G2 Awards ApplicantStack Multiple Badges for Summer 2022

G2 Awards ApplicantStack Multiple Badges for Summer 2022

ApplicantStack Recognized by G2

G2.com, Inc. recently announced their Summer 2022 awards and, again, ApplicantStack came out on top in several categories.

ApplicantStack was awarded the following commendations:

  • Leader
  • High Performer–Small Business and Enterprise
  • Fastest Implementation–Enterprise
  • Users Love Us

We appreciate our valued customers who took the time to leave an ApplicantStack review. Here is a sample:

The recruitment side keeps all your applications in one place and allows you the option to text (!!) or email. It’s neat and orderly and helps me with time management. The onboarding side keeps all the paperwork in one place, eliminates all the copying of forms and looks so much more professional than what we were previously doing.

About G2

G2 is the largest and most trusted software marketplace, helping 60 million people every year make smarter software decisions based on authentic peer reviews.

Looking for Applicant Tracking Software?

If you are researching hiring software, we invite you to visit Swipeclock ApplicantStack and WorkforceHub. You can also get a free trial of ApplicantStack.

Did You Miss the 2022 EEO Reporting Deadline?

Did You Miss the 2022 EEO Reporting Deadline?

EEO Reporting: You Still Have Time to Report 2021 EEO Data

EEO-1 reporting opened on April 12, 2022 with a deadline of May 17, 2022. BUT, if you haven’t filed, the EEOC will accept reports until June 21, 2022. You should receive a “failure to file” notice and instructions for submission as soon as possible.

What is EEO-1 Reporting?

The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Component 1 report is a mandatory annual data collection that requires all private sector employers with 100 or more employees, and federal contractors with 50 or more employees meeting certain criteria, to submit demographic workforce data. U.S. Equal Equal Opportunity Commission

Component 1 requires hiring data categorized by the following:

  • Race/ethnicity
  • Gender
  • Job category

A sample copy of the EEO-1 form and instructions are available at EEO-1 data collection.

The filing by eligible employers of the EEO-1 Component 1 Report is required under section 709(c) of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-8(c), and 29 CFR 1602.7-.14 and 41 CFR 60-1.7(a). U.S. Equal Equal Opportunity Commission

What is the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)?

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal anti-discrimination laws. It is illegal to discriminate against a job candidate or employee because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.

OFCCP Compliance for Recruiters

Federal contractors also have equal employment obligations. Let’s discuss them.

What is the OFCCP?

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), was created to protect workers, promote diversity and enforce the law.

Compliance requires OFCCP reporting which is similar to EEO reporting.

OFCCP holds those who do business with the federal government (contractors and subcontractors) responsible for complying with the legal requirement to take affirmative action and not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. In addition, contractors and subcontractors are prohibited from discharging or otherwise discriminating against applicants or employees who inquire about, discuss or disclose their compensation or that of others, subject to certain limitations. U.S. Department of Labor

Is the OFCCP the same as the EEOC?

The OFCCP was created to regulate and enforce non-discrimination for business contractors and sub-contractors dealing with the U.S. government. The EEOC is the federal agency that handles concerns for any employment-related discrimination (or alleged discrimination) in the United States. Both agencies have the authority to file lawsuits against violating employers.

EEO and OFCCP Guidelines for Recruiting

EEO and OFCCP compliance for recruiters includes more than simply reporting demographic data on employees after hire. There are also EEO applicant tracking obligations for applicants not hired. In addition to demographic information, employers should keep records that verify hiring decisions. These can include job descriptions, applications, applicant identification, interview scorecards, and candidate assessments. You should keep applicant data for at least one year.

Do I need to report applicant data?

While you are required to file your EEO-1 report, you don’t need to file data for applicants not hired. However, if a rejected applicant files an EEOC claim against you, you want to have documentation about your hiring process. Specifically, whether it was free from discrimination.

OFCCP Guidelines for Recruiting: Posting and Notices

How do employers determine an employee’s race and/or ethnicity for EEO reporting?

Self-identification is the preferred method of identifying race and ethnic information necessary for the EEO-1 Component 1 Report. Employers are required to attempt to allow employees to use self-identification to complete the EEO-1 Component 1 Report. As to the method of collecting data, the basic principles for ethnic and racial self-identification for purposes of the EEO-1 Component 1 Report are:

  1. Offer employees the opportunity to self-identify and
  2. Provide a statement about the voluntary nature of this inquiry for employees U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

OFCCP Posting Compliance Checklist

As with other Department of Labor regulations, employers have several notification and posting rules. Let’s discuss them.

Subcontractors: Notice to subcontractors of their nondiscrimination and affirmative action obligations, provided by incorporating equal opportunity clauses into subcontracts and purchase orders.

Job Postings: Notice to jobseekers that the employer is an equal opportunity employer, provided by using taglines in job advertisements.

Subcontracts over 10K: Notice to OFCCP by the prime contractor that it awarded a construction subcontract in excess of $10,000.

American Job Center: Notice to the appropriate American Job Center or state workforce agency that an employer is a federal contractor, that it wants priority referral of veterans, and that it has job openings to list in the job bank.

Unions: Notice to any unions with which the contractor has a collective bargaining agreement of the contractor’s equal opportunity obligations.

Posters: Posting the “EEO is the Law” and other posters to inform applicants and employees of the contractor’s nondiscrimination and equal opportunity obligations.
U.S. Department of Labor

What is the best way to track EEO data for EEO reporting?

Collecting diversity data is easier with an applicant tracking system (ATS). An ATS automates the online application process. In addition, you can use your ATS to track job postings, applicant sources (job boards, careers page, social media), interview questions and the basis for hiring decisions.

A Beginner’s Guide to Applicant Management in a Small Biz

A Beginner’s Guide to Applicant Management in a Small Biz

Applicant management is crucial to business success. That’s why large companies have massive hiring teams. At a small org, in contrast, one person may handle the entire hiring process. Today’s post includes an overview of applicant management for small businesses and HR departments of one.

What is applicant management?

The recruiting workflow has dozens of components which may include:

  • Write and manage job descriptions, job postings, interview scripts, candidate scorecards, and hiring communications
  • Post job ads to company careers page, social media and job boards
  • Engage with potential candidates on LinkedIn or other sites
  • Track, organize and review resumes
  • Filter and score candidates
  • Conduct interviews and gather feedback from your recruiting team
  • Perform background and reference checks
  • Negotiate employment contracts and extend job offer
  • Onboard new hires
  • Track hiring metrics
  • Manage hiring budget
  • Conduct skills gap analyses
  • Create hiring plans
  • Maintain recruiting compliance

Now, let’s discuss these HR processes and recruiting tasks in detail.

Job Description

A job description is an internal document and formal listing of the specific responsibilities and important details about an employment position. Note that the job posting or job advertisement is not the same thing. A good job description will:

  1. Define the job responsibilities
  2. Reduce the applicant pool to those who qualify
  3. Introduce the applicant to your company

How do you write a job description?

First, define the basic information about the position. Next, identify the specific skills and qualifications the position requires.

  • Location of job (or remote)
  • Job title
  • Salary range (optional)
  • Job responsibilities
  • Necessary qualifications
  • Desired candidate credentials
  • Statement about company and benefits
  • EEOC statement
  • Disclaimer

Make sure your job description is straightforward and concise. Avoid acronyms, jargon, and witty job titles. Remember that job seekers will search job boards using the job position and location. Therefore, put those in the headline. If it’s a remote position, put it in the job title. Example: Medical Coder (Remote Full-time).

All job descriptions should include a disclaimer that states that the description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not a comprehensive list of all possible responsibilities, tasks, and duties. Disclaimers should also state that other duties, as assigned, might be part of the job. This is most important in a labor union environment where the document can be literally interpreted.

Should you include the salary range?

There are good arguments for including the salary range as it will encourage applicants who have similar expectations–and filter out those who have different requirements. Note also that some cities and states mandate salary information in job advertisements. The National Law Review gives an overview here: New Wage Range Disclosure Requirements in Multiple States.

Create a Job Description Template

Create a template for your job descriptions so they will all follow the same format. Your job description will also be a template for writing job postings, candidate interview scripts and candidate evaluation forms. For an in-depth guide on writing job descriptions, see How to Write a Job Description. With an applicant tracking system, you can create and manage a library of recruiting job descriptions. If you have several hiring managers, they can help you build the templates and update them as necessary in your recruiting software.

Advertise Your Job

Once you’ve written your job description, it’s time to get the word out. Post the job on your company’s careers page if you have one and social media sites. Job boards are also important as many job seekers use them exclusively. Choose job boards based on the position. Money.com recommends the following sites:

  • ZipRecruiter: Best for Large Scale Recruiting
  • Indeed: Best for Free Job Posts
  • LinkedIn: Best for Executive and Upper Management Positions
  • Handshake Job Search Site: Best for College Recruiting
  • Dribble: Best for Scouting Designers and Creatives

There are also sites that cater to a specific type of job, industry or talent pool. These include diversity candidates, tech jobs, remote jobs and internships. For more information on posting jobs, see Job Posting: Where and How to Post Job Listings.

You may find that paid listings are worthwhile in recruiting when there is a lot of competition for applicants. Paid listings get a higher profile on the boards.

Employee referrals are a great source of candidates. Be sure to ask your team for recommendations!

Applicant Management Analytics

Use analytics to best manage your recruiting time and budget. This includes tracking the source of everyone in your candidate pipeline so you can tell which venues are delivering good candidates. Results may vary based on the particulars, so track that too. These include job location, job type, education level, years of experience, hours, and physical requirements. For example, a college job board may attract good applicants for an entry-level job while a tech job board like Dice would attract qualified applicants for a senior IT position. Applicant manager software is an indispensable HR tool. In will automate recruiting, candidate tracking, reporting.

Organizing Applications

Hopefully, soon after posting your job, you’ll start receiving applications. Whether they are paper, electronic, or a mix of both, gather them in the same place and form. You can scan paper applications to create a digital copy. Create folders to manage your job applicant pool. You might have three: 1. Top Applicants, 2. Unqualified (Do Not Pursue) and 3. Partially Qualified. In other words, Yes, No and Maybe.

The goal of the first-pass sorting is to isolate the best candidates and eliminate the unqualified applicants. You don’t want to waste time in your recruitment process on candidates that don’t meet the basic requirements. You only want to touch their resume once. Remember, however, to keep their applications. There may be some candidates that would be a good fit for another position. Build a database of applicants to consider for future openings.

Engage With Candidates

It’s important to let applicants know immediately that you’ve received their application. Many candidates prefer to communicate by text. If you decide to advance them to the next stage, tell them right away so they won’t look elsewhere. If you eliminate them, be considerate and inform them so they can pursue other openings. Don’t ghost your candidates! It is just plain uncool and gives your business a bad reputation. (Be aware, however, that many applicants will ghost you. Unfortunately, it comes with the territory.)

You can create email or text templates for each type of hiring process communication. “We’ve Received Your Application,” “Let’s Schedule a Phone Screening,” “We Would Like to Set Up and Interview,” “We are Moving Forward With Other Candidates But Thank You for Applying,” etc. An ATS (applicant tracking system) can save you a lot of time with candidate communications. You can store templates and set triggers for automatic emails personalized with the candidate’s name and the position they applied for.

How to Conduct Interviews

When you have a pool of promising candidates, it’s time to schedule interviews. Many companies start with a phone screening. The purpose of this call is to verify qualifications and experience, clarify any questions you have and get a sense of the applicant’s communication skills.

Phone screenings should further whittle down your applicant pool as you move through the hiring process. The next step for the candidates you are recruiting is a video or in-person interview. The best practice here is to create an interview script based on the job description. An interview script helps you evaluate each candidate based on the same criteria. Learn more here: How to Conduct an Interview With a Job Candidate and here: Define Your Hiring Selection Criteria.

Score Candidates

When you write your interview script, create a scorecard for evaluation. During the interview, or soon after, fill it out and then sort quality candidates by score. Have your hiring manager and all members of the hiring team use the same scorecard. Learn more and see scorecard templates here: How Manager Feedback and Interview Evaluations Improve Hiring. Applicant tracking software has templates for scorecards and other evaluation tools.

Reference Checks

If you didn’t ask for references on the application, do it now. This is where you talk to previous employers and look for any issues that were not uncovered. Try to automate this process as much as you can. For example, send an email to the references asking them to fill out a linked questionnaire. Or, call the references and fill out the questionnaire yourself. Either way, try to gather information in a consistent manner from each reference for each final candidate.

Background Checks

Background checks are an important part of an employer’s recruiting due diligence. They protect your business, your employees, your customers and the public at large.

Background screenings protect:

  • employees from violence or harassment
  • customers from theft or harassment
  • your business from fraud, theft, a tarnished reputation or legal liability

Laws that Govern Background Checks

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) applies when employers hire a third-party service agency to conduct consumer credit reports and other investigative reports. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces the FCRA. When a third party service performs background checks, they may obtain information termed as “investigative reporting.” An investigative consumer report may contain subjective judgment regarding the job candidate.

How does the FTC define a “report”?

It’s important to know that a report doesn’t need to be in written form. A report could refer to information obtained in a short phone call which is communicated orally to the hiring manager in another short phone call.

An FCRA consumer report is “Any written, oral or other communication of any information by a consumer-reporting agency bearing on a consumer’s credit worthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics or mode of living. In the employment context, this definition may, for example, include credit reports, criminal history reports, driving records and other background check reports created by a third party, such as drug tests.” The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Employers must provide the applicant with a formal written disclosure and obtain the applicant’s consent before conducting the research. The disclosure and consent form must be a separate document and can’t be included in the application. The employer must disclose that the information may be used to influence the hiring decision.

After you’ve gotten consent from the applicant, you must inform the background check service that you notified obtained their consent and verify  that you met with the FCRA anti-discrimination provisions. If you are asking a company to provide an ‘investigative report’—a report based on personal interviews concerning a person’s character, general reputation, personal characteristics, and lifestyle— you must also tell the applicant or employee of his or her right to a description of the nature and scope of the investigation.

Extend the Job Offer

When you’ve made your choice, it’s time to offer the job. If everything has gone well, the candidate is excited and wants to join your team. If everything has gone quickly, they are still available.

Send an offer letter that states clearly the key information about the offer, including wage, location and start date. You might also want to include where and when to report and any other details that are specific to the offer. Give the candidate a signature line and send it out.

Don’t waste any time. Remember that talent acquisition is extremely competitive. Now that you have identified this person as the ideal candidate, you can be certain that others have, too.

It helps to have a job offer ready to go before you start the process. Use an offer letter template to make this a speedy and consistent process. Include your company logo, standard text and merge fields where you can easily add the details for the specific position. Create the template in advance and have it ready to go for this and your next hire. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) have job offer letter templates. Once you’ve created a template for each job position, you can store and manage them in your ATS.

The Candidate Accepts!

Congratulations! You have crossed the goal line and have successfully filled the job. Time to go for the extra point—onboarding your new hire. You can learn how in our free eBook, 16 Tips to Quickly and Efficiently Onboard Employees Remotely.

For in-depth guidance on small business applicant management, download our free eBooks: Creating the Position, The Interview, Hiring the Candidate

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels

 

 

ApplicantStack Honored as Top Performer in Customer Success Report

ApplicantStack Honored as Top Performer in Customer Success Report

ApplicantStack has been recognized as a Top Performer in the Winter 2022 Applicant Tracking Software Customer Success Report by FeaturedCustomers.

FeaturedCustomers evaluated all the potential Applicant Tracking Software companies on its platform for possible inclusion in the report. Only 25 companies met the criteria needed for recognition in the Winter 2022 Applicant Tracking Software Customer Success Report. ApplicantStack earned a Top Performer award in the category.

The Customer Success Report is based on the curation of authenticated case studies, testimonials, and videos from across the web, telling a complete story of vendors in the Applicant Tracking Software space through real customer experiences. Rankings are determined by multiple factors including total number of customer success content, social media and market presence, vendor momentum based on web traffic and search trends, and additional data aggregated from online sources and media properties. FeaturedCustomers is the world’s leading customer reference platform for B2B business software and services.

ApplicantStack is Tailored to SMB Hiring Teams

ApplicantStack is a full-featured hiring and applicant management solution powered by Swipeclock. It was created specifically for the pressing hiring demands of small to mid-size businesses. With ApplicantStack, small business recruiting teams can:

  • Create, post and manage jobs from one system
  • Qualify candidates with prescreening applications and elimination questions
  • Communicate with emails and texting–right from the software
  • Find best fit hires with standardized feedback
  • Build hiring workflows with stage change triggers
  • Set task reminders to ensure effective collaboration
  • Provide a candidate-centric applicant journey

Overcome 2022 Hiring Challenges

Hiring has never been more difficult–especially for high turnover industries and frontline job roles. To succeed, SMB hiring teams must optimize their processes with intelligent automation. ApplicantStack is equal to the task, helping you find higher quality candidates faster and with less effort. Our solution enables small hiring teams to compete with companies of any size in today’s tight labor market.

ATS Texting is a Must-Have

ApplicantStack’s texting feature is essential for today’s hiring landscape. Small businesses need to communicate with candidates where they are–on their mobile devices. Texting with candidates is crucial for the candidate experience as well as improved productivity, reduced ghosting, and higher success to fill rate. In addition, texting helps you reach job seekers and passive candidates that may not otherwise engage.

With ApplicantStack, you can send and manage texts with multiple candidates. The system stores a record of the conversations so everyone on the hiring team knows what’s going on. Recruiters can text links to screening questionnaires and interview scheduling calendars. Texting is especially helpful during the interview process. Candidates who make it to this stage are the cream of the crop and you don’t want to lose them to a faster competitor. If you shorten the interview evaluation process, you are less likely to have candidates drop out or receive an offer from another company.

Interested in trying out ApplicantStack for free? Visit ApplicantStack Free Trial.

Check out some ApplicantStack reviews:

ApplicantStack Top Performer

About FeaturedCustomers

FeaturedCustomers is the world’s only customer reference platform for B2B business software and services. FeaturedCustomers helps B2B buyers research and discover business software through vendor validated customer reference content including customer testimonials, case studies, success stories, customer stories, and customer videos. Every day, their platform helps influence the purchasing decisions of thousands of B2B buyers in the final stages of their buying cycle from Fortune 500 companies to SMBs. Form more information, visit FeaturedCustomers.