Did you know that 95% of job seekers who click on a job ad will never finish filling out an application? Since the cost per click increased 54% in 2021 and 43% the year before, according to Appcast, the cost of losing the attention of candidates has skyrocketed. In order to cut through the noise, a positive candidate experience is becoming increasingly critical to drawing and retaining top talent.
The Pillars of a Positive Candidate Experience
A successful candidate experience is built on several key elements. Together, these factors help create an environment where each job seeker feels valued, respected and motivated to pursue opportunities with your organization. More recently, these three pillars have become a focal point for many employers:
Candidate-focused job application: Write clear, concise and engaging job descriptions that accurately reflect the role’s responsibilities, requirements and career potential. Be sure to highlight your organization’s unique selling points and employee benefits. A well-written description not only attracts the right job candidate but also helps them understand how they can contribute to your organization’s success.
Inclusive hiring practices: Develop and implement inclusive hiring practices that promote diversity and eliminate potential biases, including using a dedicated talent board and diverse platforms to advertise a job opening. These standardize interview questions and train your hiring team in diversity principles. You can foster an inclusive environment that appeals to a wide range of applicants.
Post-interview follow-up and closure: Provide timely follow-up and closure to each potential candidate after an interview, regardless of whether you make an offer. Informing candidates of their status promptly shows respect for their time and effort, leaving them with a positive impression of your organization. Give constructive feedback if you can; they’ll appreciate the candor and it helps maintain an open line of communication for future opportunities.
Empowering Your Employer Brand Through a Positive Candidate Experience
Understanding the connection between a better candidate experience and employer brand is essential for success. A strong brand communicates your company’s values, culture and commitment to employee growth and satisfaction. Showcase these qualities and create a desirable image for potential team members.
To make the most of candidate engagement, incorporate it into your marketing. Encourage prospects to share their positive experiences with your company, both online and offline. Use testimonials, success stories and social media to showcase your commitment to giving candidates a great experience. This not only reinforces your brand reputation but also helps spread the word that your organization is an excellent place to work.
Measuring candidate experience is another part of continuous improvement. One way to gauge success is using candidate experience surveys. They provide valuable feedback on your hiring process and help identify stages of the recruitment process to enhance.
How to Implement a Candidate-Centric Hiring Process
Many traditional hiring methods are failing to deliver the desired results. According to Linkedin, 73% of hiring managers find it challenging to discover the right talent for their company. Many recruitment issues can be resolved by reworking strategies around candidates, rather than expecting candidates to adapt to outdated processes.
Here are some of the ways to achieve this goal:
Simplify your application process: Keep your application form short and user friendly, asking only the most relevant questions to avoid overwhelming job seekers. Appcast reports that in 2021, nearly 70% of job applications were submitted via mobile devices. Make sure your listings are mobile-friendly to make it easier for applicants.
Prioritize communication: Keep each applicant informed throughout the recruiting process, sending timely updates on their application status and providing clear next steps. You can reach candidates where they are, on their devices, by staying in contact via text.
Utilize technology: Use an effective applicant-tracking system to improve the candidate experience by automating tasks, optimizing the hiring process and ensuring a seamless application venture.
Personalize the experience: Tailor your candidate communication to reflect the applicant’s specific skills, background and interests. Show that you have taken the time to review their application and understand their unique qualifications.
Demonstrate your company culture: Share information about your company’s culture, values and commitment to employee growth and satisfaction in the job description. Candidates should envision themselves as part of your organization and have a strong incentive to join.
ApplicantStack plays a pivotal role in shaping a positive candidate experience, setting your organization apart from competitors. Quicker feedback, a personalized candidate journey and inclusive recruitment practices allow you to attract and retain top talent with ease. Harness the power of ApplicantStack to elevate your hiring and onboarding process and strengthen your employer branding, ultimately securing a diverse and highly skilled workforce that will propel your business forward.
When a business needs to hire, it’s important to have the right tools at its disposal. An applicant tracking system is a must, regardless of company size. Explore this type of system and how it can benefit your organization’s recruitment efforts.
What Does an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Do?
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a type of software designed to manage an organization’s recruiting and hiring efforts. As the name suggests, its process involves tracking candidates who may be good fits for open positions. Additionally, an ATS houses data and often includes automated workflows to simplify tasks like:
Scheduling interviews
Notifying candidates of status updates
Issuing alerts
Sending messages to applicants and those involved in the hiring process
Benefits of an Applicant Tracking System
Many benefits come with using an applicant tracking system to find and bring on top talent. Review a few of these advantages and how they can benefit a small-to-midsized business.
Searches for keywords
While the description of an ATS may make such a system sound like a data organization tool, it can do much more. When seeking top candidates, recruiters, hiring managers, and others involved in the hiring process may struggle to locate talent. Sifting through countless resumés and applications takes a lot of time, and some may not be relevant to the open position.
An ATS can sift through data and make recommendations based on keyword searches, algorithms, and other tools that analyze applications and resumés. With an ATS in place, it becomes easier to review applicant data and select the right candidates to interview.
Posts jobs more efficiently
Another advantage of an ATS is integration with external job boards, which tend to be the most common tools for job seekers. Posting an open position individually on multiple boards can take a lot of time. Some organizations stick to just a few boards, which limits visibility. The ideal hire for a role may not even see a job ad if it’s not posted on the board they use regularly.
Using an ATS makes it easier to push a listing to many boards with a single click. By getting a job in front of additional people, a company will likely receive more applications. Hiring managers can choose from a wider selection of candidates to get the right fit, rather than choosing from a handful of semi-qualified individuals.
Maximizes productivity
Hiring managers and recruiters can easily spend hours looking for candidates manually. But this isn’t a good use of their time. Those involved in hiring can spend less time on these tasks without sacrificing candidate quality. Open roles get in front of the right people, but the automation side of the software saves time and effort.
Boosts company morale
A positive hiring and onboarding experience can make a big difference in the eyes of a candidate considering a new role. And when a business can get good people hired faster, there’s less of a burden on the existing employees to take on additional work. The result is improved company morale all the way around.
How Does an Applicant Tracking System Work?
With various systems available to organizations, it’s important to note that each will have its own list of features and functionality. However, programs within this category tend to share a few key steps to ensure a consistent and straightforward process.
Creating a job requisition
In most recruiting systems, the process begins with the creation of a job requisition. When a company needs to hire, the person responsible for recruiting requests approval for the creation of a new position or the filling of a vacated position. Upon approval, the requestor can create a job listing.
Creating a job listing
The next step is creating a job listing, or the description of the open position. A listing should include several key components:
Position title
Position location
Department
Salary range (if applicable)
Responsibilities/duties
Candidate requirements or qualifications
Description of work environment
Of course, a job description should be more than just a bulleted list of details about a role. In fact, it’s more important than ever to appeal to potential applicants and draw them in, encouraging them to apply.
The writing style for job descriptions differs from other business writing styles. Using engaging language can help a posting stand out in a sea of similar content.
It’s also important to consider the legal requirements of a job listing. Make sure to avoid language that could indicate discrimination or hiring preferences. Examples include gendered language (“The individual in this role will use his strength to lift heavy packages, 50+ pounds”) or phrases that may rule out members of a protected class.
Posting the job description
After creating an engaging description, the next step in the process of hiring with an ATS is posting it to various boards. There are hundreds of online job boards, each with its own niche and target audience. It’s helpful to consider which boards might yield the best results. For example, an entry-level tech job might get more responses if posted on a board that caters to recent graduates in the technology sector.
Explore different options, including industry-specific boards and those designed for members of a particular demographic. By posting a listing in the right places, an organization can improve its chances of attracting qualified applicants.
Receiving applications
The next phase in the applicant-tracking system is receiving applications from those with an interest in the role. Some systems can issue rankings to applicants based on specific data, including keywords on the resumés and in the answers to questions on the application.
You may be able to set up an automatic rejection process based on answers. For example, if knowledge of a specific coding language is a requirement for a developer role, any candidate who indicates that they don’t know that particular language would be automatically rejected.
The application phase can remain open for as long as needed. The length of that period often depends on factors like the quantity of applications received and the need to fill the role within a specific timeframe.
Undergoing the review process
Anyone granted access can view applicant data and determine whether to move each candidate forward in the process. Moving someone to the next phase should be simple. A recruiter or hiring manager can select which candidates to interview and which to reject.
Upon interviewing each candidate, those involved in the process can take notes to reference when reviewing all candidates. Keeping those notes within the system makes it easier to recall what was discussed during the interview and whether to move forward.
Sending notifications and follow-up
It’s important to keep candidates in the loop throughout the process. But sending emails to everyone who applied isn’t a good use of your time. With an applicant tracking system, the hiring manager and recruiter don’t have to worry about notifications or follow-up messages. Automatic notifications keep candidates informed of their progress and whether they’re moving forward to the next phase.
For example, if you select a candidate to interview, the system can automatically send a notification requesting to schedule. If you decide not to move forward with a specific applicant, they can receive an email or even a text message informing them of the decision. Each company can establish the messaging for these notifications to adhere to its brand and voice.
Extending an offer
Upon selecting the best candidate, the final step in the recruiting process is extending an offer. Using an applicant tracking system even makes this step easier. You can tap into pre-built templates to ensure that offer letters are thorough and informative.
When your selected candidate accepts the job, their information remains in the system. You can flow it into your company’s HR system to minimize errors from manual data entry. Additionally, you can use this information to stay in contact with the applicant until their first day of work.
Managing candidate data
Of course, every individual who applies for a job with your company won’t get hired immediately. But if an applicant has skills or experience that make them a good fit for another role in the future, their data remains within the system. You can reach out if a job opens up that aligns with their skillset, rather than starting the entire process over again.
Creating an account/onboarding
Bringing a new hire on board is a key step in the hiring process. Doing so successfully could determine how the employee feels about their role and the organization overall.
According to a recent Gallup survey, approximately 12 percent of employees think their company did a good job onboarding them. With so much room for improvement, it makes sense for companies to invest in onboarding efforts. After all, a poor onboarding experience can be the difference between an engaged employee and one who bails out for another role.
Employee turnover can cost a company up to nine months of an employee’s salary to find and bring on a replacement. This is an expensive undertaking for any business. But for small companies, the cost could wreak serious havoc on the budget. Onboarding is something that no business can afford to ignore.
With an applicant tracking system, onboarding becomes more seamless and consistent. ApplicantStack Onboard makes it easy to:
Import hires from ApplicantStack Recruit
Upload new hire forms (W-4, I-9, etc.)
Create and assign tasks to track progress
Invite new hires to view documents, input their information, and complete paperwork
E-sign documentation
View and download reports to measure onboarding success
Not all applicant tracking systems include onboarding functionality. But given the importance of this process in employee retention and engagement, it’s essential to choose one that does.
FAQ about Applicant Tracking Software
Still have questions about applicant tracking? We answer a few of the frequently asked questions around these systems below.
What should you look for in an applicant tracking system?
Every business might have its own unique hiring and recruiting needs, but some of the best features to look for in an ATS include:
Integration with other systems (HR, payroll, benefits, etc.)
When should a business use an applicant tracking system?
An ATS can benefit any business that plans to hire. This software is designed to organize candidates to simplify the process of hiring. It can also filter out applicants who don’t meet the qualifications for a role or highlight those who might be a better fit based on skills and experience. If your company has employees (or will hire employees in the future), an ATS is beneficial.
ApplicantStack is the applicant tracking system that’s built for small business needs. It doesn’t skimp on features or functionality, but it’s priced to fit into the budget of just about any company. Still on the fence? Try it free today and find your next hire faster and more efficiently.
Integration partner Verified First featured ApplicantStack in a case study of Angels Care Home Health and Angels Care Hospice. The article explains how the companies are using ApplicantStack and Verified First to automate their hiring process to support accelerated expansion.
About Angels Care
Angels Care Home Health & Angels Care Hospice supports adult communities through nursing care, restorative therapy, and medical social services to patients in private homes, assisted living facilities and retirement communities.
Rapid Growth Required Hiring Automation
Angels Care Home Health & Angels Care Hospice has operations in nine states and has been growing and evolving rapidly. While expansion is beneficial, the accelerated growth rate was creating a new type of problem: Its manual pre-hire process was no longer efficient. The companies needed a new automated hiring system to replace their current manual recruiting process.
As a multi-state provider in a highly regulated industry, their hiring process needed to meet stringent compliance standards and maintain quality patient care.
The companies had been relying on Verified First for pre-employment screening services and Verified First’s integration with ApplicantStack was one of the many reasons they were drawn to ApplicantStack.
ApplicantStack and Verified First Provided the Comprehensive Solution
ApplicantStack was the ideal solution to handle Angels Care Home Health & Angels Care Hospice’s applicant tracking needs. Electronic document management, collaboration tools, location-based application tracking and customizable filtering questionnaires were some of the features that solved the companies’ recruiting challenges. Just as importantly, Verified First continues to meet the companies’ needs for full-service employment screening. As mentioned previously, ApplicantStack integrates with Verified First – which enables the Angels Care hiring teams to access applicant tracking and background screening in the same easy to use platform.
Our Ask Me Anything webinars provide a forum for users to learn more about ApplicantStack from the ApplicantStack Account Management team and receive answers to their product questions. The webinars include a demo of a product feature(s) followed by question and answer.
AMA Recap: How to Configure Job, Candidate and Application Fields 11/10/2022
Ellen Benzine showed attendees how to customize fields to meet your specific needs.
How To Configure Job Fields in Recruit
Field configuration can be performed by account administrators.
From the Home page, open the Jobs tab on the top menu. The information in the Jobs tab is about the specific job – Job Title, Available Positions, Location, etc.
To create a new job field, click your picture in the upper right and choose Setup from the dropdown.
From the blue menu on the left, choose Configure.
From the Configure page, choose Job Fields.
A page will open that shows your current Job Fields.
Click Create Field from the gray right hand menu.
The Add Job Field form will open. Follow the prompts to add the necessary values in the form.
Select Save in the lower left hand corner.
In addition to the default fields, some ApplicantStack users add a field for Existing Job or New Position, Salary or Hourly, or Part-time or Full-time. You can create up to 30 Job Fields.
How To Work With Candidate and Application Fields in Recruit
Ellen explained that Candidate fields include: 1. Basic information about the candidate, 2. Documents and information you want to collect from the candidate and 3. Information you want to input about the candidate. She discussed customization options and showed how to edit the Application Disposition field as an example.
How To Edit an Application Disposition Field
From the Home page, open the Candidates tab on the top menu.
Your Candidate table will open showing Candidate Fields.
Click your picture in the upper right and choose Setup from the dropdown.
From the blue menu on the left, choose Configure.
From the Configure page, you can edit many types of fields.
To edit Application Fields, select it from the Configure page.
To edit the Disposition in an Application, on the Disposition row, choose Edit Options in the Type column under Dropdown.
The Configure Application Disposition page will open showing the options currently set up.
To add another option, click Add Option on the right.
Add one or more options in the window, each on its own line. These will be added to the existing options for the field.
Click Save in the lower left corner.
Account administrators can add up to 20 Candidate Fields and 40 Application Fields. Note that Application Fields are somewhat of a “catch-all.” Source (where the candidate saw your job) is an important option if you are paying for job boards and want to track performance to measure ROI.
How To Configure Hire Fields in Onboard
In ApplicantStack Onboard, select the Hires tab from the top menu.
Click your picture in the upper right and select Setup from the dropdown.
Select Configure from the left hand menu.
Choose Hire Fields from the Configure Account menu.
Select Create Field from the right hand menu.
Follow prompts to complete the form and save.
Bottom line, ApplicantStack Recruit and Onboard are highly configurable. The platforms allow you to collect the information you want to mirror your hiring process in order to hire most efficiently.
Q & A
How can I use text messaging?
We offer Basic ($35/month) and Premium Texting ($95/month).
In the Candidates tab, if Texting is enabled, you’ll have a column labeled P (for Phone).
If the candidate has provided a cell phone number, there will be a phone icon in their record.
You can text candidates individually or in groups.
To text a candidate(s), select their record by checking the box to the left of their name.
Select Text Candidate from the right hand menu.
The Text to Candidate(s) window will open with the recipient(s) listed at the top.
To create a new message, type it in the window.
If you have created a template, select it from the dropdown menu.
Add an accompanying message if desired.
Click Send on the bottom left.
To create templates, select the Library tab from the top menu.
Select Messages from the left hand menu.
You can create email and text templates.
How do I set up Text-to-Apply?
In the Jobs tab, select the Job.
From the Job page, select Summary.
From the Summary page select Launch.
In the Launch tab, the Text-to-Apply is the top section.
The phone number associated with the ApplicantStack account is the phone number applicants will use to apply by text.
Ellen gave an example of a customer using ApplicantStack Text-to-Apply. The hiring team posts jobs on their company Facebook page and includes the phone number and job code word to apply by text.
How do I text two candidates?
Select two candidate records > Text Candidates. > select a Text Template > Send.
Research reports open rates for texts at 90% compared to open rates for emails from 40-60%
Candidates will respond to texts far faster than emails.
How do I create a Job ID to track the source where the candidate saw the job posting?
This requires two functions: Job ID setup and Source option. Note that ApplicantStack tracks the source of candidates without any setup on your part.
Home page > ID column. ApplicantStack can populate the ID or you can override the default with your company naming system. In the Create Job tab, enter the desired ID in the Job ID field.
To track the Source: Click your picture > Setup > Configure > Application Field > Source > Edit Options. The Source Options page will show existing sources.
To add a Source, click Add Options on the right. Enter the Source(s) in the window and Save.
You can access source information here: Candidates > All Source dropdown > click each Source to see candidates that applied from the source.
When a candidate doesn’t receive a Paperwork Started stage email, what’s the easiest way to resend?
First of all, you have to let a hire know that their Hire Portal is ready with an email that contains their username (email address), password and link to the portal.
The best practice is to trigger all emails in a workflow. However, if the candidate says they didn’t receive an email, you can resend it manually and not trigger duplicate paperwork. (Note that you need to populate their onboarding portal first.)
Hires > Choose Hire > Email Hire (on right) > Choose Message Template > Send
Ask your hire to check their spam folder and/or whitelist emails from ApplicantStack.
Another option is to text the hire.
How do I reset a new hire’s password to their Hire Portal?
Send the welcome email again, it will generate a new password. In the candidate record, Edit > Portal Password
My Onboarding email has stopped, how do I make it automatic again?
Click your picture > Setup > Configure > Hire > Edit > View Email in various stages > Edit Workflow Stage > Message Settings > Message Template > Choose Email > Submit.
In conclusion, don’t underestimate the power of automations in ApplicantStack. For example, you can automate nurturing texts in any stage of the process and strengthen your outreach to candidates who haven’t finished their application, or great candidates who submitted a general application.
Upcoming ApplicantStack Webinars
We invite you to join us for our upcoming events. To register, click the following links:
Our Ask Me Anything webinars provide a forum for users to learn more about ApplicantStack and receive live answers to their product questions. The ApplicantStack team presents the applicant tracking webinars which include a short demo of a product feature(s) followed by question and answer.
ApplicantStack AMA Webinar 10/27/2022
Application Stack Account Manager Carol Kennedy demonstrated how to access the Knowledge Base and submit a ticket to ApplicantStack tech support.
How To Access the ApplicantStack Knowledge Base
From the main dashboard in the upper right hand corner, click the orange box with the question mark. A dropdown menu shows: 1. New Features and Updates, 2. Help Center, and 3. Ask a Question. The Help Center (Knowledge Base) contains tutorials, articles, and quick start guides – many with videos and screenshots.
New Features and Updates: Enhancements to the system and new product features
Help Center (Knowledge Base): Enter topic in search bar
How To Submit a Support Ticket
In the upper right hand corner on the main dashboard, click the orange question mark. Choose Ask a Question from the dropdown menu. It will take you to a support ticket form. When completing the form, keep the following in mind:
Enter your company name just as it is listed in your account
Add Franchise/Branch Number (if applicable)
Be as detailed as possible when describing the issue. Include Job ID, Job Title, Applicant or New Hire Name, screenshots, etc.
Q & A
How can I delete repeat candidates?
We don’t recommend deleting an applicant under any circumstances. That said, we understand that you would not want duplicate candidates in your main job applicant pool. To flag duplicates and move them out of your main job, Carol explained two options:
Create a separate job and assign any duplicates to the job
Create a stage called Duplicate Candidates and move duplicates out of the main job to this folder
When I submit a support ticket, can I get a phone call?
Our ticketing system is the best method for resolving support issues. The ticketing system retains a detailed record of the issue and resolution process. Importantly, it allows any member of the support team to be able to access all pertinent information and ticket history for faster resolution.
Once the ticket is resolved, the system retains the documentation which can be used for training, product enhancements, or other purposes. For the quickest resolution, customers should include as much detail as they can in the support ticket form.
In very few cases, if the issue can’t be resolved through the ticketing system, a support tech may call the customer. However this would only happen after the customer had initiated the process by submitting a ticket.
What’s the difference between Basic and Premium texting?
Basic Unlimited Texting allows you to send and receive as many texts as you want and store conversations in the software. Plus, you can send batch SMS to multiple applicants. If you have both ApplicantStack Recruit and Onboard, you can use Basic Texting in both modules for the monthly price.
Premium Texting includes everything in Basic Texting plus two powerful additions: Workflow Embed and Text-to-Apply. With Workflow Embed, you can include text messages in hiring workflows and trigger them with stage changes. For example, when you move an applicant to the Interview stage, trigger a personalized text inviting the candidate for an interview. With Text-to-Apply, when candidates click on Apply in a job posting, the system will send a text with a link to a mobile friendly application. If you have both ApplicantStack Recruit and Onboard, you can use Premium Texting in both modules for the monthly price.
When searching for an applicant by phone number, should I use a specific number format?
We don’t recommend searching by phone number. However, if that’s your only option, you would need to enter the phone number in the same format originally entered in the system.
Can you get open or read notifications from outbound emails?
This isn’t available right now, but possibly a great suggestion for a future product update.
When an applicant uses text-to-apply, will the system create a candidate record?
Yes. The system creates a candidate record regardless of online application method.
In ApplicantStack Onboard, how can I create a separate process for union and non-union hires?
In Onboard, you can make multiple workflows and checklists. In this scenario, create a custom workflow for each type of hire – complete with necessary new hire paperwork.
How do I stop candidates from applying more than once to the same job?
If they are using the same email, the system won’t let them apply a second time. If they use multiple emails, put a note into their history and make it global, which will ensure the note will show across all applications and jobs in the system.
Is there a way to create screening questions in applications that will block the applicant if not qualified?
When building a screening questionnaire, add KO to desired elimination questions. Keep in mind, however, that an applicant might mis-click. If in doubt, compare the questionnaire answers to their resume. Otherwise, you might eliminate a candidate that meets the qualifications.
Emails sent from ApplicantStack often end up in spam folders by default. Is there anything I can change on my end to prevent that?
In the job description, instruct candidates to whitelist emails from ApplicantStack. Whitelisting directs emails coming from the ApplicantStack domain to go into the recipient’s primary folder. If you need help with changes to an application, you can submit a support ticket. If the support tech clones an existing application and modifies it to include the whitelist instruction, be sure to use the new application.
Upcoming ApplicantStack Webinars
We invite you to join us for our upcoming events. To register, click the following links:
Are you looking for ways to cut hiring costs? If you haven’t automated the hiring process with recruitment software, this is your low hanging fruit for meeting budget goals.
Let’s discuss how you can not only save money but improve your quality of hire in the process:
One type of recruiting platform is an applicant tracking system (ATS). It is a type of HR software that manages the hiring workflow from job board posting to onboarding. With recruitment software, a small team can manage multiple job openings simultaneously. Importantly, recruiting software shortens time to fill which minimizes costly lapses in productivity. With an applicant tracking system, you can:
Manage recruiting anytime, anywhere with cloud-based access and mobile tools
Simplify recruitment marketing with employer branding on all job ads, emails and other assets
Let’s discuss how to save money on hiring. We’ll start with candidate screening.
1. Hiring Software Saves Money With Better Screening
Evaluating candidates is one of the most time-consuming hiring tasks. However, a structured screening process is key to hiring success. Let’s discuss how software makes screening faster and more effective.
Screening can be divided into two stages – immediately upon receipt of the application and post-interview evaluation. Hiring software can automate 100% of application screening and up to 80% of post-interview screening. Applicant screening is a first-pass filtering of job applicants. Separating unqualified applicants quickly is key. With the process of elimination, you create a smaller pool of promising candidates.
Application Screening Questionnaires
Though you begin filtering as soon as you start receiving applications, you prepare earlier. Create your prescreening questionnaires before you post your job, once you have created your job description.
Once you post a job you are competing with other employers to find great candidates. Take the time up front so you don’t slow yourself down after the applications start flowing in. Another advantage to creating your filtering questions before posting the job is that you can make changes to your job description if necessary.
In your hiring software, create an application questionnaire based on the job description. Following that, determine the scoring system for the questionnaire and assign point values. In addition, identify elimination questions that will knock out the applicant. For example, if you are hiring a CPA, you may want to eliminate job seekers without the certification.
Resume Keywords
You can also use the applicant’s resume for first-pass filtering. You assign points based on resume keywords. For example, if you are looking for an accountant, you can add points to their score if their resume includes “CPA.” Consider how knock-out questions, weighted scoring, and resume parsing can separate qualified candidates from the applicant pool.
Once you have screened the questionnaires and resumes, your hiring system can sort your applicants by score. Contrast this process with reviewing applications and resumes by hand.
Interview Evaluations
The interview evaluation process is a critical time. At this point, you’ve invested many hours engaging and interviewing your finalists. But for many recruiting teams, it’s challenging to get useful feedback from all decision makers. No matter how many employees you engage in the hiring process, it’s important that you have a structured, thought-out process. This is where candidate scorecards are an invaluable recruiting tool. With your ATS or hiring platform, create interview evaluation scorecards. These are similar to the filtering questionnaires, except each member of the interview team fills them out.
Based on the job ad, use multiple choice, star ratings or scale questions in the evaluation form. This prevents vague “gut feelings” from introducing bias into your decision. When each member of the interview panel gives feedback, you improve the evaluation process. Each person’s perspective and expertise improves the scoring.
Finding a great hire requires a well thought-out structured interview evaluation process. Yet if the process takes too long, the best candidates have already taken positions with employers that have a faster process. The best recruiting software helps with both speed and effectiveness. First, it gives you the tools to screen strategically. Second, it automates where possible to compress the timeline. The result is a high quality hire poised for success.
2. Hiring Software Saves Money by Shortening Time to Hire
A long recruitment process increases the chance that you’ll make a bad hire. High quality candidates are being recruited by your competitors. They aren’t going to wait weeks or months for a job offer.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a bad hire can cost you up to 30% of the employee’s wages for the first year. Let’s do the math for both an entry-level and senior employee. ZipRecruiter tracks the average entry-level salary by state, with a range of $25,712 to $35,793. Let’s take the lower number: 30% of $25,712 is $7,713. A minimum wage employee – say a fast-food or retail worker – costs their employer enough to employ a great hire for four months. On the other end of the spectrum, the cost of a bad hire in a senior position can be astronomical. A bad hire in a $200,000/yr executive position would cost $60,000.
Recruiting software doesn’t just speed up filtering and interview scoring. It shortens every step in the hiring process.
Job Posting
As mentioned previously, hiring platforms with job posting software integrate with job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn as well as job marketplaces like JobTarget.
Interview Scheduling
The best recruitment software integrates with scheduling calendars. This allows interviewees to self-schedule their interview slot. This can shave days off time to fill because it eliminates back-and-forth texting, emailing or calling to pin down a time.
Background and Reference Checks
Background checks are essential for due diligence in the employment process. With the one-click integrations, hiring managers can order background checks from their recruitment software.
Candidate Communications
Keeping applicants informed of their status is critical, though time-consuming. If you’re doing high-volume hiring, however, it’s nearly impossible. An applicant tracking system automates this with templates and triggers. Stage change triggers automate candidate updates, for example. This is how it works:
Build your hiring workflow using hiring stages (applicant status): Application Received, Do Not Pursue, Schedule Interview, Interview Confirmed, Make Offer, Background Check, etc.
Create an email or text template for each stage in your applicant tracking software (these can vary by job title or other criteria)
Enter merge fields in the templates to personalize the message with the candidate’s name, address and the job title
Imagine the time you can save with automated recruitment texting. Ghosting candidates is a surefire way to lose them. With auto-communications, your top candidates will always know their status and be less likely to abandon the process.
3. Save Money on Hiring With Lower Administrative Costs
What are the labor costs associated with your recruiters and hiring managers? Let’s say you have five people who earn an average of $30 an hour. Now suppose it takes your team 20 hours to hire one employee from job opening to onboarding. That’s $600 in labor.
What if automation could shorten the time to five hours? This would reduce the labor cost to $150. Now we’re not encouraging you to let anyone go, but you could delay hiring a new recruiter as your company grows. Or you could lessen your dependence on an outside staffing agency. In addition, your talent acquisition team and hiring managers could spend more time on revenue-generating activities.
Improve Efficiency with Mobile
Modern recruiting software is cloud-based can be used with any connected device. Mobile recruiting software is another key efficiency booster. It allows your recruiting team to work from anywhere. In other words, your recruiters can work 100% remotely or have a hybrid work schedule. Giving your employees flexibility in where and when they work is a powerful retention tool. Higher retention saves money as well.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, we’ve made the case that hiring software is a savvy investment – especially when you are trying to cut operating costs. To try our award-winning small business recruiting software for free, visit ApplicantStack Free Trial.
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