Are biometric CV’s the next big thing in recruitment?

Biometrics data encompasses things like fingerprints, iris scanners, human characteristics such as the rhythm of a person's typing, or even their social habits.

Many companies are now showing interest in the biology of their employees with the belief that it could have a number of advantages if used in conjunction with traditional recruitment methods. This sounds fair and square, but it gets more complicated than that. Let's delve into it.

The next logical step

Employers currently require candidates to undergo psychometric tests to see if they've got the right personality and skills for the job, some even undergo physical tests.

We also know that - these days, companies extract and use data from candidate's social media profiles. They do background checks on credit scores and criminal checks. So this begs the question: are biometrics the natural next step? Well, maybe.

Biometrics not a new phenomena

There are companies already using biometrics as part of sussing candidates and matching them to the right job. The debate around whether candidates would submit this data from their own wearable tech or if the company would be tracking them for that period remains. (Ethical or not) This also poses a threat to the data being manipulated by either party for their own gains. For example, candidates can submit tweaked data in order to come across as a suitable candidate.

So if employers are to jump on this trend of incorporating the biometrics as part of their recruiting process a lot would have to be taken into consideration before the use of biometrics can go mainstream.

Blind CV's vs use of biometrics

The idea of being tracked is not welcomed by everyone. So candidates may be wary of proving data of this magnitude to employers. This has also created a culture of blind CV's where candidates are no longer required to provide personal information such as age or marital status. Some employers go as far as removing names and replacing them with numbers to prevent unconscious bias.

Would you feel comfortable as a candidate if companies request biometrical data as part of their screening and recruiting process?