Traditional CV is dying: Employers are leveraging new technology to find ideal candidates

In the next three years, top HR executives and employers have asserted that the biggest impact on recruitment will be Technology Augmenting the Hiring Process. In other words, how technology will make the hiring process more effective through easier filtering and more accurate matching.

This discovery, along with other invaluable insights into the evolution of the job market has been pioneered through in-depth research conducted by ROAM (Ringier One Africa Media). ROAM encompasses the market-leading job portals in West Africa (Jobberman) and East Africa (BrighterMonday), as well as Executive recruitment and HR solutions firm, The African Talent Company. The company periodically surveys over 50,000 employers who use their services, to understand how employers see the hiring space and how ROAM’s brands can support the changes.

Matthew Page, ROAM’s Head of Jobs, credits a strong shift in the behavioral patterns amongst Millennial job-seekers as the main driver behind piloting research to better understand the trends. He says: “As advocates for the use and power of technology in the hiring space, we are pleased to see technology is on top of the HR agenda. It aligns with our vision to transform productivity on the African continent. We’re seeing some pretty incredible trends coming out of our millennial users. Firstly, the growth in job activity is massive over the last 3 years. It differs by market but some countries are seeing as much as 50% of the workforce being made up of millennials - these users are actively searching and enquiring about opportunities. More than any other demographic we have seen before.”

The company’s research further brought to light that increasingly Millennials are moving away from having physical CVs, and instead, are opting to store their data in a digital profile via the Jobberman web portal in West Africa and the BrighterMonday portal in East Africa respectively. “This is convenient”, says Page. “Job Seekers - and especially millennials - are mobile-centric. They are hungry for the right job and they are looking for an easier to use, digital application processes. Sending a CV over email or via post is slow, arduous and inefficient.”

This aligns with the trends ROAM has uncovered on employer beliefs for augmentative hiring processes. Page goes on to say: “Having structured data in a digital profile is good for the employer and the seeker. The data is in the cloud, is easily edited and allows for a seamless desktop to mobile experience. For employers, filtering through 100 CVs in hardcopy is a nightmare task. Being able to match profiles to role requirements with technology takes out the manual element and allows for focus on what really matters - the top matching candidates.”

Clemens Weitz, CEO of ROAM, doubles down on the potential for growth in African productivity: “In the future, hiring decisions will be vastly improved through technology. The hard copy CV as the main instrument for candidate selection is a 20th-century practice that our generation will be the last to see. For both candidates and hiring managers, there are tremendous positives ahead. As more candidates embrace digital profiles, it is imperative employers leverage the sourcing technology available or risk missing out on ideal applicants.”