Hadleigh, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Temporary
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About the role

Just Temps seeks reliable and hardworking Counterbalance FLT Drivers for a hands-on role in a fast-paced environment, within a well-established food manufacturing company, based in Hadleigh, Suffolk.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 11pm to 7am.

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Role requirements include:

  • Comfortable with heavy lifting on a continuous basis
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  • Good attention to detail and strong work ethic
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What’s on offer:

  • Competitive hourly rate
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If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into a vital role in the food production industry, we want to hear from you.

 

Just Temps acts as an Employment Business for the supply of Temporary Staff.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. 
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

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Sector: Accountancy, Banking and Finance
Salary: £30,000 per annum
Location: Colchester
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913707
About the role

Just Recruitment is working with a well-regarded and long-standing family business based on the outskirts of Colchester, looking to add an Accounts Administrator to their team.

Please note that due to the location, you will need access to your own transport.

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Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm. 1 hour lunch break. The company can be flexible and offer a 4 day week.

Free parking is available on-site.

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Skills required include:

  • Significant experience in finance or accounting.
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Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

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Sector: Production and Stock Control
Salary: £15.27 per hour
Location: Hadleigh, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Temporary
Job ref: JT-HAD-FO-0625
About the role

Just Temps seeks reliable and hardworking Factory Operatives for a hands-on role in a fast-paced environment, within a well-established food manufacturing company, based in Hadleigh, Suffolk.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 11pm to 7am.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Heavy lifting – regularly handling up to 50kg
  • Ripping and tipping of raw materials
  • Maintaining a clean and safe working environment
  • Working in a dusty environment with appropriate PPE
  • Supporting general production and manufacturing tasks

Role requirements include:

  • Comfortable with heavy lifting on a continuous basis
  • Previous experience in a factory setting is desirable
  • Good attention to detail and strong work ethic
  • Reliable and punctual

What’s on offer:

  • Competitive hourly rate
  • Consistent Monday to Friday hours
  • Long-term opportunity with a reputable local employer

If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into a vital role in the food production industry, we want to hear from you.

 

Just Temps acts as an Employment Business for the supply of Temporary Staff.~
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. 
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

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Sector: Business, Consulting and Management
Salary: £45,000 - £50,000 per annum
Location: Colchester
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913704
About the role

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You will be responsible for managing and overseeing the company’s compliance and quality assurance activities, ensuring the effective implementation and maintenance of ISO standards and internal controls across the business.

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Additional pay:

  • Bonus scheme.
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Benefits include:

  • Company events.
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  • On-site parking.
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Hours:

Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 5.30pm.
Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. The actual salary paid will be dependent on your level of experience, qualifications and skill set.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more