There’s no avoiding it. Big data has been an increasing trend in the tech industry since the term was coined in the early 00’s. The sheer volume of information out there – too large to be counted by traditional data processing methods – is so great, it has had an increasing influence over the way that companies conduct business since the early 00’s.

The information that big data provides can help hiring managers determine which candidates are most suitable for the job before any interviews even take place.


Big data has made an impact on the job front, too – employees who are trained in the field to analyze or process these giant data sets have skills that certain employers are looking for.


Here are three ways that big data is changing how people hire:


Recruitment and resumes are being refined by big data.


Once upon a time, college graduates compiled paper resumes and presented them to hiring managers during in-person job interviews. Today, this kind of transaction still takes place, but the prospect of a Facetime or Skype-based interview with a potential employer based in another city is an equally likely scenario for a young graduate. Another distinct possibility? A hiring manager has already evaluated the potential hire’s likelihood of getting the job, based on the data he or she already has. Statistics and scientific data don’t lie. If a candidate doesn’t seem like a good fit on paper, he or she probably won’t make the cut.


The upside – people being sorted, like houses at Hogwarts, into the careers that suit their skill sets best.


More resources are being put into big data. 


With the need for more trained professionals to organize and interpret big data, the United States government and many private and public sector companies are expanding resources for big data. More resources equals more jobs that require the analyzing or processing ability to apply what we’ve learned from machines to current trends, and to predict future outcomes.


Recruiters are also finding that big data can help make their employee recommendations even more accurate, allowing for more placement overall.


We know so much more about people.


The biggest change that big data brings to the workspace is the sheer ability to detect patterns and productivity in employees. Big data mines from volume – the amount of tech-related output we create – and fills in the gaps with variety, drawn from all of the text, audio and visuals that we create. Big data is also able to yield immediate results, in real-time.


Learning how big data can change the way people hire can help a recruiter recommend the right fit for a role, and it can help an employer make the right hire. It can also help potential employees become aware of the ways that information is currently being used in the job market.