What is E-Recruitment? Meaning and definition

E-recruitment, also called online recruitment or internet recruitment, is the procedure of using digital technologies and online platforms to search, screen, and hire candidates for job openings within an organization. It involves using different online channels like job boards, social media sites, company websites, and online recruitment platforms to advertise job openings, receive applications, evaluate candidates, and conduct the hiring process electronically. E-recruitment has many great benefits over traditional recruitment methods, such as broader reach, shorter response times, cost-effectiveness, and improved candidate experience. Moreover, it allows the recruiter to apply sophisticated tools and analytics for better candidate selection and more accurate decision-making, which in turn, leads to the enhancement of efficiency and effectiveness of the recruitment process.

Advantages of E-Recruitment

1.  Wider Reach: E-recruitment enables organizations to reach a wider job market through social media, professional content, and job boards. This greater outreach enhances the possibility of getting in touch with competent applicants, even those who are not currently seeking employment but are looking at the prospect of a new job.
2. Cost-Effectiveness: Rather than using old-fashioned methods of recruitment like print ads or job fairs, e-recruitment usually is cheaper. Publication of job ads online is, in fact, a cheaper form of advertisement, and the digital process is a resource-saving one that does not require paperwork and administrative overheads.
3. Faster Turnaround Times: Electronic recruitment provides for quick application of job applications and making hiring decisions. Nowadays, recruiters do not have to wait for the CVs to reach them physically, as they can receive applications online, efficiently review them, and communicate with the candidates more quickly.
4.  Improved Candidate Experience: E-recruitment platforms most of the time enable candidates to use an easy-to-follow and convenient interface for searching for job openings, submitting applications, and tracking the progress of their hiring process. This helps to improve the level of candidate experience and strengthens the organization’s employer brand.
5.  Enhanced Analytics and Reporting: E-recruitment platforms have advanced analytics and reporting features that recruiters can use to evaluate vital metrics like sources of applicants, time-to-hire, and candidates’ quality. This type of information allows for the implementation of data-driven decision-making processes and the development of a continuous improvement process.
6. Access to Passive Candidates: E-recruitment enables the discovery and participation of passive candidates who are not actively in job search but they could be receptive to new chances. Recruiters can also reach passive candidates by using targeted advertising and networking on professional social media platforms as a different way to approach them.

    

Disadvantages of E-Recruitment

1.  Limited Reach: While the e-recruitment may facilitate the reach to a wider audience, it would also exclude a certain demographic such as those with limited access to the internet or digital literacy skills. This may be one of the factors that lead to the narrowing of the candidate pool and, therefore, the candidates who apply for jobs using offline methods might be missed.
2. Increased Competition: Online job application has facilitated this process and as a result, e-recruitment typically yields more applications for each job vacancy. Recruitment managers may receive high numbers of applications, which can be difficult to handle promptly. This can cause delays in the processing and candidates may be overlooked.
3.  Lack of Personalization: Electronic recruitment does not always create a personal touch which is so critical for traditional recruitment methods. Automated application systems and standardized forms may cause a less personalized candidate experience, in which candidate engagement is reduced and candidates see themselves as just one of the applicants in the system.
4. Security and Privacy Concerns: Online recruitment platforms could suffer from security concerns, data theft, and privacy violations. Saving private candidate data in digital databases poses a security issue and may contradict the GDPR privacy law.
5. Overemphasis on Keywords: Some e-recruiting systems that use keyword-matching algorithms for screening and sorting resumes are heavy on them. On the other hand, the approach might leave out some qualified candidates whose resumes do not carry the exact keywords or phrases stated in the job descriptions, thus resulting in a mismatch between the candidates and the job requirements.
6. Technical Issues and Accessibility Barriers: E-recruitment platforms may face technical issues like glitches, downtime, or devices or browsers not compatible with the platform. Furthermore, candidates who are handicapped may face problems when using online application systems, so they cannot be involved in the recruitment process at the same level as other candidates.

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