Artificial Intelligence, also known as AI, is defined as the capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior. AI has been at the forefront of technological advances the past few years. The power of AI reaches far beyond self-driving cars and other consumer products. Its impact is already being felt in the finance, transportation, and medical industries among others. While there are both skeptical and optimistic debates regarding the impact AI will have on the job market, there are certainly many advantages that AI brings to the workplace. Helps Look for the Best Job Candidates More and more companies are using AI and automated technology, such as the software provided by Ideal, to make their recruitment process easier. Ideal has the ability to target candidates who may not have even thought of applying for a specific job in the first place and scans resumes submitted to an online job posting. This technology sorts through applications faster than a human ever could and picks out the most qualified job seekers based on the analysis of data and keywords contained within sections of each document submitted. AI software provides an objective viewpoint of each candidate and eliminates some partiality that hiring managers sometimes hold such as gender or racial bias. Juergen Mueller, Chief Innovation Officer at SAP, poses the question; “Recruiters spend 60% of their time reading CVs. Why should a person read 300 resumes if a machine can propose the top 10?” While still new to recruiting, artificial intelligence automates tedious and time-consuming processes, which allows managers to focus on more imperative tasks. Creates New Jobs One of the central fears surrounding the introduction of AI into the job market is the uncertainty it brings to job security. As AI gains greater human-like capabilities, it’s inevitable that there will be jobs cut to cost effective and mechanized labor. On the other hand, there will be a mass introduction of new careers into the job market that we don’t even know exist yet. Research firm Gartner estimates that by 2020 AI will generate 2.3 million jobs, exceeding the 1.8 million that it will remove. Many hiring managers suggest these new jobs are not replacing the old ones, but instead require new “skills and training that have no precedents.” As AI begins to automate tasks, there will be an increasing need for innately cognitive skills that only human workers possess. Career Shifts Some technology specialists predict a “gradual lessening of work hours,” due to AI, which will shift many full-time jobs to temporary. While this hypothesis may sound like grounds for caution, the loss in pay from working fewer hours may lead to an overall decrease in costs for goods and services provided by AI. This could mean that if your salary gets cut down due to you working fewer hours, your overall cost of living will also decrease over time. Furthermore, the type and reason for human labor will likely change. As traditional work such as truck driving transitions into work done by AI, hard work will be replaced by smart work. While the transition to less tedious work might mean fewer hours and less pay, it can lead to a higher quality life that provides you with more time to pursue other passions. Kiran Garimella, Chief Scientist & Chief Technology Officer at KoreConX, hopes people will view the shift toward automated tasks as a “golden opportunity to get rid of the shackles of work they must do so they can do work they want to do.” Medical Advances Specifically in the medical industry, AI is making healthcare strides that are vastly improving human lives. The automated technology is already advanced in disease prevention, early detection, accurate diagnoses, and effectively treating patients. The impact of AI is felt on the Marist College campus in the School of Science’s Movement Analysis Lab. Ever since suffering from a stroke more than five years ago Britta Degenshein has been undergoing physical therapy to regain complete mobility. She recently came to Marist and was hooked up to the college’s new biomechanical system that monitors her movements and offers detailed analysis. The Movement Analysis Lab’s system is able to analyze track motion by using 10, 3D infrared cameras, eight force plates beneath a computerized walkway, a 12-channel wireless electromyography, and two high-definition cameras. The AI-powered technology helped Degenshein identify the muscles she used, overused, or underutilized to precise degrees, which helped determine a course of action for regaining use of her right leg. IT professionals are slowly and systematically introducing artificial intelligence into new sectors of the workforce in order to properly examine its impact and remain in control over the technology. It may take years, decades, or even longer, to see AI dramatically change our everyday lives. While the transition might be rocky, the advances brought on by artificial intelligence have the power to transform human lives for the better.
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Now more than ever before, businesses are understanding the need for a diverse workforce. Building a group of diverse employees goes beyond meeting standards. It brings together people of different backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and other traits to create a well-rounded and effective team that can achieve a company’s mission. The following are some of the reasons many companies desire a diverse and inclusive workforce: An Increase in Productivity and Creativity When a workplace brings people of various backgrounds and experiences together, those individuals bring a wide array of perspectives and ideas to face challenges. Diversity of thought can catalyze creativity and innovation, which leads to more effective methods of reaching a common goal and fitting the needs of a company’s customers. Johnson & Johnson states each of their employees “view the world from a unique vantage point; a perspective that gives them problem-solving potential ideas, solutions & strategies that, when mobilized, can bring health to billions.” The Ability to Serve a Large Customer Base If a company is planning on expanding its services into the global market, it’s important that they have the ability to serve customers that speak different languages and practice a broad spectrum of cultural traditions. By building a workforce that is as diverse as the customers they serve, an organization can establish a competitive edge in the market. Diversity within a company, helps the company reach a larger customer base and develop resources that are suitable for each individual client. Apple is well known for its continued efforts to hire underrepresented groups and promote inclusion in its workforce. “If we want a product to appeal to and work for a big group of people, it needs to be built by a diverse group of people” a software engineer at Apple said. Higher Financial Returns A recent McKinsey study stated “companies with more diverse workforces perform better financially.” The study found that companies with a high rate of gender diversity are 15 percent more likely to outperform the industry median, and companies with a lot of racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to surpass the average profit. While the correlation between gender and ethnic diversity alone doesn’t automatically lead to greater profits, McKinsey discovered that diverse companies are “better able to win top talent and improve their customer orientation, employee satisfaction, and decision making”, all of which can contribute to a cycle of financial growth. Attracting and Retaining Top Talent In an increasingly competitive economy where employee talent is crucial, companies should appeal and choose from a diverse talent pool of potential candidates. Glassdoor recently reported 67 percent of jobseekers weighed diversity as a factor when deciding where to work. Furthermore, 57 percent of respondents said they think their company should be doing more to increase diversity among its workforce. The failure to hire and retain qualified employees results in high turnover rates in companies and an accompanying increase in expenses for hiring and training. When all employees feel welcomed and supported, they are more likely to remain with the company. Implicit Bias Training
While 77 percent of executives state their “strong support for diversity initiatives, only 40 percent of employees actually believe that their organizations are truly diverse and inclusive. There are many steps a company can take to ensure they are truly valuing a diverse workforce such as conducting blind resume screening to negate the effects that unconscious biases have on underrepresented groups. Implicit bias trainings can also be beneficial and make managers aware of the partiality they may have in the selection process. More than 175,000 Starbucks employees recently participated in a required racial bias education program in which they discussed their own encounters involving race and prejudice as well as ways to prevent it from resurfacing. Despite the potential financial loss of $10 million, Starbucks closed 8,000 participating stores across the country for an afternoon in order to hold the training. Having a diverse administrative and management team can increase objectivity and allow lower level employees to feel represented and inspired to move up within a company. Lastly, retention programs can also be used to ensure diverse employees know they are welcomed and supported within a company. Overall, a diverse workforce can greatly benefit a company and its employees. More and more companies are beginning to see the advantages of having a diverse workforce and are requesting the acquisition of employees that fit these desires. As social media becomes integral to our daily communication there is a growing importance to maintaining a positive online reputation. Whether on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or any other platform, your social media profiles help recruiters get to know you beyond your application. However, there is some content recruiters do not want to see on a potential employee’s social media accounts. CNN reported on a survey that showed 70 percent of business managers in the United States decided not to hire a job candidate based upon something they found out about the candidate online. Don’t be part of that 70 percent. Follow these tips to ensure you’re not making crucial social media mistakes that can hurt or cost your chances of being hired. Do Not Post Inappropriate Photos or Videos New York Times bestselling author Dan Schawbel once said “Your first impression isn’t made with a firm handshake-it’s with a Google search.” A CareerBuilder.com survey ranked ‘candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs’ as a top reason that recruiters ruled out potential employees early in the hiring process. When a recruiter searches your first and last name on any social network, they shouldn’t see you doing anything offensive or inappropriate. If you think any photo or video is questionable, it is better to avoid posting it altogether. Stay Away From Posting Political Tirades 51 percent of recruiters polled in Jobvite’s 2017 Recruiter Nation Report see political rants as a red flag during the social sleuthing process. Recruiters tend to prefer potential candidates stay out of controversial political discussions on their social media pages, especially if these posts include derogatory language. Save the political debates for in person, not online. You Don’t Have an Online Presence In today’s world it’s seen as suspicious if you’re not active on any social media platforms at all. To many recruiters a candidate without an online presence can seem out of touch and unable to use necessary technology to its fullest potential. Or the job seeker might be viewed as having something negative about their past to hide. Have an updated profile with content you can proudly display. Not Knowing Your Company's Social Media Policy Once you’re hired it’s important to know and abide by your company’s social media policy. While not all companies currently have them, social networking regulations outline how an organization wants its employees to conduct themselves online. Failure to abide by these rules can result in disciplinary actions by management. Before you post, research your specific company’s policy to make sure you aren’t breaking any regulations already in place. Keep Some News Private at First While it can be tempting to share your personal successes and important announcements to your friends and followers on social media right away, it is best to wait until things are fully solidified. Keep in mind that many job offerings are confidential and posting them right away may lead employers to think you are untrustworthy or unprofessional. For example, 22-year old Connor Riley was offered a job at Cisco and immediately tweeted “Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fat paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work.” As you can imagine, Riley’s job offer was rescinded before she was able to make a decision on whether or not to accept it. Companies now use the story as a precautionary tale to all potential and current employees; be careful what, and when, you post on social media. Ensure your profiles are free of the above mistakes and instead, try to shed a positive light on yourself through your online presence. In Jobvite’s report recruiters ranked examples of written or design work (65 percent) and engagement in volunteering, mentoring, or non-profits (63 percent) as the top two reasons they decided to move forward with a candidate after an initial online search. Reflect the most favorable version of yourself online and your prospects at landing your dream full-time job or internship will greatly increase.
All social media outlets have privacy options available, so it is important to familiarize yourself with them. Privacy settings allow you to control the content people within and outside of your network will be able to view on your profile. The privacy options among social channels vary, so make sure to use good judgment when updating and adjusting them. While using social media can be a fun way to unleash your creativity, connect with your friends, and build your professional network, it’s important to keep in mind who might view your profile in the future. If used correctly, social media can be a very effective tool during your job search. If used carelessly, however, your job prospects can be at risk. |
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