Mobile recruitment startup Giraffe hit 70,000 users last week only 10 months after launching, prompting the release of a new version of its algorithm to improve its effectiveness.
Giraffe launched in February this year, offering an SMS and web-based signup to its recruitment platform, which targets the low and medium skilled jobs market.
On receiving a signup, the platform asks a series of questions, culminating in a short digital CV.
Employers log onto the platform and submit a staffing request. Giraffe’s algorithm automatically contacts all suitable candidates via SMS, and asks if they would like to interview. It then automatically schedules interviews for those who respond affirmatively, and forwards their digital CVs to the employer.
Only 10 months after launching, Giraffe said it hit 70,000 users last week, and has more than tripled its user growth since July.
As such, the startup has created an improved algorithm, which can effectively screen the database of candidates according to education, work experience and other skills such as driver’s licence; job seeker preferences – like job preferences and location; as well as previous interview attendance and interview performance.
“We’re launching the new algorithm so that we can select candidates with better accuracy and much faster than before,” Shafin Anwarsha, founder and head of product at Giraffe told Disrupt Africa.
“This means we will be able to match jobseekers with the jobs they have experience and interest in doing, and find the best possible candidates for businesses to recruit,” Anwarsha said.
The startup is also looking to expand its team to keep up with its growth, and is in particular looking to hire software developers to help evolve the algorithm, incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) elements such as machine learning.
“We’re happy with the speed of uptake- it demonstrates that Giraffe is adding value to its users- but we aim to grow much faster in the next few months. We’re ready to grow our team to help expand the business now- specifically to accelerate development of the technology platform,” Anwarsha said.
Disrupt Africa reported in July Giraffe won the South African leg of the Seedstars World global pitching competition. The startup will be competing at the worldwide finals against other regional winners in February next year, for the chance to win up to US$500,000 in equity investment.
