Web 2.0 and its impact on recruitment

Web 2.0 refers to a perceived second generation of web-based communities and hosted services – such as social-networking sites, wikis, blogs, RSS and online videos etc, which facilitate collaboration and sharing between users. The key aspect of Web 2.0 is that instead of being a channel of communication the web is now moving towards a more collaborative community where anybody can develop content and share views with the world.

Recruitment domain can also take advantage of Web 2.0 in many ways:

User-generated content for greater participation

Job Board can implement this technique by letting visitors rank the job posts; write reviews about employers and different jobs; interact with other visitors; share opinions; write about other job opportunities; and more. Employers and recruiters can also participate by answering questions; rating candidates; conducting online tests for candidates; leaving comments on features; and so on.

Online communities

The web is having a great impact on the way people are socializing. There has been a tremendous increase in social networking sites where word spreads like fire. Sites like Orkut.com, MySpace.com, Facebook.com, and the likes enable people across the world to create profiles; form groups and communities of like-minded individuals; interact with each other; share views; send personal messages; upload videos and images; the list is endless. Imagine the opportunities recruiters have in such a space. There are many technical and profession-related forums and communities too where people interact with each other. Jobs could be posted in a subtle way, or corporate brand building could be done.

Content syndication

Perhaps one of the major enablers of Web 2.0 is Real Simple Syndication (RSS). Through RSS people can subscribe to information feeds and then display those feeds on their site. One website can have content coming from multiple sources. A recruitment website can take advantage of RSS by sending out feeds on job alerts, and other recruitment related information. They can also display feeds from relevant news and content sources and blogs.

Blogs

Another major force behind Web 2.0 is the phenomena of blogging. Blogs have enabled everybody across the world to publish personal content free of cost. There are many websites like WordPress.com, Blogger.com, etc., that let users design their own blog and upload content whenever they want. This has given information sharing a whole new dimension. Candidates are giving links of their blogs on their resumes to showcase their knowledge and their activity in the online world.

Video resumes

Multimedia capabilities in all computer systems and easy access to digital cameras have made it possible for candidates to prepare innovative video resumes. They can record their own video and talk about their skills and strengths as if in an interview. Such resumes are especially used by creative people who want to apply for jobs in media or designing. These videos can be distributed all over the web through social networking sites or video sites like YouTube.com.

In such a scenario, high-end applicant tracking systems can enable recruiters to give a new meaning to recruitment process. The need of the hour is to become internet savvy. Recruiters have to understand the new online hangouts and be there to observe people and find prospective candidates.