After more than two decades in talent acquisition, I've learned one simple truth: The best hires rarely look perfect on paper.
Some of the strongest candidates I've ever placed had unconventional career paths. Others lacked a specific credential, industry background, or keyword that many hiring systems are designed to prioritize. Yet they became top performers because someone took the time to understand their potential, not just their resume.
Today, that human element is becoming increasingly rare.
Organizations are under pressure to fill positions faster, reduce hiring costs, and do more with fewer resources. As a result, many companies have turned to automated screening tools and AI-driven hiring platforms to manage growing applicant volumes.
Technology absolutely has a place in recruiting, but when technology becomes the decision-maker instead of a tool, employers risk missing the exact talent they're trying to find.
The Rise of Algorithmic Hiring
Today, more than 90% of U.S. employers use hiring algorithms to screen or rank applicants before a recruiter ever reviews their qualifications. Recent research examining more than 4 million job applications found that automated systems increasingly influence who gets considered and who never receives a second look.
The goal is understandable. Businesses want efficiency, consistency, and to identify qualified candidates faster.
The challenge is that people are not data points.
Most hiring algorithms are designed to identify patterns. They look for specific keywords, job titles, years of experience, educational backgrounds, and similarities to candidates who have been hired in the past. What they often struggle to identify is potential.
A resume can tell you where someone has worked, but it cannot identify the qualities that often determine long-term success:
- How they lead through adversity
- How quickly they learn
- How they fit within a company culture
- How they contribute to a growing team
What the Research Reveals
Researchers found that 4% of applicants who applied to ten different jobs were rejected from every opportunity, at a rate higher than chance would predict. In many cases, similar algorithms were making similar decisions across multiple employers.
This means a candidate may hear "no" repeatedly, not because they lack capability, but because multiple organizations are relying on similar systems to evaluate talent in similar ways.
As talent acquisition professionals, we should ask an important question: Are we identifying the best candidates, or are we simply identifying the candidates who fit a predefined pattern?
In my experience, the answer is often the latter. I've seen candidates successfully transition between industries because their leadership skills were transferable. I've seen individuals with nontraditional backgrounds outperform candidates who appeared to be perfect matches on paper.
Those opportunities only exist when someone is willing to look beyond the resume. Algorithms cannot have that conversation.
What Great Talent Acquisition Really Looks Like
The most successful hiring strategies start with understanding people. Before we begin recruiting for a client, the BBSI team spends time learning about the business itself. We want to understand:
- The company's culture
- Leadership style
- Business goals
- Team dynamics
- Workforce challenges
- Long-term growth plans
Only then can we identify candidates who are not just qualified, but positioned to succeed. Finding talent is not about filling an opening; it's about helping organizations build stronger teams and helping individuals find opportunities where they can thrive.
That requires experience, judgment, and partnership.
Why Relationships Matter More Than Ever
One of the biggest differences between automated hiring and effective talent acquisition is feedback.
- Technology can screen a candidate
- People can coach one
At BBSI, we spend time preparing candidates for interviews, understanding their career goals, and helping them present their strengths effectively. We also work closely with hiring managers to refine requirements, adjust expectations, and provide market insights throughout the process.
That ongoing dialogue creates better outcomes for everyone involved. Candidates feel supported, employers feel understood, and hiring decisions become more informed.
No algorithm can replace that relationship.
The Value of Local Talent Expertise
Because labor markets, industries, and workforce challenges vary, what works in one market may not work in another.
That's why BBSI's Talent Acquisition Team combines recruiting expertise with local market knowledge. Our teams understand the communities they serve, the industries they support, and the workforce realities employers face every day. This allows us to deliver recommendations based on real-world insight rather than generalized assumptions.
For employers, that means access to talent strategies that are practical, responsive, and aligned with business goals.
Talent Acquisition Is More Than Recruiting
Many business leaders think of recruiting as simply filling open positions. In reality, effective talent acquisition is a growth strategy.
The right hiring decisions can improve productivity, strengthen culture, reduce turnover, and support long-term business performance. The wrong hiring decisions can create costly setbacks that impact teams for months or even years.
That's why we approach talent acquisition as a partnership rather than a transaction.
Whether a company engages BBSI for standalone Talent Acquisition solutions or leverages our recruiting expertise as part of a broader workforce management partnership, our objective remains the same: helping businesses build the teams they need to grow.
The Future of Hiring Is Human-Led & Technology-Enabled
The future of hiring is not about choosing between technology and people. The strongest organizations will leverage both.
Technology can help us move faster. It can help us organize information, improve efficiency, and support decision-making. But people...
- Provide context,
- Provide judgement,
- Recognize potential,
- and build relationships.
Those are the factors that continue to drive successful hiring outcomes.
At BBSI, we believe technology should support the hiring process, not define it. Our Talent Acquisition Team combines proven recruiting expertise, local market knowledge, and a hands-on partnership approach to help businesses identify, attract, and retain exceptional talent.
Because great hiring has never been about finding great resumes, it's about finding great people.
About the Author
Raouia Makhoul is BBSI’s Vice President of Talent Acquisition, bringing more than 20 years of experience in staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions. She is recognized for delivering exceptional talent and service to organizations across a wide range of industries, with deep expertise in Technology, Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, and Marketing. In her role, she leads talent acquisition strategy, recruitment operations, client partnerships, and team development, helping businesses build high-performing workforces while driving growth and operational excellence.
A relationship-focused leader, Raouia is passionate about connecting people and opportunities. Throughout her career, including executive leadership roles at STAFFOGEN and Robert Half, she has built a reputation for understanding the unique goals of clients and candidates and creating lasting, successful partnerships. She is also deeply committed to mentoring and developing recruiting professionals, fostering collaborative teams, and empowering individuals and organizations to reach their full potential.
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