“TA tomorrow will be AI-backed, that’s for sure! But the part on human touch is yet for us to write.” AI and automation have changed the rules, and many are trying to figure out what future lies ahead for the Talent Acquisition industry. How to balance automation and human touch? What will candidates seek in a company tomorrow? How will TA experts adjust to new expectations? In this interview, our Talent Acquisition Manager Julien, helps us decrypt the challenges that lie today and tomorrow for recruiters. Have a good read!
I joined the field ten years ago as part of an executive search consultancy, even though I had no experience in recruitment at that time. I soon realized what a great opportunity it was to connect with talented individuals in the industry while building meaningful relations.
Creating career opportunities; It’s so rewarding to help people land the right job and see them grow and thrive in the company later. And of course, I enjoy being in a strategic position where I can partner with leaders and help them shape their teams from day one.
It is challenging to find the right balance between automation/AI and human/customized candidate interactions. AI and automation have changed the rules, but we still need to guarantee authentic communication and a personalized approach to candidates. The context has grown complex but human touch is still key to navigate it. Even today, what increases candidates’ engagement is providing them with personalized interactions every step of the way. Challenges often bring both risks and opportunities. If you take the impact of LinkedIn and Glassdoor in job search today, we can say that such platforms have led to more transparency on one side, but also to new reputation risks in terms of employer branding. The last challenge we are struggling with as recruiters in tech is how highly competitive it gets when looking for niche talents; There what you find is a real candidate-driven market.
It has helped us to optimize, better prioritize, and also automate redundant administrative tasks. Though we need to maintain a human touch to avoid any impersonal candidate experience or hiring process, AI allows us recruiters to focus on strategic tasks and high value activities. To me, it shouldn’t be a debate of AI versus humans. We should drive this change and make them work together. Preserving human contact is undeniable as it also prevents potential AI inaccuracies and limit unethical use. The emergence of AI has also brought a new approach with fraud detection and identity verification. Another impact I can think of is how skills-based assessment has grown more complex today due to Gen-AI tools.
A common point between HR Tech and AI for hiring is they both leverage technologies to improve and optimize recruitment or onboarding. With HR tech, we were aiming for top notch solutions like ATS, Learning solutions, and Talent Development platforms. For these solutions to remain on the top tier, they need to have an AI component that can upgrade their features and help them to differentiate themselves from competitors. As AI has become a marketable buzzword, it can be tricky to distinguish solutions based out of real AI. That is also why it’s important to educate about AI and advocate for its ethical use.
It’s important to talk transparently with the candidates, making sure they understand the environment they will be evolving in. The candidate must be aware that we are an international NASDAQ listed company that fosters a multicultural environment with global company values, integrates global teams or scopes, and promotes English across its organization. It’s about finding the balance between local and global, and even though we’re global, each Criteo office has kept its own vibe, history with the region and local particularism. I believe those are key to fostering a stronger sense of local belonging.
We have introduced "Criteo Adventure" - an immersive onboarding journey tailored for new hires, which offers an experience both local and global. It starts with a global onboarding experience, providing resources to all the new joiners globally so they can get acquainted with our culture, mission and connect with colleagues from teams across the world. Then, we offer a local onboarding so they can get familiar with the office location and its unique culture to foster a stronger sense of belonging and enthusiasm in their new role. New joiners can also have a Buddy to help them navigate workplace processes and various aspects of the daily routine. Lastly, every new joiner is concluding their onboarding with an in-depth “role trek”, an exploration of their specific responsibilities, to gain a comprehensive grasp of their new role in the company. Through this journey, we try to provide both local and global perspectives.
Ideally, the future of TA includes automation and optimization facilitated by AI, while improving human touch with tailored and thoughtful candidate experience. TA tomorrow will be AI-backed, that's for sure, but the part on human touch is yet for us to write.
From the inside
How will TA experts navigate global talent search in the AI era? How is AI reshaping the tech and TA industry? If you have asked yourself those questions, then you're in the right place to get some answers.
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From the inside
Mentoring is a two-way street, so after Seb's journey, let's hear about Julien's, his mentor.
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