The promise of A.I. in recruitment is significant. The technology could reduce biases, provide objective assessments, and even speed up many components of the recruitment process. But is that true? Recent research from Monash Business School presents a more complex picture. In this study, over 700 applicants for a web designer position were informed whether their application was assessed by a human or by A.I. The results were striking: women showed a clear preference for A.I. in recruitment processes, while men preferred a human evaluator.
Women are more concerned that a human recruiter might unjustly disadvantage them.
“Women were significantly more likely to complete their applications if they knew that A.I. would be involved, while men were less likely to apply,” said Professor Andreas Leibbrandt. This is interesting, as women seem to assume that an algorithm is a fairer evaluator than a human. Why? The answer likely lies in experiences with human biases, according to Leibbrandt. Women fear that a human recruiter may unjustly disadvantage them, for example, due to gender biases. A.I. then appears as a neutral (or better: a more neutral) alternative.
Unjust Disadvantage
A second experiment focused on the behavior of 500 (tech) recruiters. They were presented with applications where they sometimes knew the gender of the candidate and sometimes did not. They were also provided with the evaluation from an A.I. system as a reference in certain cases. What did the study reveal? When the gender was hidden, or when the recruiters only had the A.I. score, gender bias largely disappeared. “When recruiters knew the gender of the applicant, they consistently rated women lower than men. However, this bias completely vanished when the applicant’s gender was concealed,” said Leibbrandt.
‘The gender bias completely disappeared when the applicant’s gender was hidden.’
When recruiters had access to both the A.I. score and the applicant’s gender, there was also no difference in scoring between men and women. “These findings show that recruiters use A.I. as a tool and anchor—it helps remove gender bias in assessments.” From this, one might conclude: A.I. promotes objectivity. However, we must be cautious with this conclusion, Leibbrandt himself warns. The Monash Business School research mainly focused on the interaction between humans and machines, not on the algorithms behind the A.I. itself.
A.I. may appear neutral on paper, but in practice, this is not always the case. Take, for example, the finding that algorithms rate CVs lower if there is a two-year gap for parental leave. If that’s not enough of a reason for concern: this also applies to resume blinding, where such personal information has been removed. The algorithm still recognizes subtle cues that it then associates with gender. These ‘hidden’ biases in A.I. arise because many algorithms are trained on historical data. An A.I. system trained on data from a male-dominated sector implicitly associates male qualities with ‘success.’ As a result, subtle forms of discrimination can still seep through, even without explicit terms like ‘man’ or ‘woman’ appearing in the dataset.
More Diversity in the Tech Industry
The solution to this problem lies not only with the algorithm itself but also with the people who develop it. The tech industry faces a significant gender gap: only 20% of technical roles at A.I. companies worldwide are held by women. More diversity in A.I. teams improves the representativeness of training data and ensures more nuance in the development of algorithms. More women in the tech industry, therefore, helps develop more inclusive and fair A.I. systems. But as long as this is not the case, bias and blind spots remain a significant risk.
More women in the tech industry help develop fairer A.I. systems.
As a recruiter or HR professional, you are, of course, dealing with these technologies. How do you use A.I. safely and responsibly? The first step towards the responsible use of A.I. in recruitment is to build a foundational knowledge of how this technology works and where its limitations lie. Then you can use A.I. as a tool, but always with a critical eye—the same critical eye you are already accustomed to using when evaluating candidates.
There had always been “fake applicants,” who created a business model out of the cost-per-application (CPA) models of job boards (employers pay for applications, whether fake or not). These fake applicants largely came from “cyber slaves” in places like Myanmar, China, and Cambodia. But what happened in the summer of ‘22? Cyber slaves were replaced by AI, resulting in some recruitment groups today seeing 30-40% of all job applications as fake for certain vacancies.
The growth of “fake” in the job market is exploding, driven by AI. It’s because there is so much movement and dynamics in the labor market. Employers and job seekers are often too trusting, hoping for a great new job or employee. There’s also a lot going on in the matchmaking between employers and employees, creating fertile ground for fraud, scamming, and even human trafficking. Over the past year, I’ve done extensive research and have encountered the following forms of “fake”, beyond just the “fake applicants (1)” I’ve already mentioned.
2. Fake recruiters
The most common form of fraud (not just in the job market) is fake recruiters. They use resumes, an ideal source for identity fraud, which are uploaded to job boards like Indeed. They often approach people via WhatsApp or Telegram for nonexistent jobs, aiming to steal money and personal identity details. Also, many recruiters even have a second or third LinkedIn profile under a different name, though LinkedIn is trying to stop this through its verification program.
3. Fake traffic/fake clicks
More than half of the internet’s traffic comes from bots, and just under half from humans. This means when you pay for traffic and clicks, you’re also paying for bots, which wasn’t the intended purpose.
4. Fake references
In the UK, companies provide fake references. When conducting a reference check, you might speak to someone who gives a false reference, perhaps exaggerating skills, qualities, or work experience. Fake references are often used for criminal infiltration, with the goal of placing someone in a position with access to sensitive information.
5. Fake diplomas
For a few euros, you can get a diploma from a prestigious institution like Harvard, and it’s even advertised. There’s now a European diploma verification system called EMREX to combat this fraud, but it remains widespread. Increasingly, employers check diplomas by watching candidates log into their educational systems to verify the legitimacy of their qualifications.
6. Fake schools
A phenomenon in places like Canada where fake schools allow students to enroll, granting them permits to stay and work in the country.
7. Nonexistent employers
In China, the problem of fake employers (companies advertising jobs that don’t exist) is so large that the job board Job51 only allows postings after physically verifying that the company exists. Fake companies, like fake recruiters, are used to scam people for money, or as mule operations (e.g., paying to apply, paying for training, identity theft).
8. Fake agencies
Nonexistent recruiters naturally lead to fake recruitment agencies. The business model is the same as for fake employers. Fake agencies are also used for human trafficking. People are enticed with work permits and tricked into leaving money and personal data behind. This is the start of fraud or human trafficking, as seen with the 500 agencies closed in Kenya this year.
9. Fake job boards
Entire job sites are temporarily set up, sometimes copying real company sites, with fake vacancies to achieve all the above-mentioned scams.
10. Fake vacancies
Much has already been written about this, such as the Resume Builder study, which claimed that 30% of job vacancies from employers are fake. Aside from carelessness and building talent pools, other reasons include keeping current staff on their toes or creating fear that everyone is replaceable.
The fraud existed even without AI, but AI makes it enormously scalable and cheap. It’s a gigantic global problem that every employer, candidate, and agency faces, and it’s only growing. The reason it hasn’t received much attention is that employees are often temporarily in the market (only briefly encountering fraud), and other stakeholders, such as agencies, recruiters, and job boards, face core business threats. Despite these massive issues, they are largely denied or ignored by them. Acknowledging these problems means they must be addressed, potentially leading to significant revenue loss. Fake clicks and applications still generate money. I expect that the party positioning itself as a safe place for employers and candidates, nationally and internationally, could become a major game-changer.
‘Rise of A.I. calls for national agenda for future of labour market’
Continuing labour market tightness, the CSRD, new labour laws, constant changes in required skills, and the rise of A.I. technologies. This and much more are on the agenda of HR departments across the Netherlands and other European countries. There is so much of it now, and it has such far-reaching implications, that it should be given much more attention, even beyond HR departments, according to a new report by Communication Concert and think tank Public Space Foundation. Indeed, it is time for a real ‘national A.I. agenda’, according to its authors.
‘The rise of A.I. requires a shared vision and policy and regular monitoring of developments.’
‘The next few years will determine how A.I. and digitalisation will fundamentally change how we work,’ authors Harm Rozie, Dorus Teeuwen and Steven de Waal. ‘A.I. can contribute to improved assessments, more efficient work and continuous professional development. Provided organisations recognise the urgency and are willing to integrate A.I., with attention to ethical considerations. This requires a shared vision and policy and regular monitoring of developments and their consequences.’
‘Vigilant and curious attitude’
The report advocates a multi-year agenda for the future of AI in the labour market and talent development, in which developments are monitored and findings shared. Innovation should be given room, but with a watchful and curious attitude. Several times a year, these developments and findings are shared nationally with all relevant parties: governments, employer and employee organisations, companies and developers, education, and science.
‘We must take the right steps now to prevent future repairs.’
They also advocate the creation of a platform where regular meetings are held to discuss the development of AI in the labour market and its impact on our lives. This platform should act as a space for shared knowledge and collaboration. Where people look not only at what is possible but also at the implications of these possibilities.’ Indeed, if we fail to do so, the A.I. revolution threatens to befall us, they fear. ‘We need to take the right steps now to prevent future fixes. This requires a broad Dutch base to monitor and steer A.I. developments.’
Competitive position of regions
The ‘exploratory research report highlights many recent A.I. developments in the labour market. Among others, the well-known matching party 8vance also contributed to it. Interviews were held, desk research was done, and interactive sessions with experts took place. Conclusions include the fact that many organisations now do not have a clear picture of their employees (skills, competencies, ambitions, dreams, etc.), making strategic personnel policy difficult, and AI could help improve that. However, there is also a significant effect on better matching, productivity, and health improvement if people fit better into roles that make them happy.
‘A.I. could, for example, improve the competitive position of regions by attracting companies based on available talent.’
Research by the employers’ association AWVN shows that many Dutch employers are still reluctant to use A.I. in their companies. This threatens to miss opportunities for the Netherlands, the authors say. ‘For instance, A.I. can improve the competitive position of regions by attracting companies based on available talent. But this requires detailed labour market data.’ And so to monitor the quality and accessibility of such data, a national agenda is crucial, they argue, alongside guidelines for personal data management and more A.I. training, for example, in schools and companies.
Objective skills analysis
Laurens Waling, evangelist at 8vance, says he welcomes the research. ‘At a time when organisations struggle with tight labour markets and constant changes in required skills, you can see that A.I. can offer solutions. By applying A.I., companies can better understand their employees’ competencies and align them with strategic goals. Think of using A.I. for objective skills analysis and personalised development paths.’
‘With A.I., companies can better understand their employees’ competencies and align them with strategic goals.’
According to him, the results of this research show that ‘the adoption of A.I. within HR can be a catalyst for more efficient processes, better matching and a fairer labour market. Companies that embrace these technologies can optimise their internal processes and strengthen their competitive position. The key to success lies in implementing A.I. carefully and ethically while keeping the human touch at the centre. The time is ripe to deploy AI as a strategic tool within HR. The question is: when are you ready?’
Recently, a new tool was launched on the engineering firm Arcadiscareers site, allowing users to upload their resumes and receive recommendations for suitable vacancies. This week, another similar innovation was introduced.
Now, energy company Zonneplan is launching an A.I. tool on their new job site. And here, you don’t have to enter a resume; you need to paste a LinkedIn profile into a text field, after which the algorithm (named KIKI AI) promises to do the rest and present you with suitable vacancies.
‘Scrolling through vacancies for hours, looking for a job that suits you? At Zonneplan, that’s no longer necessary,’ says recruitment manager Eldert Wijkstra enthusiastically. ‘The chances of applying for a job that truly fits you are much higher thanks to this A.I.’ Kiki, by the way, doesn’t just work based on a LinkedIn profile; you can also chat with her. According to Wijkstra, the language model can understand connections within texts. ‘This means Kiki can also analyze which positions are suitable based on personal characteristics.’
‘Looks beyond simple keywords’
Kiki looks far beyond simple keywords, adds Dennis Stolmeijer. ‘Instead of drawing from a traditional text database, the content from our CMS is translated into a vector database,’ says the Head of Development at Zonneplan. ‘This means that the data is converted into a format that can be directly understood by a language model, allowing the A.I. to deliver much more accurate and relevant results.’ In other words, he promises Kiki to look beyond just the literal job description.
‘Our method ensures that search results are not only based on simple keywords, but also on context and nuance.’
The A.I. assistant uses ‘ prompt stuffing ‘ to extract only the relevant vacancies from the database. Stolmeijer: ‘This method ensures that search results are not only based on simple keywords but also on context and nuance, which leads to much more accurate and personalized job matching. This way, job seekers can find the right job at Zonneplan more quickly and effectively.’ The intention is that it will also be possible to ask the chatbot questions beyond vacancies later ‘so the applicant can better discover if Zonneplan is a good fit for them.’
Putting it to the test
Promising, indeed, but let’s also put it to the test. Does this add something to the candidate’s experience? The first personal experience may be bad luck, but unfortunately, it did not start very promising. Heading to LinkedIn to retrieve your profile URL feels a bit cumbersome, but when the tool spins for minutes to develop suitable vacancies, it quickly raises questions. Could it be due to my profile? Am I not a good fit for Zonneplan? I’m left in the dark about it. In the meantime, I’ve manually scrolled through the vacancies that are less than 40 on the site.
The waiting does allow me to read the quirky text snippets by the tool. ‘The job train is on its way,’ ‘Donut worry, jobs are coming,’ and ‘Sherlock Holmes is looking for’ ‘watermelon-fresh jobs’ and ‘vacancies as refreshing as ice cream’; there’s no lack of wit. It does make the waiting more pleasant. Only ‘millions of options are being analyzed’ seems a bit exaggerated. However, on the second attempt, I didn’t experience that anymore: the matching now goes very quickly, and miraculously, the algorithm comes up with two more or less suitable vacancies. Great!
A Trend Born?
The big question, however, is: wouldn’t I have found these vacancies myself if I had scrolled through the list? It seems unlikely. Is the problem of manual scrolling here so significant that this matching tool offers a solution? To be completely honest, of course not. That these two vacancies have a specific link to my profile (and many other vacancies on the site do not) is something I could have figured out myself. It would be more interesting if unexpected vacancies appeared for me and, for example, matched more with other parts of my profile.
It is, of course, notable that in such a short time two major job sites have come up with a tool of roughly the same scope.
Just like with the tool from Arcadis, the conclusion (for now) can unfortunately only be an excellent idea, but it will probably not make the lives of most job seekers much more accessible (yet). Perhaps that will follow if the chatbot learns to have conversations beyond vacancies, but the input of a LinkedIn profile does not seem necessary. However, it is notable that in such a short time, two major job sites have developed a tool of roughly the same scope, trying to make matching easier early. Could this mean a trend is born?
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Scotty is not new, but already a proven technology who already interviewed hundreds of thousands of candidates during covid in just hours for staffing agencies in the Netherlands. This is an impressive winning case to read (in Dutch) and new ones are following fast, like the launch of Abby in august 2023 for Actief Werkt. But not only staffing agencies are using Scotty. Dutch Mail (PostNL) has also an impressive case and the best part is that candidates love the usages op AI. That people don’t want to talk to AI (for example prescreening) is not accurate, proving almost 92% of the candidates of PostNL given Scotty a 4 or 5 out of 5 ranking. Almost 55% a 5 out of 5…. For Dutch that’s a really high score.
Who and what is Scotty?
Scotty offers a next-gen conversational AI designed to streamline HR and talent acquisition processes. Especially useful for prescreening and making sure that you filter fake and false candidates and get a head start in speed in the war for talent. Scotty provides in omnichannel communication, engaging candidates through calls, SMS, emails, and messaging platforms like WhatsApp. Scotty supports the entire hiring journey, from sourcing, calling, screening and updating your entire talent pool to onboarding. Scotty speaks 140 languages, is smart (Scotty knows when answers are not aligned with given answers before or don’t match the CV), reacts in seconds when someone applies and is (off course) 24/7 available. Scotty can handle 500,000 conversations simultaneously (voice, text) and is integrated to various HR systems and collaboration tools like Teams and Slack.
Every corporate organization and agency who is handling volume recruitment should be aware and test Scotty (and some of their competition like Paradox, Recrubo and Mona). And if you talent pool is really your business gold, let one of these AI’s make it really valuable for you..
Looking for Prompts?
How can you use AI to find and attract top talent in an increasingly digital world? This new E-book from Werf& Wortell explains it all, including practical AI prompts for every recruitment and selection stage.
Once you’ve heard it once, you suddenly start noticing it everywhere. It is a case of selective perception, so to speak. Without much prompting, it seems. But in any case, HR guru Josh Bersin recently highlighted it, Jocelyn Lai also spoke about it at this spring’s ERE Recruiting Conference, consultants and media wrote pages about it, and while in the Netherlands last month, recruitment guru Kevin Wheeler delved deeper into it. In other words, the concept of talent density, first coined in 2022 by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, suddenly seems to be rapidly taking over the HR world.
So, let’s first look at what we mean by it. According to Hastings, it’s about the belief that a company’s success depends on the quality of its workforce. It’s about always recruiting and selecting the best possible candidates and creating a high-performance culture, including a continuous evaluation system that ensures only the best performers stay on board.
Multiplying Value
So far, perhaps, nothing new. But what sets the concept of ‘talent density’ apart is that Hastings clarifies that recruitment is not about filling a vacancy but rather finding people who indeed ‘multiply’ value. Not: people who do what is asked of them. But people who challenge the status quo and bring new skills and ideas. Netflix’s idea is that each new employee should elevate everyone else’s productivity in the company and the team.
‘Most managers don’t want to hire someone who can take their job. But that’s exactly why we have this problem.’
This threatens an insecure manager because most managers don’t want to hire someone who can take their job. But that’s precisely why we have this problem, according to Bersin. According to the HR guru, it’s no longer the case that larger organizations perform better than smaller ones; rather, ‘talent density’ is what makes the difference. ‘Look at how OpenAI, a tiny company, outperforms Google and Microsoft.’
No Normal Distribution
Bersin says that we often (wrongly) think that an organisation’s talent distribution follows a normal distribution, with a few outliers, a few underperformers, and the majority performing moderately. ‘As the saying goes: A-managers hire A-people, B-managers hire C-people. So over time, if we don’t continually adjust, we end up with an organization almost destined to perform mediocrely.’
‘In any population, there are a few people who just have God-given gifts to perform better.’
However, Bersin suggests that we would be better off assuming a Pareto distribution of talent, also known as the 80/20 rule, where 20% of people are responsible for 80% of the organization’s output. ‘Research showed that performance in 94% of the groups studied—researchers, entertainers, politicians, and athletes—did not follow a normal distribution. These groups instead fall into what is called a Pareto distribution. In any population, a few people just have God-given gifts to perform better, and they seem naturally much better than everyone else.’
Performance is Contagious
The theory of talent density considers this and tries to maximize the percentage of high performers in the organization. After all, good and bad performances turn out to be contagious. Research by Professor Will Felps found that even when other team members were exceptionally talented and intelligent, bad behaviour from one individual could drag down the whole team’s effectiveness. However, if your talent density is high, you have a higher proportion of superstar talent within your teams, and you have increased the average talent density by limiting the number of poor to average performers.
A chef would rather focus on Michelin-star ingredients than his general shopping list.
In the words of Reed Hastings: ‘In all creative roles, the best is easily 10 times better than the average. The best publicity expert can create a stunt that attracts millions more customers than the average.’ Netflix’s strategy, therefore, is to hire 1 highly talented professional who does the work of at least 3 rather than hiring 3 mediocre talents, he says. Better to have one outstanding chef than three mediocre pizza makers. Or think of the chef himself: he would also instead focus on Michelin-star ingredients than his general shopping list.
High Performers All Over the Place
The core principle of talent density suggests that surrounding yourself with high performers naturally stimulates innovation, productivity, and overall success. It would also lead to better collaboration, as team members enjoy learning from each other and pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and a better employer brand because a company known for attracting top talent becomes even more attractive to other potential top candidates. This could also create a so-called ‘wave effect’: the presence of high performers would motivate others on the team to be innovative.’
‘I’ve heard in many companies that 1 software engineer in the right role can do the work of 10 others.’
According to Bersin, the concept fits perfectly with today’s era, where there is no longer an abundance of people but rather a structural talent shortage. ‘We, therefore, need a better way to think about performance in a world where companies with fewer people can outperform those that grow too large.’ He says the concept of talent density can be helpful in that regard. ‘It’s no coincidence that Bill Gates once said that, in his opinion, there were only 3 engineers who made Microsoft great. And I’ve heard this in many other companies, where 1 software engineer in the right role can do the work of 10 others.’
More Than Indeed and LinkedIn
So what should recruiters do with this? According to someone like James Ellis, for example, a greater focus on solid employer branding is needed, as top candidates are unlikely to apply if you don’t effectively bring your company to their attention. Recruiters should also broaden their candidate sourcing beyond traditional sources like Indeed and LinkedIn. According to him, a structured selection process focused on core competencies and the candidate’s potential contribution to the organization is also crucial.
‘I believe it’s impossible to objectively and fairly classify someone as an A-player.’
Bersin says it’s about ‘a paradigm shift’ in talent acquisition. But Wheeler also has his reservations. ‘I believe it’s impossible to objectively and fairly classify someone as an A-player,’ he says. Moreover, he points to ‘the diversity dilemma.’ In other words: ‘Striving for a workforce consisting solely of A-players raises serious concerns about diversity and inclusion. A narrow focus on a limited set of skills or backgrounds can lead to homogeneous teams lacking the varied perspectives that fuel innovation and problem-solving.’
Wheeler also points to research by Laszlo Bock, former head of HR at Google, who has already shown that selecting only the best people doesn’t automatically lead to superior results. ‘Bock’s findings emphasize the importance of diversity in teams and suggest that a mix of personalities, experiences, and viewpoints can spark creativity, improve decision-making, and ultimately lead to greater business success.’
Wheeler may have a point, but on the other hand, so many people and organizations are now working with the concept of talent density that it doesn’t seem likely to disappear anytime soon. It may still be something primarily happening in America (the Dutch term talent density barely yields any Google results, for example), but as with management trends, sooner or later, they always cross the pond. So it’s better to be prepared. Especially as a recruiter.
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A gap in your resume? Companies’ attitudes toward it seem to be changing somewhat. Once considered something best concealed by candidates, as it significantly reduced job prospects, this perception appears to be shifting. According to a LinkedIn survey (2022) of 23,000 employees worldwide, nearly two out of three respondents reported having taken a career break. Subsequently, the platform introduced a ‘Career Breaks’ feature, allowing users to showcase the skills they acquired during that time.
On social media, many people see a career sidestep as a strong signal.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it seemed less of a blemish on your resume if you couldn’t work for a while. Additionally, it appears that newer generations (and especially Gen Z) generally view career breaks and less traditional career paths less negatively. Social media has contributed to this: it’s no longer a shame to announce that you’re taking a break; it’s often seen as a strong signal. Whether simply to ‘recharge your batteries’ or acquire new skills, such decisions are typically met with much appreciation and admiration.
The critical question: Is it a punishment?
Then, the critical question arises: social media users may be okay with you taking a break and creating a gap in your resume, but do employers feel the same way? Is it still considered a ‘punishment’ or not? Or perhaps the opposite is true: could taking a sidestep or a break benefit your career? Researchers Boris Groysberg and Eric Lin decided to investigate and reported their findings in Harvard Business Review. And it turns out the situation is still quite nuanced.
The larger the gap in the resume, the smaller the chance of getting a callback.
For example, they cite a 2019 study in which ResumeGo sent fictitious resumes to over 36,000 job openings. They discovered that a resume without a gap had a callback rate of over 11%, while a resume with a 1- or 2-year gap had a callback rate of about 10%. If the gap was larger, the callback rate dropped significantly: for gaps of 3, 4, and 5 years, the rates were 4.6%, 3.7%, and 3.1%, respectively. However, context mattered. If you didn’t explain the gap, the callback rate averaged only 4.3%. If you mentioned that you were pursuing education during that time, it rose to 8.5%. Health issues resulted in a callback rate of about 7%, and family issues nearly 6%.
Skeptical
There’s also reason to be sceptical that a gap in your resume no longer matters. In the fall of 2023, the two authors surveyed over 400 managers on LinkedIn. Their responses: 61% still viewed a gap in the resume as a negative sign. The biggest concern was reliability (29%), followed by motivation (27%), retention risk (25%), and skill deterioration (19%). Interestingly, women judged gaps more harshly than men: only 4% saw it as a positive signal, compared to 10% of men.
And a gap in your resume doesn’t only affect recruitment decisions. The authors also looked at what it could mean for your further career progression. They examined compensation data for executives with and without a gap in their resumes. It turns out there’s still a significant negative effect. Without a gap in your resume, you could expect an average salary increase of 22% when starting a new job. With a gap, that increase was only 14%. According to the researchers, this effect is even more pronounced for younger executives, which is logical because they have shorter career histories.
‘No death sentence’
Notably, the researchers found that the negative effect of a resume gap was most evident in larger companies, where it is seen more as a warning signal. Also notable: the negative effect lasted longer for women than for men. They suggest that men can more easily ‘catch up’ by proving themselves at a new employer. Their conclusion: ‘A gap in your resume is not a death sentence for your career, but it’s also not irrelevant. The extent to which you can explain it can mitigate the negative effects, but not eliminate them.’
‘How you explain a gap on your resume can mitigate the negative effects, but not completely eliminate them.’
Looking at the entire career trajectory, a gap in your resume generally hurts your earnings. However, if you’ve already had a longer career, you have less to worry about, while those just starting are more vulnerable to a resume gap. The researchers note that companies, especially large ones, still use it as an important signal, although it may be unclear what that signal may be. ‘Hiring managers still make decisions based on incomplete information, using imperfect signals as input.’ For example, a gap in someone’s resume, whether it’s explainable or not.
Unintended side effect
The researchers suggest that the societal trend of taking time off could even lead to an unintended side effect. The more people have a gap in their resume, the more selective the group that doesn’t have to present such a gap becomes. The greater the chance they will stand out positively in a recruitment process, the higher their chances for promotion. Employers still view it as an important signal of someone’s suitability. ‘And so, a larger number of people with a gap in their resume could potentially widen the pay gap rather than narrow it.’
It’s not entirely surprising, of course. Research from iCims revealed last year that nearly half of all students planned to use ChatGPT or other AI bots to create their application letters and resumes. A quarter of these Gen Z members said they had already done so. However, that was still the well-educated segment of Gen Z. Now, almost the entire job market has discovered the application possibilities of artificial intelligence for job applications.
Have you ever used AI to create your resume?
Research by the American resume builder Enhancv, conducted with over 600 job seekers, shows that more than 60% of men and 45% of women report using AI to compile a resume. The company calls this development a “growing trend” and a “job hunting revolution,” noting that men seem to embrace the technology more than women:
On average, men use 81% more AI in their application process than women.
Men let AI answer their interview questions 34% more often than women.
Men are 23% more likely to feel comfortable using AI in their job search process (74% vs. 60%).
Men and women say it is equally ethical to use AI for job applications (81% vs. 80%).
No difference was found between younger and older job seekers using AI (45%).
That men tend to lean more toward AI is not a surprise either. Research by LinkedIn from November 2023 already showed that about 58% of all discussions about AI on the platform were conducted by men. According to Enhancv’s Executive Coach, Silvia Angeloro, men are generally more represented in tech professions and more inclined to experiment with new technologies. She also states that men generally have slightly easier access to these tools.
Negotiation Tips
Research by Indeed conducted earlier this year among 2,223 working Dutch people and 594 HR executives also showed that men report using AI more than women. Of the workers, 28% of men and 20% of women said they use it when applying for jobs (or would do so if they were applying). Of those, 67% use AI to write a cover letter, 58% to create a resume, and 52% to prepare for the interview. Interestingly, 38% use AI to get negotiation tips.
30% of applicants think recruiters are unaware of their AI usage.
Research by the job application platform Lerensolliciteren.nl surveyed 1,000 job seekers and found that 25% of applicants use ChatGPT to create a resume and cover letter, and 72% say this often leads to an interview invitation. Also, 53% of applicants who used ChatGPT during the application process were later hired. Additionally, 64% indicated they felt more confident during the process, thanks to ChatGPT. An interesting finding from this research is that 30% of applicants think recruiters are unaware of their AI usage.
Introduction Video
In response, some recruiters are now considering using “AI-proof” questions, such as recording an introduction video—something AI cannot currently do. Others incorporate hidden instructions for AI chatbots in their job postings that can become visible in the applicant’s cover letter.
As the Wall Street Journal noted earlier this year, it leads to a kind of robot war on the job market, with robots on both the candidates’ and the employers’ sides trying to outsmart each other. It also shakes up the traditional recruitment process, where old-fashioned resume and cover letter tools almost automatically move further into the background because AI increasingly undermines their value.
Looking for Prompts?
How can you use AI to find and attract top talent in an increasingly digital world? This new E-book from Werf& Wortell explains it all, including practical AI prompts for every recruitment and selection stage.
It always sounds nice, phrases like: “We go for the best candidate.” “Only quality counts.” “It doesn’t matter what you look like; if you’re good, you’ll get the chance.” Or, also nice: “Quality rises to the top.” Therefore, it’s not surprising that more than three-quarters of the talent acquisition experts indicate that quality of hire is the most important thing on their agenda for 2024, according to research by the international recruiter network Higher. At the same time, the same research shows that most have no idea what that quality is exactly or how to measure it.
Most recruiters have no definition of quality of hire, nor how to measure it.
Nearly half of those interviewed (47%, a large part of whom are also in the Netherlands)) even admit they have not made the quality of hire measurable. This is even though they see engaging with high-quality talent as one of their highest priorities. “The big problem is that recruitment teams generally have no standardized way to define what ‘good’ looks like or how to measure it meaningfully,” says Phillip Blaydes, founder of Higher. According to him, this is necessary, knowing that mishires can cost up to twice their salary.
Management Reviews
Of those who claim to measure the quality of hire in some way, most rely on periodic reviews (usually from the manager) after 1, 3, and/or 6 months. Many also look at the number of candidates who pass the probationary period, and 1 in 5 also keeps an eye on turnover in general. Finally, about 5% say they look at the sales performance of the employees in question to assess the quality of hire.
However, these are all rather limited and, in any case, derived means for this, says Brian Evje in the research report. “Performance may be a reliable measure of recruitment quality, but at the same time, it depends on many factors beyond the control of the recruitment team.” Quality is in the eye of the beholder, Blaydes sums up. “After all, what ‘good’ looks like for quality of hire at Google will be very different than at, for example, the Lego Group.” Therefore, he recommends everyone build a clear scorecard and use it consistently.
How do we best map out these metrics and predictors of success?
In other words: “Collect performance data from your current employees and other data such as turnover, employment, and engagement. Use this data to determine top performers’ characteristics, skills, and values and align them with strategic objectives. What are the similarities that make these hires of high quality? How do we best map out these metrics and predictors of success? What does ‘good’ look like for each metric? For example, if you say that the promotion rate is an important indicator of the quality of hire, what is the benchmark for a good rate?”
Limited Horizon
The research also shows that many TA experts have only a limited horizon. Only 35% of them say they look more than 12 months ahead. Another similar number has a horizon of about 6 months, while 20% look no further than 3 months ahead, and 11% even say they do not do any planning at all. However, this is not so surprising, according to Blaydes. The economic outlook is quite unclear, and it is difficult to anticipate next year’s recruitment demand. However, he advises organizations to gather as much data as possible.
What is your organization trying to achieve in the long term – and what is needed from the talent function in that case?
“Integrating talent data with external data will help leaders in talent acquisition develop a more strategic view of the prevailing trends in the talent landscape, see where they can have the greatest impact, and where they can prevent challenges before they snowball. Simply put: What is your organization trying to achieve in the long term – and what is needed from the talent function?” This might also facilitate another discussion: what exactly makes a good recruiter?
Busy, Busy, Busy
Despite not knowing exactly how to define quality and not looking ahead, the surveyed recruiters are busy, busy, busy. As many as 7 out of 8 say their department is understaffed or only at capacity’. Only 13% say they have overcapacity. Much relief does not seem to be on the way for them. Three-quarters of organizations say in the research they do not plan to hire extra recruiters. If they intend to do so, about half want to do it in-house; the other half prefer an RPO arrangement.
Engaging RPOs or freelance experts can be an effective way to quickly scale up and down.
This last option also fits well with the current uncertainty, says researcher Blaydes. “Engaging RPOs or freelance experts could be an effective way to quickly scale up and down, offering in-house talent teams some breathing room and maximum flexibility in managing their fluctuating recruitment needs.” According to some respondents, this also aligns with another trend: the rise of A.I. This could replace some of the tasks of current recruiters.
From Baby Boom to Migration Boom. Canada is known for its very friendly approach to migrants. With the ageing of the baby boomer generation in mind, the Canadian government is implementing a particularly open migration policy. Between 2024 and 2026, the Canadian government aims to admit approximately 1.5 million people, which is about 4% of the current population. In the next 10 years, it would amount to as many as 5 million immigrants in a country with a current population of about 39 million. In other words, 1 in 9 Canadians in 2034 do not live in Canada.
1 in 9 Canadians in 2034 do not currently live in Canada.
To compare this with the Netherlands, imagine having a government that states that we should admit another 2 million migrants in the next 10 years, reaching a population size not expected until 2060, according to current projections. Meanwhile, the ageing population in Canada is slightly less severe than in the Netherlands.
More Housing Needed
Migration alone in Canada necessitates at least 1.0 to 1.5% more housing per year. This is in addition to the demand from native Canadians due to factors like divorces and children leaving home. Consequently, the demand for housing is about twice as high as the supply, which increases by only about 0.5 to 1.0% annually. However, building additional houses was insufficiently or not at all included in the Canadian government’s migration plans.
Attracting foreign talent, especially in an attractive country like Canada, is a much smaller problem than realizing housing.
Attracting foreign talent, especially in an attractive country like Canada, is a much smaller problem than realizing housing. And since housing is not a requirement for labour migrants (note: this does not concern refugees), they are sometimes even accommodated in sports halls. This, combined with the most expensive housing market in the G7 countries (since 2000, house prices have become almost 2.5 times more expensive), puts pressure on the Canadian government’s plans.
Numbers but Not the Right Skills
Canada is a highly desired destination country. Thus, the problem is not the number of migrants but migrants with the right skills, competencies, and qualities. And what happens now that Canada’s borders are wide open? Neither the government nor the business community clearly understands who they need. Both have also not coordinated this well. Therefore, while quantity is achieved, quality is not. This impacts unemployment (which has risen to well above 6%), and salary development (which is under pressure for starters, young people, and generic roles).
The entire Canadian social system is actually under pressure due to migration.
In short, the people coming to Canada are not necessarily the nurses and mechanics needed. This does not relieve the labour market but rather burdens it further, quickly eroding support for the uncontrolled degree to which the borders have been opened. The housing market is suffering, and healthcare, education, and social services (everything within the public domain) are under pressure from the current migration boom. The entire social system of Canada, in other words.
Cultural and Language Barriers
This extra pressure arises from above-average demand by newcomers and cultural and language barriers that need to be overcome. This is also part of the problem: there is insufficient insight and coordination on (when) what skills and qualities are needed, and there is also a lack of data and information about the people entering. Only this year is the government starting to measure and register the numbers and skills of incoming migrants.
However, Canada has not abandoned its ambition to admit nearly half a million people annually. The country has taken various measures to gain better control over the process. These include:
Closing simple loopholes in the system;
All applications will now be processed online to gain more control over the influx. This process now takes longer (up to 3 months), causing discouragement. Previously, this sometimes happened in writing – with a stamp in a few minutes;
The quota has been set on the influx of specific skills/professions;
Students are allowed to work fewer hours (from 40 to 20 per week, or even less);
Rejecting applications for procedural errors. If a form is filled out incorrectly, you are rejected and thereby discouraged;
Instead of focusing on acceptance, the focus is now on rejection;
Only issuing visas on the personal title of migrants to combat human trafficking.
Many Parallels with Brainport
Regarding migration – whether knowledge workers, international students, or labour migrants – the lack of housing seems to be the biggest problem in the Netherlands. Especially for permanent immigrants, the social disruption associated with it may be an even more significant challenge. From healthcare to education, the broad public system is poorly equipped. In particular, regions like (Greater) Eindhoven and Amsterdam face challenges similar to those faced by Canada. How will Dutch twenty- and thirty-somethings ever be able to afford a house here?
The labor market no longer works in such a way that when someone retires, that gap needs to be filled.
Ageing is often used to explain why more people are needed in an economy. However, the labour market no longer works, so when someone retires, that gap needs to be filled. In many factories where once 1,500 people worked, now only 60 people work. Ageing is not a problem in the healthcare labour market; rather, it lacks quality in retaining young people in this field. Focusing on quantity does not solve the underlying problem of shortages in quality/skills.
BIG or Teaching Qualification
In short, bringing more people to the Netherlands does not solve the problems in education and healthcare. Especially if we also stick to admission thresholds in BIG, teaching qualifications, or proficiency in the Dutch language. The same almost applies to technicians, although obtaining the right certificates and qualifications here is slightly easier, provided they are available in the right language. Therefore, the labour market problems are not so much a numerical problem and are certainly not (only) caused by ageing. It is more of a qualitative problem.
If entry requirements are relaxed, sufficient entrants will first come from Dutch labor reserves.
This problem is also not solved through migration unless the entry requirements for many professions and sectors are relaxed. And in that case, sufficient entrants will first come from Dutch labour reserves. So what wise lessons can we learn from the Canadian experiences? How can we bring about necessary and smart immigration to the Netherlands?
8 Tips
The Dutch government and business community should align quotas for people’s required skills/qualities. Employers commit to these quotas. When these people come, the Dutch government ensures sufficient alignment in the public domain.
Let go of the salary requirement for knowledge workers and work with quotas on skills/professions. These skills/qualities must be testable and personal.
Employers must have conducted a Labor Market Impact Assessment, in which they can prove and demonstrate that these people/skills/qualities are not available in the Dutch market. They must also demonstrate that they pay at least market-conform rates.
Newcomers to the Netherlands must know how the Dutch labour market works (in case they lose their jobs) and have housing before arriving.
You must first have lived and worked temporarily in the Netherlands, and then you can get a permanent contract. This provides more certainty about the cultural fit with the company, the Netherlands, and/or the region/province where you live and work.
Employers who attract international people must regularly demonstrate that they possess intercultural skills. Newcomers must also regularly test their intercultural skills.
The Netherlands must also have one clear route to bring people in. Currently, UWV and IND differ too much, and there are loopholes here, among other things, via international treaties or regional agreements.
The Netherlands must have a much better view of the international talent currently available within its borders. Data, registration, and measurement must be requirements. Every international worker must have a ‘skills passport’ or a Europass.
Want to Know More?
The first edition of the conference Internationalization of the Dutch Labor Market occurred in Rotterdam in 2023. The second edition will take place in The Hague on September 9. During this conference, participants will be inspired by facts, context, practice, best practices, dilemmas, challenges, issues, and solutions. No sacred cows, just facts and practice. Problems and solutions. So sign up now:
You hear much about talent intelligence, or TI, in the recruitment industry. Last year, the first international conference on this topic was organized in Hoofddorp, and this year, the event will return there for its second edition in September. But what exactly are we talking about when it comes to this subject? And why is it important?
TI heavily utilizes buzzwords like big data, A.I., machine learning, and social listening.
If we first ask Google’s Gemini, we learn that Talent Intelligence is a relatively new field within the recruitment industry that revolves around ‘collecting, analyzing, and using data and insights about potential candidates and the labour market. The goal is to make informed decisions about recruitment, selection, and talent retention.’ We also learn that TI makes use of big data (online profiles, CVs, labour market data), AI and machine learning (advanced algorithms, always sounds good), and social listening (online conversations and discussions about vacancies and the labour market).
Active Listening
Let’s immediately ask about the benefits of this new TI approach because Gemini doesn’t take long to come up with an answer. Recruitment can become more efficient thanks to targeted searches and identifying the most promising candidates. Recruiters would also be better able to respond to supply and demand in the labour market and tap into a higher quality of candidates. By actively listening to the needs and expectations of candidates, the employer’s image can finally be strengthened, and the candidate experience can be improved, according to the A.I.
TI can promote diversity by uncovering biases in the recruitment process.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT also comes up with a similar list of ‘strategic reasons’ to use (more) Talent Intelligence, from gaining insights into the talent pool and market trends to cost reduction, faster time-to-hire, higher retention, and more strategic workforce planning. TI can also promote diversity by uncovering biases in the recruitment process and helping implement inclusive recruitment strategies, according to ChatGPT, which further points out that Talent Intelligence can stimulate better recruitment decisions, strengthen the employer brand, and drive growth.
TikTok or Telegram
Now, you quickly get those lists when you ask ChatGPT something, but according to Geert-Jan Waasdorp, the A.I. application is reasonably accurate this time. The founder of Intelligence Group, one of the companies in the Netherlands specializing in TI, believes that the value of this specific form of Business Intelligence lies particularly in knowledge of the target group and the external labour market. ‘With that, you can sometimes achieve a recruitment advantage of 12 to 18 months without anyone taking advantage of it now. Think now, for example, about using TikTok or Telegram. Or recruiting on channels where freelancers are located.’
‘How high is the turnover at your competitor? What skills are they recruiting for? With TI, you can gather that kind of information.’
He says TI can also give you insight into what is happening at the competition. ‘How high is the turnover there? Are people dissatisfied? Is a too-low salary offered? What skills are they recruiting for? With TI, you can gather and benefit from that kind of information. You can also discover new talent pools with it and gather arguments to start looking and recruiting differently internally. Once, Big Data was a trend. Now it is A.I. I think Talent Intelligence connects them all. Your insights combined with external data and a layer of A.I. over it to entice your target group.’
Grip on Your Most Important Resource
According to him, Talent Intelligence is indispensable for gaining control over the most important resource in your organization: people. ‘Those who master this never suffer from ageing or other surprises in the market. All recruitment successes have two ingredients: vision and data. Talent Intelligence provides the latter and is the fuel for vision. Knowing your target group and the labour market is essential in winning the war for talent. Without Talent Intelligence, talking about the war for talent is an empty shell. And you also don’t just run onto the battlefield without a gun.’
‘You also don’t just run onto the battlefield without a gun.’
His vision aligns with that of Draup, a Talent & Sales Intelligence Platform from Bangalore, India, which also outlines the significant benefits of a more data-driven approach to recruitment. ‘Talent Intelligence can reduce costs, improve the process, and reduce time-to-fill,’ says CEO Vijay Swaminathan, one of the speakers at the first edition of the Global Talent Intelligence Conference. ‘TI provides insight into the (in)effectiveness of current approaches to recruiting and managing talent and helps us revise our systems,’ he says. Without data, there is no chance for improvement.
Want to Know More?
Buy your tickets for the Global Talent Intelligence here. Or contact us for information about group tickets. GTIC
Tight labour market? Look globally, and you’ll find that there is, of course, plenty of talent. At Undutchables, we have been working with multilingual personnel for 28 years, both people already living in the Netherlands and those relocating from abroad, so we know the challenges and especially the benefits of employing an international workforce. This incredible talent source could be just the solution your company is looking for in the current job market. But how do you approach it? How do you get the most out of this underutilized talent pool?
3 Significant Shifts
First, let’s look at three significant shifts we currently see in the Dutch and global labour market:
#1. Scarcity: The shortage of skilled personnel is becoming an increasingly urgent problem. Economic growth combined with an ageing population creates a high demand for skilled workers, but while some companies find creative ways to tackle this problem, many others still struggle with dealing with the fact that they have more vacancies than available candidates.
#2. Laws and Regulations: Many governments have recently been paying more attention to their labour laws. This has already led to some policy changes in the Netherlands regarding requirements for temporary workers, work permits, and more, with further adjustments expected in the near future. Some of these changes open up recruitment options, such as work permits for freelancers or reduced financial requirements for start-ups hiring foreign workers. Other changes aim to improve the economy by creating clear policies and user-friendly systems.
Many governments have recently been paying more attention to their labor laws.
Of course, some changes, such as the proposed abolition of the 30% ruling for international employees or the tightening of permit requirements, can also create additional challenges. With all these political movements shaping the labour market landscape, it’s important to stay informed about current policies and upcoming legal changes to ensure you can easily navigate the complex landscape of labour regulations in the Netherlands and worldwide.
#3. A.I. and Digitalization: The rise of A.I. and digital technologies has recently caused a massive shift. This is also transforming job requirements. Some jobs are slowly being phased out as they are replaced by automation. Other jobs are being adapted or newly created to collaborate with digitized processes efficiently. At the same time, the use of machine learning in the workplace is increasing exponentially. This evolution in the types of jobs and tasks needed reinforces the need for a diverse talent pool.
Adding Diversity
With all these challenges, why add international and cultural diversity? Diversity, besides being a proven positive factor for business success, can also solve the difficulties of a tight labour market.
Diversity solves scarcity: By tapping into the global talent pool, you can creatively and effectively address the shortage of skilled workers in your local networks and help fill vacancies with great results. Not only will you increase the list of potential candidates, but you will also discover a diverse group of candidates who are already present in your backyard. Changing your search parameters and expanding your network can be a great way to gain an edge in a recruitment market that constantly complains about scarcity.
Better reflection of your target audience: A diverse internal team that reflects your customer base is better equipped to understand and meet the needs of your target audience. Your team will be better able to use their insights to improve processes that work better for your customers. This will enable team members to feel valued for their input while allowing your company to tailor products to customer needs better.
Broaden your customer base: Diversity also helps you resonate better with a broader audience. Besides better processes with target audience insights, reflecting the diversity of your customers internally and in your marketing efforts can help expand your reach. When more customers see themselves reflected in your brand and see that you are addressing their specific needs, they are more likely to use the products and services you bring to market. This is a great way to expand your business into new markets while improving your internal team culture.
More innovative ideas: Listening to different perspectives fosters creativity and ingenuity. A team of individuals with diverse backgrounds means more ideas due to how each person approaches a situation. This means you will see more out-of-the-box thinking, new angles, creative solutions, and more input and collaboration potential. This continuous innovation allows you to seize opportunities to improve current processes and add new methods that benefit your team (and results).
More revenue: Diverse teams can generate higher revenues through innovation and market expansion. With all the added creativity, market knowledge, broader customer base, and stimulating company culture that comes with a more diverse workforce, it’s no surprise that this will also increase your profit potential.
How to Benefit from This
‘International talent’ might sound like something you need a long boat or train trip (or at least an in-depth internet search). In reality, many great international candidates are already present in the Netherlands, but many companies are unaware of how to find and utilize this talent. The first step is knowing where to find these job seekers and how to ensure your job postings and company culture attract the talent you are looking for.
The key to becoming visible to international talent is: adapting your approach to this.
The key to becoming visible to international talent is adapting your approach. Branding initiatives that emphasize diversity and writing inclusive job postings are a good start. The strategy must go beyond just your exterior. A recruitment strategy that supports international job seekers and improves internal culture and processes to retain these employees once hired will help you get a grip on this part of the talent pool. But first, here are some tips to ensure your marketing strategy is aimed at the international target audience.
Tip 1: Dive into Your Target Audience:
The first step is always to get into the minds of your audience so you can understand their motivations, values, and needs. This can be extra challenging when reaching international candidates, as this target audience contains many variables. Thinking about some specific questions can set you on the right track. For example:
Where do they look? Discover which platforms and channels your target candidates use. International candidates, for example, might use country-specific alternatives to LinkedIn (such as Xing for Germany) or spend more time on platforms specifically designed for expats.
What are they looking for? Identify the key factors that attract them to an employer. This can again differ for international job seekers compared to local candidates as they may value a job where the company language is English or an employer that offers Dutch lessons as part of the package.
Why are they looking? Analyze their motivations for moving to a different country for work. Is it career advancement, a better work-life balance, or a specific industry not well-represented in their home country? These insights will help you craft a marketing message that appeals to their goals and aspirations.
Tip 2: Strengthen Your Employer Branding:
Adapting your employer branding to appeal to a diverse workforce will help you reach international candidates and support a diverse and inclusive internal culture. For example, a global audience may respond well to cultural sensitivity or diversity statements and feel reassured by efforts to promote diversity in the workplace. Even minor gestures like mentioning local accommodation support in job postings can make a big difference. Employer branding has a significant impact on recruitment. By ensuring your company’s values and branding align with the international audience, you make a stronger impression on potential candidates and ensure your company is seen as a welcoming and inclusive workplace.
Tip 3: Diversify Your Recruitment Strategies:
To reach international talent, you must be flexible and creative in your recruitment strategies. For example, you could partner with organizations specialising in global recruitment, attend international job fairs, or use social media platforms like LinkedIn to connect with potential candidates worldwide. By diversifying your recruitment strategies, you can expand your reach and attract a broader range of candidates.
Undutchables Recruitment Agency has extensive experience helping companies attract and retain international talent.
Undutchables Recruitment Agency has extensive experience helping companies attract and retain international talent. With 28 years of experience finding the best multilingual candidates, we can help you succeed in the dynamic labour market.
For more information on how we can help, visit our website or contact us directly. Whether you need help understanding the latest trends, adapting your employer branding, or implementing recruitment strategies, Undutchables is here to guide you.
By adapting your recruitment strategies, strengthening your employer branding, and deepening your understanding of the target audience, you can more effectively tap into the rich resources of international talent and overcome the current labour market challenges. And in doing so, you’ll position your company for sustained growth and success in a globally connected world.
Acquisition and Retention of Talent
Once your branding is ready, the real talent hunt can begin. Ideally, many job seekers will find you on their thanks to your new and improved marketing strategy. However, that’s not the only adjustment needed to onboard the right (international) talent. Your brand image is just the beginning. Fine-tuning your recruitment strategy to better appeal to international candidates and focusing on improving retention will make your efforts pay off.
1. Recruitment
When it comes to recruitment, you need to focus on making your internal recruitment process more inclusive and smoother and improving your job postings to be more attractive to the diverse audience you seek. This may require some adjustments, so we’ve added key points to consider as you redesign your recruitment strategy.
Assess which skills are essential: It’s tempting to include all possible desired skills in the job posting, whether they are must-haves or just nice-to-haves. By focusing on the skills essential for the position rather than an exhaustive list of qualifications, you can attract a broader group of candidates. This allows you to review applications you might not have received otherwise but which may have the most valuable skills for the role.
Write a strong job posting: You want to write a job posting that clearly describes the role and requirements. While doing this, choose your words carefully to avoid unconscious biases and stereotypes in your job description.
Create a diverse interview panel: Ensure diverse representation in your interview panels. Invite employees with different backgrounds, nationalities, roles, and genders to participate. This helps eliminate biases in internal decision-making and makes candidates feel welcome, showing that the company truly believes in diversity.
Train your hiring managers: The first impression potential new employees get comes from the interviews they attend and the hiring managers they meet. Train your management and recruitment teams to prioritize diversity, so this is reflected in the interviews they conduct.
Get your entire organization on board: When diversity initiatives are encouraged and supported throughout the organization (not just by HR), it becomes natural to make this part of the recruitment process and create an inclusive environment for international talent. This requires evaluating your company culture and possibly making changes. Help your employees see the value of a diverse team. It always starts with the leaders in your company, so engage them first by outlining the many benefits of working with diverse talent.
2. Retention
Focusing solely on attracting talent in a tight labour market can be tempting. Unfortunately, this often means that once a candidate says yes, the next equally important stages are forgotten. Creating an onboarding plan and fostering a culture where international employees can thrive is essential for employee retention. This also means you’ll have fewer open positions and be spared much of the pain of recruiting in a scarce market. How do you do that?
Create an onboarding plan: Ensure your onboarding program is clear and useful for international colleagues. Ensure training is available in a language the employee understands and the mentors can reach out to reflect the diversity you are trying to build. Consider incorporating different perspectives into your onboarding strategy. This helps you cover all bases, providing a great introduction to the company for all new employees.
Integrate diversity into onboarding: Make diversity and inclusion an integral part of the onboarding agenda. Show interest in the new employee’s professional and personal talents and experiences. This is also a good opportunity to communicate your company’s values and goals regarding diversity.
Create an inclusive culture: Ensure your commitment to a thriving diverse workforce continues after onboarding. Promote an environment where everyone feels valued and knows they belong by fostering a culture that encourages diversity at all levels.
Regularly seek feedback: Continuously improve by seeking feedback from your international employees. No one can tell you better whether you are doing your inclusion initiatives right than the employees who feel like the most diverse team members. Let them know their voice is valuable and you are interested in improving based on their feedback.
Conclusion
The benefits of international talent are clear, from addressing labour shortages to boosting innovation and a broader customer base. By adjusting your marketing strategy, fine-tuning your recruitment strategy to attract international talent, and improving your internal culture and processes to retain these employees, you can position your company for success in an increasingly global market. Before you know it, you’ll be ten steps ahead, as while your competitors struggle to find talent in a saturated market, your multilingual team is already hard at work.
About the Author
Aubrey de Wilde is a Digital & Content Marketer at Undutchables, specializing in working with international talent. Get in touch to discover how they can help you leverage this valuable talent pool.
Want to Learn More?
In 2023, the first edition of the conference Internationalization of the Dutch Labor Market took place in Rotterdam. Along with OTTO Work Force, the second edition will be held on September 9 in The Hague. During this conference, participants will be inspired by the facts, context, practice, best practices, dilemmas, challenges, problems, and solutions. There are no sacred cows, just facts and practice. Problems and solutions. So register now:
