Workforce management software company TalentNet recently hosted its annual TalentNet Live recruiting conference in Dallas, showcasing the latest in recruitment tools and offering reassurance about the role of automation in the industry.
TalentNet Live began as the first Twitter chat for recruiters, and it has become the largest and longest-running recruiting conference in the Southwest with annual events in Dallas and Austin.
The Dallas event was Sept. 8 at 211 S. Ervay St. in downtown, and was held in collaboration with Dice, Allegis Global Solutions, Symphony Talent, and Olivia.
“Our goal is to educate recruiters on current technology in recruitment and the latest tools that will help secure talent for their company,” TalentNet CEO Craig Fisher said.
“AI in recruitment enhances the candidate experience and makes recruiters more efficient.”
Ronielle Pierce
Several panels were held at the event, including one titled “Keeping The Human In HR in The Wake of Automation,” which focused on the use of automation and artificial intelligence in recruiting and in the hiring process, and how it can make recruiters’ jobs easier.
The panel was composed of Amber Cowart, manager of Talent Acquisition at Southwest Airlines; Ronielle Pierce, senior manager of Global Talent Acquisition at DXC; Glen Goodman, vice president of human resources at Sabre, and Fisher.
“Outsourcing recruitment is seen as a win,” Pierce said. “AI in recruitment enhances the candidate experience and makes recruiters more efficient.”
Ronielle Pierce was a speaker at TalentNet Live [Photo by Meredith Mills]
Cowart said that when it comes to automation, Southwest is still in the infancy stage.
“It makes us worry that there’s a message of cutting jobs or taking away, and that’s just something we’re not interested in,” Cowart said.
AI IS INTENDED TO AID IN RECRUITMENT
Pierce added that automation doesn’t exist to cut jobs, but rather is helpful.
“You’re not losing your job,” Pierce said. “It’s happening to enhance your day-to-day.”
Jim Durban, founder of the Sourcing Worklab, and Mark Hopkins, founder of Roger Wilco spoke about “The Reality of AI,” and discussed the difference between AI and cognitive systems.
Mark Hopkins of Roger Wilco [Photo by Meredith Mills]
Hopkins said that AI is a Hollywood term that is associated with Will Smith’s 2004 film I, Robot.
“A lot of cool tools are out there to make your life a lot easier.”
Jim Durban
“We’re not saying AI is nonsense,” Durban said. “What we’re saying is be careful in allowing your Hollywood version of something, that vision that we have, that’s not reality.”
Durban also discussed Amy, an AI-powered personal assistant for scheduling meetings, and some of the downsides of using automation.
“As a recruiter, it did not work for me the way that I recruit because I wasn’t paying attention,” Durban said. “It’s a great tool if you know how to use it correctly.”
Durban said that recruiters shouldn’t worry about AI changing their jobs.
“A lot of cool tools are out there to make your life a lot easier,” he said. “Learn to focus on the things you like about recruiting and get rid of the paperwork.”
Hopkins added that understanding these tools will make recruiters better.
Patrick McCue, director of North American staffing at Dice, gave recruiters some tips on job posting during his panel “Timing Is Everything: The When of Winning Tech Talent.”
Patrick McCue of Dice was a speaker at TalentNet Live. [Photo by Meredith Mills]
“The question becomes what can you do different and how can you separate yourself from competitors,” McCue said.
He suggested that recruiters do not post job openings on Fridays and reserve that task for Monday through Wednesday. He listed four things recruiters should do on Fridays:
- Plan your next week
- Check-in with hiring managers
- Prepare for screenings/interviews
- Finalize job descriptions
Fisher also said that recruiters should not be worried about the stability of their jobs.
“Automation is not about cutting bodies,” he said. ” It’s about cutting cost and improving efficiency.”
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