Felipe Cruz García

Talent Acquisition Specialist – Mexico

We all know that nowadays finding a job can be a bit complicated due to the evolution of technology even though everyone can think that such technology can facilitate everything, but  it doesn’t; let’s talk specifically about how recruitment has been involved or has become familiar with the evolution of technology and new generations.

I ́ll start by explaining how recruitment was carried out in past times when at some point our great-grandparents and grandparents and why not even our parents were part of this recruitment process that for us could be obsolete. We will start talking about the last five generations and their evolution.

Let’s start with Baby Boomer (1946 to 1964) as I mentioned before the majority of our grand-parents could have been part of this period and who were the first mentors in attend university and were able to have a professional career as we know it today; they began in activities that in many cases they didn’t want to carry out but there was “no choice” because they had to help their families economically, it was an obligation, need and personal satisfaction, but daily life took them to have a conformist mentality regarding projects, goals and limited dreams, doing what was socially correct.

Recruitment for the most part was always by job opportunities through recommendations from family or friends, sometimes through newspaper ads. The process was simple and very obsolete where only one conversation or interview was enough to grant professional work and being  honest we all know it as the Stone Age due to the rigid and square way processes were undertaken. In a unique and amicable way, youth call it the dinosaurs in the labor field; Isn’t this funny?

Now, let´s move on to the next one and talk about Generation “X” (1965-1980). This period is not longer known as the dinosaurs but rather the Paper Age because in this stage elements and work tools emerge which facilitate work and if indeed we talk about when writing machines arose and the beginning of computers, those devices that we recall were heavy, big and bulky. In this period many of our grandparents had a profession and led an area in particular. Recruitment was no longer offered by a recommendation, either family or personal of a friend or acquaintance; new means of publishing emerge as well as a process called “Recruitment” where it was more specific and precise, there was a group of persons or candidates with the best skills and knowledge according to their academic record; and not only the academic but the psychological were taken into account, what leads me dear reader to tell you that psychometric and occupational tests arise where the emotional and psychological part of the person was evaluated.

It is very important to mention that in this era where generation “X” is involved is valuable as it begins without realizing the involvement of technology and recruitment by different forms and means.

Let’s continue with one of the most controversial generations in that time, Generation “Y” (1981-

1996) better known as “Millennials”, where everyone says that they are born with a whole 

technological revolution and rebellion in all processes in the labor field, and not only in this field but also in work tools, they evolve to greater capacities and make work easier not only for this generation but also for past generations, which abstain and resist adapting to this new world. 

I would like to emphasize that within this generation the internet is born and arises (International Net) in the year 1982, thanks to ARPANET which is comprised of 200 scientists in the United States of America, which find a new NETWORK and form of communication faster and secure;  but let´s stay on topic and you will ask yourself, what does recruitment have to do with this new technology?, ah it is plain and simple because with this new way to communicate faster and innovative the creation of recruitment platforms is given where you can post ads or advertising to attract more volume of professionals to your company and this is where a radical change 

begins to take place and the paper era is left behind and everything is digitalized.

Recruitment in this era was given broadly, especially at different distances; new recruitment methods are created and screening interviews or experiences are strengthened, because the companies seek to innovate and be modernized to be able to coexist or simply exist in this field.

New recruitment and selection methods were sought to obtain suitable staff for such tasks, in addition technological testing is being applied in order to see who tends to be innovative and has better skills.

I wish I could keep talking more about this generation but we have to continue with the following generation, Generation “Z” (1997 to 2012) better known as “Centennials” where recruitment was strong and established and with a more accurate communication, due to the major evolution and great emergence of the previous generation, where even within the new platforms you could  create a profile and emphasize your academic level and labor experience, in order to apply to a vacancy of your profession or career or that the same company can observe your work and in this way contact you; communication used to be through your personal mail where all type of personal and work processes were undertaken and the backup of all the process, avoiding that such information remains in the air or without backup; it is important to mention that when attending an interview, you used to take your printed CV with you, and some steps of past generations were undertaken but with more founded and supported screenings because new information could be obtained immediately due to the internet technology advancement.

Have you noticed up to now that technology did influence recruitment and vice versa?

Before moving on to the next generation it is of great importance to mention that in this 

generation social media emerged, which will be very important in the future in every area. Now, let’s move onto the next generation who are the children of now and tomorrow with the best update and technology and yes we are talking about Generation “T” (2013 to 2025) better known as “Alfa” and where we can point out that automation and standardization of processes in the workplace are established thanks to thrust and evolution that the technology has right now. Until this point I can say that recruitment had a great turn because paper processes are left behind and it begins to be more interactive and technological with society, using different innovative ways and not only the ones previously mentioned, but now recruitment is implemented through social media, systems, ERP, etc. The process starts even remotely with video call or conference with different tools provided by technology or mass media that we can currently have at hand; with this new method there is great progress because response times are reduced and there is more information about the process that are being carried out.

In my conclusion I can mention that not only recruitment is involved with the technology, 

-although we know that technology is everywhere, at all times, area or person-, and as it moves forward we should too. To the contrary I could state that I do not fully agree that technology dominate us because we can become a little useless, to which I would like to quote and recommend a movie that is not out of touch with reality and its name is “WALLE-E”, here we will find closeness and familiarization if we let our brain shut down and let artificial intelligence operate. Returning to the central topic of recruitment, we can say that currently there are four generations working in companies and it has been difficult to have a neutral environment due to the clash of ideas and ways everyone has, and this is the reason why recruitment now has a great task in seeking and obtaining the best candidates with the best skills, values, capacities and teamwork to reach a neutral field so that major companies do not collapse.

Now you understand the importance of the two?