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Join ApplicantStack at our upcoming events. All Events Ask Me Anything Webinars Home Instead April4Ask Me Anything Ask Me AnythingThis webinar series will get you answers to all your ApplicantStack questions. During the first 10 minutes, we'll cover a specific topic...
Ask Me Anything Recap: How to Access the Knowledge Base and How To Submit a Support Ticket

Ask Me Anything Recap: How to Access the Knowledge Base and How To Submit a Support Ticket

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:

  1. Enter your company name just as it is listed in your account
  2. Add Franchise/Branch Number (if applicable)
  3. 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:

  1. Create a separate job and assign any duplicates to the job
  2. 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:

3 Ways Hiring Software Saves Money for Your Small Business

3 Ways Hiring Software Saves Money for Your Small Business

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:

  1. Better candidate screening
  2. Shorter time to hire
  3. Lower administrative costs

Do the math for your organization with our Hiring & Recruiting ROI calculator.

How Does Hiring Software Work?

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:

  • Collect and manage hundreds of applications
  • Create templates and libraries for job descriptions, questionnaires, emails, interview scripts, and evaluation scorecards
  • Send potential candidates texts and emails and save a record of the conversations
  • Post to job boards, social media sites and your careers page within the software without having to log into each site
  • Order background and reference checks automatically
  • Allow job candidates to self-schedule interviews
  • 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.

Top image by Antoni Shkraba on Pexels

How to Write a Job Description

How to Write a Job Description

Knowing how to write a job description is one of the key components to attracting and hiring the best talent. That means it’s an essential skill for hiring managers, HR professionals and recruiters.

What is a Job Description?

A job description is a formal listing of the specific responsibilities and important details about an employment position. Though it isn’t the exact thing as a job posting, the job posting includes the job description. A job posting may include additional information about the company.

A good job description will:

  • Help attract the right candidates
  • Be a template for writing your job posting and advertisements
  • Increase the diversity of your applicant pool
  • Serve as a guide for writing your interview questions and candidate evaluation
  • Set realistic expectations for the new hire
  • Assist managers/supervisors with performance reviews and identifying areas for training or development
  • Prevent legal problems with federal agencies in the event of a discrimination allegation

Why is a Good Job Description Important?

First off, a job description is usually the first touchpoint a candidate has with your company. If it’s professional and compelling it reflects well on your organization. Conversely, if it’s full of cliches and trite phrases, or grammar and spelling mistakes, high quality candidates will pass it by.

In addition, a good job description will set expectations for prospective applicants. This saves everyone time and frustration. If a job description doesn’t clearly outline the role, unqualified job seekers may apply. Or perhaps qualified job seekers will apply without understanding the nature of the position. If they are hired and the actual job is different than what the job description described, they may move on. At that point, you’ve both wasted time and your company has wasted money. Not to mention that the former employee won’t be likely to speak well of the experience. If it happens repeatedly, it can damage your brand.

How to Write a Job Description

What makes a good job description? Creating a standardized process is the first step.

Firstly, gather the appropriate people for the task. The manager to whom the position will report might be the best person to take the lead. If there are other employees performing similar jobs, they can also contribute. Additionally, if the position is new and will relieve current employees of work load, they should be part of the discussion.

Secondly, perform a job analysis. You need as much data as possible. The job analysis may include the job responsibilities of current employees, internet research and sample job descriptions for similar jobs. It would include an analysis of the duties, tasks, and responsibilities of the position. The more information you can gather, the easier it will be to write the description.

Thirdly, write the job description. The format and style for writing job descriptions is different from any other type of business writing. It is not a complex process, but you should follow a basic format and include specific components. The basic components are listed below. Following the list, we discuss each in more detail.

Here is a job description template:

    1. Irresistible intro
    2. Job location
    3. Job title
    4. (Optional) Salary or wage
    5. The person the position will report to
    6. Job responsibilities
    7. Candidate requirements (must-haves)
    8. Desired candidate qualifications (nice-to-haves)
    9. Work environment
    10. Statement about company and benefits
    11. EEOC statement

Irresistible Opener

Many job postings start with the location and job title. We have included an intro because it will set your job posting apart. Today’s hiring environment is very competitive. Job seekers interested in your opening will see dozens (maybe hundreds!) of postings for the same position. What will make yours stand out?

That’s where a unique, enticing opener comes in. Tap your marketing team to help you with this part. Specifically, whomever writes your landing pages, social posts, website copy or email nurtures. It’s their job to grab the reader’s attention using as few words as possible. Recruitment and marketing have much in common. Both seek to bring individuals to your company, whether a job seeker or customer.

Check out this lead-in for a Content Marketing Manager position:

Interested in defining how AI shapes the future of work? Cresta is on a mission to make every knowledge worker 100x as effective, 10x faster and 10x better. (LinkedIn)

Here’s one for a Graphic Designer position at a marketing agency:

Think fast and edit faster? Dream in 9:16? Ok, we’ll cut the BS. Sculpt designers make the attention-grabbing social media creative assets we need and love. Can you help us make awesome content? We’re hiring freelance and full-time creatives. (Sculpt)

Compare it to this snoozer:

Under the direction of the Art Director, the Graphic Designer will perform a wide variety of graphic design functions. Responsibilities include design and production of print and digital collateral: brochures, direct mail, environmental graphics, invitations, advertisements, and graphics for web, social media, e-mail, and video.

Job Location

If the position is remote, this may not seem important, but include it anyway. Regardless of where the employee will be working, let them know where your company is based. Many job seekers search for positions by city. LinkedIn and other job sites also send postings to candidates. They match up job locations with the candidate’s location. Therefore, if you don’t list a location, you may not get the same exposure for your posting.

Job Title

The job title should accurately reflect the type of work. For example “clerk,” “processor,” or “analyst”. Furthermore, it should also indicate the level of work being performed; “senior analyst” or “lead accountant”. Avoid acronyms, jargon, and overly-creative job titles. Be clear and concise. Don’t make it difficult for applicants to know if they want to apply. You might call your website manager a Digital Alchemist. Don’t do it in a job description.

Job Summary

The job summary describes the primary reason for and function of the job. It also provides an overview of the job and introduces the responsibilities. The job summary should describe the job without detailed task descriptions. Its length should range from one sentence to a paragraph, depending on the complexity of the job. It is easier to write the summary once you have completed the more detailed information.

Example: A job summary for a Human Resources Director

“Manages the human resources function and day-to-day human resources management activities throughout the organization. This includes employee recruiting, orientation, compensation, benefits, and related programs. Manages all HR functions, staff, and the HR department budget.”

Key Responsibilities

Begin each job responsibility with a present tense action verb and describe the area of responsibility in action terms. Normally, there will be 7 to 10 responsibilities, depending on the job. Examples:

  • Develops marketing programs directed at increasing product sales and awareness.
  • Writes programming code to develop various features and functionality for commercial software products.
  • Designs and develops user interfaces for commercial software products.
  • Supervises technical support employees in providing technical support to organization clients.
  • Manages development of advertising and various marketing collateral materials.

Minimum Candidate Requirements

This section describes the minimum knowledge, skills, and abilities. This information helps determine if the candidates are minimally qualified. However, avoid arbitrary requirements that are difficult to validate. Include only the minimally acceptable requirements. Moreover, do not inflate requirements and be specific and realistic.

It’s important to remember not to consider the education, experience, or skill level of current job holders. Include only what the job actually requires. Moreover, ensure the requirement relates to how and why the job is done

Requirements should include:

  • Education —the type and minimum level, such as high school diploma and/or bachelor’s degree.
  • Experience —the type and minimum level, such as three to five years of supervisory experience, five years of editing experience, and two years of experience with content management systems.
  • Special skills — such as languages spoken and computer software proficiencies.
  • Certifications and licenses — such as industry certifications and practitioners’ licenses.

Desired Additional Candidate Requirements

Of course, there are always additional qualifications on your wish list. Be careful, however. If you list too many, you may discourage perfectly qualified candidates. You also don’t want your job description to be too long.

Work Environment/Physical Requirements

Work environment and physical requirements often overlap, so we’ve included them together. Consider the following example:

Must be able to perform work requiring manual dexterity, climbing, lifting, and working at heights and in confined spaces where advanced mechanical aptitude is required.

In this case, the physical requirements describe the work environment by default.

Consider noise level, temperature, exposure to chemicals, indoors/outdoors, proximity to moving machinery, repetitive motion, UV light, etc.

Here is another example:

Install all types of solar panels and associated equipment in residential and commercial settings. Most installations are performed on rooftops.

When describing physical requirements, list specifics such as lifting heavy objects or standing for long periods of time. Examples include:

  • Requires ability to lift large and heavy packages.
  • Must be physically capable of safely lifting a minimum of 50 lbs. without assistance.
  • Requires the ability to work flexible shifts.
  • Must be able to travel 50% to other job sites.
  • Able to meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced work environment.

Disclaimer

All job descriptions should have a disclaimer that clearly states that the description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible responsibilities, tasks, and duties. Additionally, disclaimers should also state that the responsibilities, tasks, and duties of the jobholder might differ from those outlined in the job description and that other duties may be assigned. It’s important to understand that in a labor union environment, the job description could be literally interpreted.

Make the Job Description About the Candidate

It is helpful to think about what would make the job enticing to the applicant. Be intentional about this editing step. With any kind of business writing, it’s natural to get wrapped up in our own perspective. It’s takes conscious effort to see the description through the eyes of the job seeker. Doing this effectively will improve the performance of your postings.

What to Avoid in Your Job Description

Unnecessary qualifications: only include what is actually required to perform the job.

Non-inclusive language: remove language that could discourage candidates from underrepresented groups, e.g. “digital native”

Cliches: “self-starter,” “go-getter,” “team player”.

Idioms, slang and corporate jargon

Get Feedback from Your Hiring Team

The more people that review your description throughout the editing process, the better. As mentioned previously, ask current employees performing the job to review it. If you are not the hiring manager, you need to work closely with that person to make sure it effectively conveys all aspects of the position.

Many people at your company could help describe the culture and work atmosphere. This is another area where your marketing team could help the description come alive.

If your team is working remotely, put your job description draft in a Google Doc so team members can review and add feedback at their convenience.

Job Description Examples

Drywall Carpenter General Foreman

  • Sacramento, CA
  • $35-$40 an hour, Full-Time

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

  • Supervise all field production activities
  • Assist the Foreman in planning the job, ordering materials and managing employee schedules
  • Establish project goals and monitor the success of goals throughout the project
  • Monitor labor efficiencies, project labor needs for the duration of the project
  • Achieve productivity objectives by effectively managing and assigning tasks to crew members
  • Maintain an accurate labor tracking log and communicate with key project personnel
  • Use a proactive approach to anticipate and resolve potential issues

Skills and Experience Requirements

  • 3-5 years experience as a General Foreman Drywall framer or similar role
  • Lift and/or pull 75 lbs., climb ladders, work off ladders, lifts or other equipment
  • Ability to maintain a standing position for extended periods of time, fully squat, bend or kneel while wearing a tool belt
  • Capable of working in a variety of weather conditions
  • Uphold company core values of integrity, leadership, passion and excellence at all times
  • Support activities at all job sites as directed

[COMPANY NAME] provides commercial construction services throughout the United States, delivering innovative solutions and outstanding service to our customers for time-tested buildings and facilities. As a 100% employee-owned quality contractor, we hire the best people, give them exceptional training, and provide robust opportunities for professional growth.

What to Avoid in Your Job Description

As you craft your job descriptions, make sure you avoid the following:

  • Poor formatting (keep things organized with bulleted lists)
  • Trendy buzzwords (e.g. “bones day” “black belt” “unicorn”)
  • Gender-biased language (e.g. “seeking someone who can manage his schedule”)
  • Vague business jargon (e.g. “savvy go-getter”)

Source: (Inc.com)

This article is part of our multi-volume guide: How to Hire Employees:

EEO Reporting (Equal Employment Opportunity Component 1)

What is EEO-1 Reporting?

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

What hiring data do I need to collect?

Component 1 requires employers to collect and record data on the following characteristics of workers:

  • Race/ethnicity
  • Gender
  • Job category

A sample copy of the EEO-1 form and instructions can be found here: EEO-1 data collection.

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

Employers are prohibited by law from discriminating against job applicants and employees on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender identity), age (40 or older), disability, national origin or genetic information. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal anti-discrimination laws in the workplace.

What is the OFCCP?

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) protects workers and promotes diversity by enforcing the law.

What is OFCCP reporting?

The OFCCP requires federal contractors to report the same employee EEO data as private employers.

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 Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) are two federal agencies that fight discrimination in the workplace. However, the OFCCP enforces non-discrimination for business contractors and sub-contractors who obtain government contracts, while the EEOC responds to any workplace-related discrimination (or alleged discrimination). Both agencies have the authority to file lawsuits against violating employers, contractors and sub-contractors.

How do I identify an employee’s race and/or ethnicity for EEO reporting?

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission requires employers to gather race and ethnic information on their employees. To comply with this regulation, you should ask all applicants to self-identify demographic information during the hiring process, and then provide them with another opportunity to do so after they are hired.

The EEOC recommends the following methods for ethnic and racial self-identification:

  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

EEO Compliance and Recruiting Guidelines

For recruiters and business owners, compliance means more than tracking and reporting demographic information on workers after hire. Employers must also comply with EEO applicant tracking rules for applicants not hired. For example, if a candidate was given a phone screening interview, interviewed but not offered a position, or given an assessment but not selected for hire, the employer must keep records that verify hiring decisions.

Employers must maintain compliance which can be achieved by reviewing job descriptions, applications, applicant identification, interview scorecards, and candidate assessments. Employers should keep applicant data for at least one year after the application period has ended.

When and How to Report Candidate Information

As discussed, employers must file EEO-1 reports annually. However, when it comes to candidates who are not hired, you do not need to submit data for such applicants. The information will be useful in the event a rejected candidate files a discrimination claim against your organization. In this case, comprehensive documentation about your hiring process and the rationale for hiring decision will help verify if your process was fair and non-discriminatory. Applications, filtering questionnaires, assessment scores and interview evaluations can provide this evidence.

Tools that can Drive Efficiency for EEO and OFCCP Compliance

Applicant tracking systems streamline the hiring process from beginning to end, including job descriptions, resume organization and management, filtering questionnaires, interview scripts and candidate scorecards.

 

See also

Additional resources