In 1989, a computer scientist named Berners-Lee released a hypertext system that enabled fast communication across the Internet. He called it the World Wide Web.
Fast forward twenty five years, and we can see the countless ways this invention has changed our lives. Not only has it helped create a global economy by connecting our expansive world, but it also has enabled new modes of communication—from email to social media.
These changes, while beneficial, have altered almost every way we do business, including the ways we attract talent. From how employers market their opportunities to the ways we acquire candidates, the internet has changed the face of recruiting.
In honor of its 25th birthday, we’ve decided to look back on how the web has shaped the way we do recruiting, and the advantages it’s brought along the way.
There once was a time when the only thing you needed to attract talent was a now hiring sign. Today, companies enlist employment brands and strategic marketing platforms to reach their candidates. They use career sites, video and social platforms to get their brand to market.
What’s the advantage? Companies use their brand as a competitive edge. Both for their candidates and for their customers. Because let’s face it—great teams are the foundation for inspiring productivity and creating great customer experiences.
Today, employers also have to be honest when it comes to peddling their employment brand. With tools like social media and employee feedback sites, job seekers have more power than ever before to keep companies accountable for candidate and employee experiences.
Recruiters and employers alike are responding to the feedback. They’re listening to job seekers’ needs, and using that knowledge to adapt. As a result, employers are creating attractive brands that cater to their talent, while offering a genuine glimpse of work life through a living, breathing career site.
Before the World Wide Web, recruiters reached new candidates by placing an ad in their local newspaper. Candidates would reply by applying in person or faxing in their paper resume. Before the first call, this was really the extent of interaction between recruiters and job seekers.
Today, recruiters don’t have to wait for Sunday to attract candidates. Instead, they can engage candidates around the clock using their career site. They can virtually meet prospects and provide a real glimpse into what it’s like to work there through the power of online video. And they can obtain new candidates in all new ways, including resume databases, social media, and mobile recruiting.
By providing such transparency, the web has facilitated more open communication between recruiters and job seekers. Today, we have tools like messaging platforms and talent communities, so both parties have the ability to express their interest at any time.
Looking back on the way the web has changed our lives, we can see its influence has affected almost every function of the recruiting industry. While many have been disruptive, these changes have inevitably strengthened our role as a critical factor to company success.
