Have we forgotten how to be human? The personal touch in an automated world

Just this morning I attended a breakfast briefing hosted by the the National Recruitment Federation on the current “candidate driven” marketplace and how we as recruiters can set ourselves apart. I was really struck by the “candidate- centric” approach from all the panelists. I was struck by how focused they are as recruiters at keeping the candidate at the centre of everything. The “human” aspect of recruitment that we don’t see portrayed all that often.

It absolutely reinforced and restored my faith in an industry that, let’s face it, gets a lot of stick. We have often been accused of being flippant, shallow, fickle, self-centered and only in it for the fee or the placement. What people don’t see is that we are all human beings – candidates, clients, recruiters alike. We all have our highs and our lows, our good days and bad days. We all come to work with our best face on to tackle what’s ahead. What is so important is human connection and meaningful engagement. If only we all realised the impact that each human contact, each human conversation has, we’d never send another email again!

However, we live in a world and operate in an industry that demands speed, where time is of the essence. We rely on technology, social media, databases and systems. We need these tools and platforms to keep pace. But we must not forget the power of the human touch. The human element will always win over the automated element.

So, I for one will always strive to bring that human element and that personal touch to my candidate interactions. To partner with them and advise them as best I can. I may not always get it right, but I will certainly do my best. If this morning’s panelists are anything to go by, I think the recruitment industry and the candidates and clients we partner with, is in very good hands.