How Savvy Employers Are Discovering Hidden Talent Gems
An interview with Thad Price, CEO at Talroo
Q: Please tell us a little bit about Talroo. What services does the company provide, and who are your typical customers?
At Talroo, we’re dedicated to connecting employers with the talent they need to thrive.
Our platform helps employers reach new frontline, essential, and skilled worker talent audiences through innovative job advertising and hiring event products. We are hyper-focused on helping employers build quality candidate pipelines to achieve hiring goals on time and within budget.
Interestingly, Indeed only covers about 60% of the job search market. There are thousands of online sites where job seekers look for opportunities.
Talroo helps employers access the other 40%, tapping into pools of unique candidate audiences and making smart job advertising decisions.
Our approach is like a mutual fund: we scale up investments in candidate audiences driving high-intent, quality candidates and scale back those that are not performing as well—all in real-time.
Our engine powers millions of job searches daily across thousands of online sites, using apply signals from applicant tracking systems to optimize cost per hire goals.
We primarily serve industries with high-volume hiring needs, such as retail, hospitality, healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing, catering to businesses of all sizes that require a steady flow of qualified candidates to support their growth and operations.
Q: How has the recruitment landscape changed over the past 10-20 years? What are job seekers looking for today? What do companies want in their candidates?
The recruitment landscape has transformed dramatically over the past couple of decades. We've moved from traditional newspaper ads to sophisticated online platforms redefining where we find work and how we work.
Job seekers today are looking for more than just a paycheck—they want meaningful work, flexibility, and a strong company culture.
They prioritize companies that offer growth opportunities, work-life balance, and inclusive environments.
Additionally, quality candidate sourcing is more important than ever.
Job seekers now use an average of 7.6 job sites to find their next opportunity.
This means that employers need to be present at the right time and at the right place to reach and attract the best talent. Quality talent audiences are all around us, not only on the largest job sites.Â
Companies are increasingly focused on finding candidates who not only have the necessary skills but also fit well with their organizational culture. They’re looking for adaptable, resilient, and innovative individuals who can thrive in dynamic environments. The emphasis on cultural fit and soft skills has never been stronger.
Q: How is AI transforming the recruitment process? Are we moving towards a scenario where AI is involved in every step—writing job listings, helping candidates create resumes and cover letters, deciding which jobs to apply for, submitting applications, and sorting through these AI-generated applications?
AI is revolutionizing recruitment in profound ways, and its role is becoming increasingly integral to every step of the hiring process. Using AI in recruitment is a strategic choice that accelerates the hiring process, benefiting both employers and job seekers.
AI helps in writing job listings by identifying the most effective language to attract candidates and assists candidates in creating optimized resumes and cover letters, ensuring they highlight the most relevant skills and experiences.
By optimizing or removing redundant data entry tasks, AI allows us to dedicate more time to meaningful interactions, thus enhancing the human element necessary in hiring.
Properly implemented, AI in recruitment is a win-win, speeding up the process without sidelining the human aspect. It's not about replacing human judgment but enhancing it, ensuring we connect with the right talent swiftly and effectively.
This efficiency not only streamlines the hiring process but also positively influences the company's image.
Employees and candidates will perceive an organization that values innovation, respects their time, and is serious about investing in quality. It’s about setting a tone for the workplace where innovation and efficiency are at the core of what we do, reflecting positively on the company’s culture and emphasizing our commitment to both people and technology.
Ultimately, this is the net result of technological innovation over the years: productivity. For HR, productivity means doing more of what HR should be doing—supporting, cultivating, and finding our company's most precious resource, people.
AI streamlines and augments the recruitment process, making it more efficient and effective while ensuring that the human touch remains a crucial part of hiring.
Q: What should job candidates know about Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)? We keep hearing about people applying to 100+ positions and never hearing back. Are their resumes even being seen?
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) have become integral to the recruitment process, particularly for larger organizations.
It’s estimated that 97% of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS to manage their hiring processes.
These systems help automate repetitive tasks like resume screening, candidate assessment, and interview scheduling, significantly reducing the time and cost associated with recruitment. But remember, it’s not always the ATS software, it’s the company.
However, this automation also introduces challenges for job seekers. Many resumes are filtered out before a human even sees them, often because they don’t contain the right keywords or are not formatted correctly for the ATS.
Reports suggest that resumes not optimized for these systems may never reach a recruiter’s desk. To increase their chances, candidates should tailor each resume to the job description, focusing on including relevant keywords and skills.
Moreover, the sheer volume of applications means that even qualified candidates might not get noticed. Studies show that job openings can receive anywhere from 100 to 250 applicants, with the number being even higher for well-known companies. This high volume makes it crucial for job seekers to optimize their resumes for ATS to stand out in the initial screening.
To better navigate this landscape, job seekers should:
- Use clear, straightforward formatting without complex designs or special characters.
- Ensure their resumes are in a compatible format, typically .doc, .docx, or PDF.
- Include specific keywords from the job description to improve their ATS score.
- Tailor each application to the specific job to increase relevance and visibility.
Understanding how ATS works and adapting to its requirements can significantly enhance a candidate's chances of being seen and considered for a role.
Despite the automation, human judgment still plays a vital role, and ensuring your resume makes it through the initial filters is a critical first step.
Q: What emerging trends do you see in the job market today, and how should job seekers adapt to these trends? How should they approach the job search differently from what they might have been taught in school?
One of the trends we’re observing, especially in the frontline worker segment, is a notable decrease in remote and hybrid work models. According to our recently published Frontline Worker Index, work-from-home positions have decreased by 16 points year over year, now standing at 40.
This shift indicates a growing emphasis on in-person roles as businesses prioritize on-site operations and face-to-face interactions. Job seekers in these sectors should focus on honing skills that are valuable for on-site roles and demonstrate their readiness to work in physical environments.
Upskilling and continuous learning remain crucial as the job market evolves with technological advancements. Candidates should focus on developing both technical and soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
Another trend is the growing importance of personal branding—job seekers should leverage social media and professional networks to showcase their expertise and connect with potential employers.
Additionally, we are seeing a shift towards skills-based hiring strategies, where assessments and demonstrated abilities are given more weight than traditional criteria such as experience and educational achievements.
This approach allows employers to identify candidates who have the specific skills needed for the job, often leading to a more diverse and capable workforce.
The job search today is about being proactive, continuously improving, and staying informed about industry trends. Emphasizing your skills and adaptability can significantly enhance your employability in this evolving landscape.
The Latest Articles
Thad Price is CEO of Austin-based ReadySetHire and Talroo. ReadySetHire is the new product for small-to-medium sized businesses, franchisees, and recruiters seeking to hire frontline and essential workers. It’s powered by Talroo, the multi-award-winning talent matching platform for enterprises designed for sourcing essential and hourly workers.
Thad has more than 20 years of experience in the online recruitment and job search vertical, is a recognized thought leader in the HR/TA space, and he genuinely believes that there is no industry that plays a more integral role in the economy. Thad uses his cross-functional experience to turn client feedback into innovative products that continue Talroo’s mission of improving lives, one job seeker and one employer at a time. Prior to joining Talroo, he was a VP of Business Development at Job.com. Connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/thad-price-2368b/