Automation in early career recruitment often sparks concern among professionals. Many believe that automating processes might lead to robotic and impersonal interactions.

However, the reality is quite different. When used thoughtfully, automation can help talent acquisition (TA) teams focus more on personal interactions, improving the overall experience for both candidates and teams.

Let’s explore why automation doesn't have to come at the cost of personalization. Automation can free up time for genuine connections, support personalized communication, and build strong candidate communities.

Automation as a Tool to Enhance Human Engagement

Automation should be seen as an enabler of personal connection rather than a barrier. By automating repetitive tasks, TA teams can invest their time interacting directly with candidates. This isn’t about replacing human effort but redirecting it toward meaningful engagement.

Parker Pell, co-founder of Abode, emphasizes how TA teams benefit from regaining time previously spent on manual tasks. “Most clients, before using Abode, spend about 20% of their hours manually doing tasks the platform automates. That’s 20% of their time they can reclaim for relationship-building.”

This insight aligns with the “20% rule,” where automating 80% of routine work gives teams back 20% of their time to dedicate to more personal activities.

Understanding Candidate Needs for Genuine Engagement

Personalized recruitment has a big impact on how candidates see employers. This is especially true for younger generations entering the workforce. About 80-90% say their experience shapes their opinion of a company, and 60% feel that better engagement makes a difference.

Personalized communication helps build trust and boosts candidates' connections with and views of a company. Ben Siegel, CEO at Abode, points out, “Gen Z candidates often express that they want to know everything they can’t Google. That level of depth shows you care about their individual journey.” This means candidates want more than just standard updates—they want the kind of communication that recognizes their unique concerns.

Personalization makes candidates feel valued and seen. People are more likely to respond to communication that feels customized to them. For instance, an email that mentions specific details about a candidate’s background or career goals can have a greater impact than a generic message. This helps establish trust and keeps candidates engaged throughout the hiring process.

Adding a Human Touch to Automated Processes

Automated communication doesn’t have to feel impersonal. There are ways to make automated messages warm and relatable:

• Add relevant details: Including the candidate’s name and referencing their job role makes communication feel more personal.
• Use a friendly tone: Automated messages should read like a person, not a machine, writes them. This involves using conversational language that’s clear and approachable.
• Adaptable templates: Customize templates to fit different stages of the recruitment process, making them feel more aligned with each candidate’s journey.

Abode’s automation focuses on personalization at scale. Siegel explained, “We’ve designed our platform so candidates receive relevant information, creating a personalized experience without manual effort.”

Real-world Examples of Balancing Automation With Personal Touch

Cognizant, a global leader in IT services and consulting, faced a common early career challenge: keeping up with the demands of onboarding hundreds of new interns and employees without losing the personal connection that candidates value.

Their existing process was labor-intensive, involving over 80 hours a week spent on manual tasks like email follow-ups and routine communication. This was exhausting for early career hiring managers.

Recognizing these gaps, Cognizant leveraged Abode. They automated repetitive tasks, which freed up significant time for staff to focus on building relationships. Small but impactful changes, such as sending text reminders, using emojis, and crafting friendlier message templates, made for a warm and efficient onboarding experience. The results were remarkable: a 98% candidate adoption rate and engagement levels exceeding 91%.

Cognizant’s experience highlights the benefits of automation. TA teams can manage large-scale onboarding efficiently while creating a welcoming, personalized atmosphere for new employees.

Building a Community to Maintain Personal Connections

Maintaining a personal touch in large-scale recruitment requires building a strong sense of community. This is where Abode’s strengths shine. Pell adds, “Abode’s Community feature allows candidates to express themselves and share who they are, which helps them feel connected.” Creating this sense of community can help candidates feel like they belong before they even start the job.

For example, companies like Verizon and eBay have used community features within Abode to make their onboarding processes more personal. These tools allowed candidates to meet peers, find common ground, and even form bonds before their first day. This reduced the stress of starting a new job and made candidates feel more confident and comfortable.

A new way to think about community: In traditional setups, candidates might receive group messages or newsletters that don’t encourage real interaction. With Abode’s community tools, candidates can link their social profiles, share hobbies, and engage in discussions that go beyond professional introductions. As Siegel notes, “People want to know they’re not alone. Just seeing who else is in their cohort and being able to interact makes the process less daunting.”

Automation: More Than Just Efficiency

The benefits of automation go beyond time-saving, as it helps create a structured experience for candidates. Siegel recounts how a lack of communication can have serious consequences: “There was one case where someone didn’t hear from their company for two weeks after being hired and was eventually let go for not being productive enough. That could have been avoided with better preboarding and communication.”

Stories like this underline the importance of ensuring candidates have everything they need, from initial communication to their first day on the job. Automation helps ensure that no one is overlooked and that information reaches candidates promptly and in an organized way.

The Power of Combining Automation with a Human Touch

The best results come when automation is combined with thoughtful, human-led strategies. It’s not about choosing between tech and personal interaction but blending the two for a better outcome. Early career hiring is fundamentally a people business. Automation should serve as a tool enabling TA teams to return to that core purpose.

By integrating automated tools that handle routine tasks, early career hiring managers can invest in creating personal experiences for candidates. When they feel connected and engaged, they are more likely to respond positively, accept job offers, and remain committed to their roles.

Conclusion

Automation in early career recruitment isn’t about losing the personal touch—it’s about strengthening it. By handling repetitive tasks, automation gives TA teams more time to focus on genuine interactions, meaningful engagement, and building trust with candidates.

Schedule a demo and discover how Abode can help your TA team create better connections and stronger candidate experiences.

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