From the advent of the steam engine through to the creation of the internet, we as humans constantly strive for ingenuity and innovation. Our history is a story of individuals seeking to maximise use of the resources around us, to enable more productive and efficient ways of working. This ever-churning conveyor belt of workplace inventions continues to produce ingenious new technology at an astounding pace, with no sign of slowing down. AI, robotics, and automation, once the stuff of science fiction, are beginning to appear in more and more workplaces across the globe, and data shows this could yet continue.

Since COVID-19 became part of the vernacular, disruption has been the name of the game and no sector, industry or individual has been immune. This is particularly the case for recruitment. Much of the narrative has been around digitisation and the future of work yet it’s easy to overlook the individuals at the centre of this situation – job seekers.

According to the Economist, one of the most significant outcomes of the pandemic will be ‘the infusion of data-enabled services into ever more aspects of life.’ We were already expecting a transition to digital transformation thanks to technological advancement, dubbed the ‘fourth industrial revolution'. However, following on from the pandemic which forced countless businesses to switch to remote working virtually overnight, we expect digital transformation to continue to be adopted on a larger and more rapid scale – becoming an even more prominent objective for organisations in the future.

Candidate experience can be defined as the perception and feelings of a job seeker on their job application process, based on their interaction during the hiring process. This includes all points of contact during recruitment – job search, the application process, interview process, and sometimes even onboarding.

What phrase is guaranteed to immediately alienate a room of recruiters? ‘Back in my day.’ Cue eyes rolling, phones idly checked and people sliding down their chairs a little further. Recruitment has changed with the world, but with significant lag. People who excel at sales tend to be creatures of habit and resistant to change; if it worked for them, it’ll work for you. It can take a lot to convince a sales leader to embrace new modes of working when the continual pressure of targets.