Rahul Sahay, Senior Vice President – HR at Virtusa Corporation in an interaction with Janifha Evangeline, Editor, The Higher Education Review shares his views on how automation can effectively supplement traditional talent sourcing methods, what unique approaches should organizations today follow to utilize CRM platforms in talent acquisition and more.

Although traditional recruitment methods have been and are still being utilized by employers across the globe, these techniques within hiring and recruitment are simply not enough to acquire top talent in a technological era. Tell us how automation can effectively supplement traditional talent sourcing methods?

At Virtusa, we have harnessed cutting-edge tools and platforms to enhance our recruitment endeavours. Our advanced CRM platform offers unparalleled insights into potential candidates, utilizing advanced analytics to precisely identify suitable matches for each position, thereby ensuring relevant talent does not go unnoticed. Embracing the AI revolution wholeheartedly, we employ platforms like VeriClick and HackerRank, AI-enabled assessment tools that comprehensively evaluate candidates. These digital tools swiftly assess skills, knowledge, and potential, providing us with profound insights into candidates' abilities. Our user-friendly Chatbot solution creates welcoming interactions, inviting applicants into our realm. By amalgamating these technological innovations, we have significantly reduced our time-to-hire while broadening our reach to discover best in class talent.

A good CRM lets you take a more active role when it comes to recruiting efforts. With a Talent CRM, you can plan & pipeline talent and target the prospects. Modern CRM systems automate much of the tedious processes and admin that recruiters spend so much time on. Please elaborate on what unique approaches should organisations today follow to utilise CRM platforms in talent acquisition.

In today's highly competitive market, talent plays a vital role. It is an intangible energy that drives the operations of each company. Without this, any business would face significant challenges. Thus, hiring suitable talent becomes an absolute necessity for every organization.

The era when talent acquisition was a straightforward decision has now passed. In the modern landscape, a comprehensive recruitment strategy involves various aspects, from assessment, hiring to managing and retaining talent. Employers now initiate considerable efforts to identify outstanding candidates who can adapt to ever-changing dynamics and showcase their expertise in driving business transformation. Hence, Virtusa utilizes CRM platforms, especially the Candidate Intelligence Index. By harnessing the power of AI-driven profiling, this platform effectively engages candidates and streamlines the entire recruitment process. The notable outcomes include faster candidate engagement, efficient acquisition of candidates, and enhanced communication with potential candidates.

Kindly elaborate on the role of technology in fostering agility throughout the hiring process of an organisation. How can companies ensure alignment with global standards in their hiring practices?

At Virtusa, the technology significantly enhances our hiring agility. We use advanced CRM and AI-driven assessment platforms for insights on candidates and faster evaluations. AI-powered predictive analytics help anticipate talent needs and address skill gaps proactively. This streamlines recruitment, adapting to changing demands. 

Our 'Center of Excellence (CoE)' initiative for campus recruitment in India and Sri Lanka selects colleges via a precise RFP process, building connections, co-curating curricula, and offering specialized programs. With partnerships with 86 Indian colleges, we prioritize them, providing industry specific programs and internships. Our CoEs have grown from 4 colleges to 52, training students and professors. We aim to increase CoEs to 87 colleges by next year, especially in Chennai, by collaborating with esteemed institutions like VIT, SRM, SSN, and Satyabhama. Our campus hiring strategy thrives on strong college relationships, bespoke programs, and prioritization, leading to successful recruitment.

Please elaborate on how organisations can leverage data collected from diverse sources to bridge gaps and expediting the hiring process.

We utilize data from different sources to improve the hiring process. Analyzing information from job portals and social media provides us with insights into candidate preferences and trends, facilitating efficient candidate identification. Predictive Analytics, fueled by data, assists in forecasting future talent needs and proactively handling skill deficiencies. This method optimizes the hiring process, enhances candidate experiences, and aligns our recruitment strategy with changing demands.

How do you see the Online Recruitment technology market evolving in the near future?

In the near future, substantial transformation is expected in the online recruitment technology market. AI and automation are poised to simplify procedures, data analytics will furnish valuable insights, and candidate interactions will be elevated. The landscape will be influenced by factors such as remote work integration, skill evaluations, and efforts to promote diverse hiring. Generative AI could potentially enhance verification processes, and there will likely be an expansion in the scope of global talent acquisition. The gig economy is anticipated to propel the development of targeted talent platforms. In summary, technology will foster efficiency, inclusiveness, and adaptability within the recruitment value chain.