How AI takes us beyond the boundaries of job postings

The professional world is undergoing a fundamental transformation as a result of artificial intelligence. No area remains unaffected. Chatbots serve customers, text robots like ChatGPT and Bard or image generators like Stable Diffusion assist with marketing, and AI-based systems predict when maintenance work is due on the shop floor.

Still, there are sectors that do not welcome these new capabilities, including human resources departments. Numerous companies still rely on job ads as a recruiting channel - an approach that is outdated, imprecise and inflexible. Potential candidates are not attracted to generic, stereotypical descriptions. Essential factors such as skills and cultural fit are often ignored, inevitably leading to a mismatch between companies and new hires - with unpleasant and costly consequences.

However, job advertisements are not only unsuitable for recruiting. They also provide information about outdated structures in companies, which are increasingly becoming a major obstacle for them: Working in clearly defined jobs, for example. Once defined, they often remain unchanged for a long time. Tasks that do not fit into existing job profiles are thus overlooked or shifted back and forth between departments because no one feels responsible. In addition, new areas of responsibility, such as those necessitated by ongoing technological change at even shorter intervals, are often neglected if there is no predefined job for them. In such scenarios, the organization misses out on important opportunities for co-design and innovation and thus, stagnates.

Advancing digitalization has already forced many companies to rethink and act. Artificial intelligence potentiates this need. It transforms tasks, processes and entire work areas in an unprecedented way. What does this mean for recruiting? What will replace jobs and job ads in the future?

Role beats position:

The introduction of roles (or: areas of responsibility) can be a significant driver of organizational change. Encrusted power structures that make it difficult for competent employees to make quick decisions can be overcome through a role-based approach. In this way, large organizations, in particular, can transform themselves from a "ponderous colossus" into an agile organism.

Skills instead of stations:

Emerging roles, such as the "human-robot relationship manager," demonstrate it. Here, in addition to technological skills, adaptability and willingness to learn are particularly in demand. Previous stations do not exist for this role; therefore, they cannot be represented in the resume. The skills required can be communicated much better with a kind of "skill map" or with easy-to-use digital analysis tools.

Focus on "no-regret moves":

This includes hiring people who share the company's values. Cultural fit is becoming a decisive factor in recruiting and employee retention. Evidence shows that the top 5 satisfaction factors among employees are value-based. This includes the opportunity to learn and develop on the job. Career crafting and internal talent mobility must therefore become fixed components of the recruiting strategy. Companies that enable individual development paths benefit from lower turnover and a stronger employer brand, which in turn attracts new talent.

Strengthen employer branding:

How a company presents itself to the outside world, on which channels it communicates and what former applicants say about the company is a key success factor in recruiting. Particularly in view of the so-called "passive applicant market," a contemporary image and communication at eye level can attract talent to the company.

Make selection processes comprehensible:

The lack of applications, for example from women or non-native speakers, is usually not the result of a lack of self-confidence, but instead of the opacity of the selection process. Even HR employees themselves know that the requirements formulated in a job advertisement are often unrealistic and do not expect applicants to fulfill them one hundred percent. Potential applicants, who are not aware of this, do not apply. In order to promote more diversity, it is therefore essential to move away from traditional job advertisements. As AI evolves, new methods for contemporary recruiting are emerging. They enable people looking for jobs to apply at low thresholds to the companies that really suit them.

Conclusion:

With these five steps, companies are not only moving toward future-proof HR development but also fostering a dynamic and adaptable corporate culture that is in line with employees' values and goals. In the age of artificial intelligence, a paradigm shift in recruiting is not only becoming more urgent but also possible thanks to AI - away from traditional job ads and toward methods that focus on values and competencies. In this way, companies create the best conditions for being successful in the rapidly changing professional world.