50 Voices of the Future: Neal Bloom on finding the perfect job

In honor of UC San Diego Extension’s first 50 years, 50 Voices of the Future asks thought leaders about the trends, breakthroughs and social advances they foresee over the next 50 years.

In a few short years, technology has revolutionized the way we doing so many things, whether it be dating, hailing a cab, or finding a place to stay on a trip. Technology is also changing our job-search techniques. We used to rely on networking and a good résumé. Now we can use various websites that sift through billions of bits of data to help match our skill sets with the right employer. Neal Bloom believes new technology such as artificial intelligence will play a larger and larger role in helping us advance our careers. Bloom recently helped establish the San Diego office of Hired, Inc., a website that helps match employers with job candidates. He describes himself as someone who is “energized by helping others discover their calling.” In the future, he says, finding the perfect job, like finding your soul mate, will be a task made ever more precise by science.

(1) Why is the work you do important?

I think technology, mixed together with job creation, is really powerful. It’s giving people access to companies they never thought they’d work for.

(2) What are the influential/exciting developments happening in your field now and why?

The rise of Uber, Airbnb, online dating sites – algorithmic matching. This also applies to job recruiting. We’re in the third generation of HR technology. The first generation was Monster, job boards. The second was LinkedIn. Third generation is curated matching – the next best thing that’s happening. Computers are learning from recruiters how to judge talent. This is saving a lot of time on both sides. I see that on-demand mixed with (artificial intelligence) and algorithmic matching – that is driving a lot of hiring.

(3) What’s the next big thing?

With these new recruiting models being put to use in the hiring world, they’re starting with a pretty small field – the engineering world, mainly white-color workers. I think these models need to move faster and apply to everyone, from coal miners up to executives, CEOs. That’s where things are in the lab being tested right now, technology-wise. It’s obviously business-driven, so the places you can make more money is where the technology goes first. Engineers come with a higher salary than, say, a cleaning person. But either way, the whole goal is to find someone their dream job. And that’s where the technology should be headed. I see it going that way. I just think it needs more widespread adoption.

(4) How big an impact will your field play in shaping the future of the San Diego region and beyond?

I specifically brought Hired to San Diego to help companies in San Diego grow and grow faster. The talent in San Diego is great, especially on the engineering side. I wholeheartedly believe that using this technology will help bring the right talent to San Diego.

(5) Hop into your time machine…what does the future look like for this field in 50 years?  How can individuals/companies get prepared for what’s next?

People are staying in jobs less amount of time. And people are taking on more either remote work or side work – they call them side hustles, side gigs. So I foresee that in the future, you may not be looking for careers. You may be looking for the perfect place to apply your skill sets for some money for a limited amount of time. People will be much more flexible.

Learn more about the future of HR as Neal Bloom imagines it, as well as the future of data science, in a range of courses and programs offered by UC San Diego Extension, including the Human Resource Management Certificate, the Talent Acquisition Certificate, Data Analysis & Mathematics Courses and the HR LearnAbout Tour.