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ePaper created 2018-05-09, 10:37:37 | version 1.38.0
06 BUSINESS Show Tribune United Kingdom Edition | 1/2018 Technology and dental recruitment By Luke Arnold, UK Before the advent of profession al networking sites like LinkedIn and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, specialist re cruiters relied heavily on their net work of contacts and market knowl edge to find a shortlist of suitable candidates. While this is still the case today, online platforms have opened the door to a whole new world of potential candidates, mak ing it easier to discover both exist ing and emerging talent that may have otherwise remained unknown. At the click of a button, recruit ers and employers alike can now sift through a pool of candidates quickly. Professionals can also be contacted directly through mes senger applications and by phone, meaning a wide variety of potential candidates can be reached—includ ing passive applicants, which as we know make up a large proportion of the talent pool. For candidates, LinkedIn can act as a “shopfront”, al lowing them to demonstrate their career achievements and skills and to promote themselves to a wide range of potential employers. AD Between online job sites and networking/social platforms, it is now much easier to advertise va cant positions and hiring inten tions, and in a much richer way too, owing to the use of multimedia. Indeed, unlike traditional media that focuses purely on the job role, modern advertising can incorpo rate mediums such as vox pops or videos of staff and the workplace to tell the story of an organisation. The only drawback to the introduc tion of these broadcasting plat forms is that, for some active appli cants, having access to that amount of information can sometimes make it more difficult to narrow down the job search and that is where companies like Dental Elite offer help. In addition to social and profes sional networking platforms, tech nological tools such as Skype and FaceTime are becoming increas ingly more useful for recruiters during the initial stages of the in terview process. For obvious rea sons, being able to screen a poten tial candidate “face to face” without having to actually meet in person can be extremely time efficient and is far more insightful than having a phone conversation. This can be particularly helpful in the begin ning when trying to whittle down candidates to a short list and for feeding back information to the client. The other plus point to modern technology is that recruiters are now able to access a greater level of data and emails on the move and at home. This not only affords greater flexibility for recruitment agencies, but also provides a more convenient service to candidates who may prefer to communicate outside of normal office hours. The downside of technology, of course, is that employers are able to access far more personal infor mation about applicants than was possible before. As their findings could influence their final decision, it is important to maintain a pro fessional online presence at all times, even on personal accounts on sites like Facebook. Altogether, the advent of digi tal technology has had a profound effect on recruitment. By effec tively using the most uptodate technologies available, employers are better placed to find the ideal candidate, and jobseekers are more likely to find a position that suits their clinical skills and personal preferences. As for agencies like Dental Elite that specialise in den tal recruitment, technology will no doubt continue to play a key role in the hiring process over the coming years. Luke Arnold is currently the Director of Recruitment Services for Dental Elite in the UK.