It may seem like a strange concept, but recruiting is very similar to online dating.
The evolution of recruitment coincides with the dawn of a new 21st century digital age and the demand for simplicity.
Newspaper ads have been replaced by online ads on job boards and social media.
You see, everything is only a swipe or touch away – including online dating.
Singletons no longer have to pluck up the courage to speak to strangers when they’re out and about.
They can just find matches from the comfort of their home.
Whether you agree with it or not, there are a lot of similarities between recruitment and online dating.
It’s your job to recognise them and use them to make positive changes to your next recruitment campaign.
Here are five of the best examples.
Needs and demands
Dating apps like Tinder are free to register and designed to help singletons find an ideal partner, without all of the pressure.
With a lot of the popular apps, they’ll be asked to fill in a few details about themselves – such as their age, traits and the type of person they’re looking for.
Dating app users will then have the option to pick whether they like what they see by swiping in a certain direction.
The idea is that singletons are matching their needs and demands to their own – which is the same in the recruitment industry.
For example, when your business looks for a ‘perfect’ candidate, you’ll search for relevant experience, soft skills and technical skills to match your agenda.
However, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about the online dating and recruitment games.
Sure, it’s all well and good matching someone on their face-value elements, but if you fail to consider their personality, there’s a high chance your business will make the wrong choice.
Just like in dating, you can’t go off appearances and obvious pluses alone, you must find a candidate who suits your type of work culture and the other personalities within your business.
The first move is always daunting
Whether you’re considering opening up a conversation with a match or a candidate, making the first move is always daunting – regardless of how much experience you have.
When hiring, you’re required to sell the job to the candidate and the company itself.
You need to entice the candidate into agreeing to an interview or accepting the job, just like a singleton would when asking someone out.
Have you said enough? Are you successfully selling the opportunity?
The bottom line is, you have to throw caution to the wind and go for it.
Granted, interviews don’t always turn out the way you hoped, the same way singletons can have a bad date.
But if you’re proactive and positive, there’s every chance that you’ll make the right first impression!
Finding the perfect match isn’t easy
The next similarity between recruitment and online dating is the lack of talent matching your criteria.
While there may be millions of talented candidates and wonderful singletons out there, it isn’t easy to find ‘Mr or Mrs Right!’
Both the recruitment and online dating processes can take days, weeks, months or even years to complete.
But you know what? That’s ok.
It’s an unforgiving reality businesses and singletons have to come to terms with.
However, there are certain ways you can improve your search in recruiting.
For instance, you can speed up your shortlisting process, up your interview game and draw inspiration on how other businesses assess candidates.
Experience and knowledge will teach you what you want and ways to find it quicker.
You’re following trends
By shifting from old recruitment trends to current, you’re staying in touch with your market.
Online dating changes like the wind.
Every year there seems to be a new app that catches on, with singletons hoping it will take them one step closer to their ‘Mr or Mrs Right’.
If a singleton doesn’t make the transition, they might miss out on the chance to meet someone special.
In recruitment, if you don’t take the time to clue yourself up with the best job boards or methods of advertising on social media, you could squander the chance to source top candidates.
Is this a risk you’re willing to take?
Shortlisting is streamlined
While there’s always room to improve your shortlisting game, both recruitment and online dating teaches people to become more cutthroat.
Time is money in this day and age.
So, you don’t want to invest effort and money into a timewaster.
The point of digital recruitment and online dating is speed and convenience.
Finding the perfect professional has to be on your terms, just like it does when finding a partner.
Meeting face-to-face is a big step.
That’s why it’s essential for everyone to quickly establish what’s good and what’s not.
It takes time and plenty of practice.
But once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to do it without thinking.
Summary
I told you recruitment is like online dating!
Both are built for ease, streamlining and following the needs of the market.
As a business, you need to channel this thinking when you start your next recruitment process and tap into the riches of the digital age.
Who knows, you might find a perfect match twice as quick!
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