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Computer interviewSource

 

When considering a successful business, people tend to overlook all the hard work and struggle that had to be done to take that business to the place where it’s now. 

But be sure that the owners remember those times very well. 

And it’s probably a good thing. Not to forget your past to appreciate the present more. And to make sure that future will only get better. 

In that everyday struggle to build their business, what would be one most valuable asset to the business owners? 

If you are one, then you definitely know the answer. An employee. 

A good employee is an asset that can add value to your business and your life. When you can be certain that work will be done in the proper manner you can focus on other things. It’s unburdening and thus makes your life less stressful. 

But finding that kind of employee takes a lot of effort. And it’s not just the right kind of education that’s important but a whole bunch of aspects you should consider when hiring your employees. 

To be sure that the process of getting new members of your winning team onboard is productive, keep on reading.

Find the right fit for your business

There are some steps and procedures that can be used to select the right candidate for a job. 

It can involve multiple stages such as job posting, screening, interviewing, background checks, and salary negotiations.

The hiring process helps in identifying the best candidates for the job by evaluating their skills and abilities. It also helps employers to be sure that they are complying with labor laws and regulations when it comes to hiring employees.

 In addition, it can help employers save time and money by ensuring that they are selecting the right person for the job quickly and efficiently.

If you’re seeking the right staff for your company or business and don’t know where and how to start, here are ten ways that’ll help you make an effective and productive hiring process.

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1. Recruitment plan

Recruiting the right people is one of the most important tasks for any business. In today’s competitive job market, it’s important to have a clear recruitment plan in place. A thorough recruitment plan can ensure that you’re able to attract and hire the best talent for your team.

That’s why it’s important to consider all aspects of recruitment such as:

  • job descriptions, 
  • sourcing channels, 
  • interviewing process, 
  • and onboarding when you’re creating a recruitment plan. 

This plan should include specific objectives, strategies, and tactics that will be used in order to attract potential applicants. It should also consider budget limitations and other factors that may influence the recruitment process. 

With a good plan in place, you can make sure that your hiring process is efficient and effective.

2. Pre-employment screening

Pre employment screening is an essential part of the recruitment process. It helps employers to evaluate potential candidates and make sure they’re hiring the right person for the job. 

With pre-employment screening, employers can get a better understanding of a candidate’s background, qualifications, and skills. This helps them to make informed decisions about who to hire and who not to hire.

Pre-employment screening also helps employers to protect themselves from potential risks associated with hiring, such as legal liabilities or financial losses.

 It can help employers identify any inconsistency in a candidate’s background information, such as false claims or criminal records, which can be used to make a more informed decision when selecting candidates.

3. Job board posting

Job board posting is a great way to reach out to potential job seekers and find the right talent for your business. With job board postings, employers can post their available positions and get applications from interested candidates.

You can choose from the variety of the online job boards depending on what you’re looking for or what kind of job you’re offering, are you willing to pay for it or you’re interested in free advertising. There’re many ways to promote your job offers but some of the best places to advertise jobs for free are social media platforms, Google or through email marketing. 

This is one of the simplest and oldest ways of getting interested applicants to apply for the job you’re offering. To get better results, or applicants, it’s very important to focus on the job post itself, to write attractive and informative job posts.

Job board postings are also useful for job seekers as they can find relevant opportunities quickly and apply for them.

Some of the important parts your job post has to have, besides job title are :

  • job description
  • benefits for the candidate
  • needed qualifications 
  • company information

4. Social Media

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One of the services in the hiring process that has been used increasingly in the last few years is the use of social networks. Social networks are becoming an important tool in the hiring process. They’re great for getting a quick idea of a candidate’s background, personality, and experience

Social networks also give you a way to see what people are saying about your business, what they’re posting, and what they’re up to on their days off. A recruiter can also use social networks to find out how many people might be interested in a certain job opening.

 When you’re looking for new employees, it’s important to post the job opening on your business social media accounts and on job boards. This will help you reach a larger pool of people who might be interested in the job opening.

5. Past candidates – talent pool

When it comes to finding the right talent, looking back at past candidates is often a great way to start. Having a talent pool of past candidates can be an invaluable resource for any business or company. It gives them access to a wide variety of potential employees who have already expressed interest in working with them. 

This allows employers to quickly and easily find the perfect candidate for their open positions without having to go through the time-consuming process of searching for new applicants.

 With this in mind, it’s no wonder that many organizations are turning to their past candidates as a source of potential talent!

6. Recruitment agencies 

Recruitment agencies are an important resource when it comes to finding the right candidate for a job. They help employers find the right talent for the job, and they help job seekers find their dream jobs.

With their wide network of contacts and overall expertise in recruitment, they can make sure that the best person is hired for the job. Recruitment agencies also can give you valuable advice and support throughout the recruitment process, from screening applicants to onboarding new hires.

 By using their services, companies can save time and money while also being sure that they get the best talent available.

7. Employee referrals

Employee referrals are a great way to build your business culture and create a positive work environment. Employee referrals can save businesses time and money on recruiting and onboarding costs, as well as increase the possibility of finding the right candidate for the job.  

Using employee referrals can help to create a more positive work environment by bringing in people who are already involved in your business’s success.

With these benefits in mind, it’s no wonder that employee referrals are becoming more popular when hiring new staff. 

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8. Internships

Many businesses and companies are turning to internships as a way to recruit new employees. The use of internships has increased in the last decade because it’s a great way to get qualified workers and train them for the needs of your business.

 Interns are crucial to the success of many companies, as they provide a low-cost way to test out different ideas and products. Internships can also lead to a permanent position for interns who do well during their internship and it’s a great opportunity.

9. Website or business page 

Using your business website for the hiring process is a good idea because it makes the process easier for both you and the job seeker. Your business website will have many resources that can help the employer in choosing the right company, such as information about the company culture, work history, benefits, and more.

The job seeker will have access to information about your business or company, like how to apply for jobs, and job listings. You can also post job openings on your website to make it easier for the job seeker to find out about available positions.

A well-designed website is not just about aesthetics. It must have easy navigation and clear employment requirements that are easy to read and find. 

That’s why it’s important to regularly update your business website or page and to have all relevant information there for potential employees to find.

10. Applicant tracking systems

Applicant tracking systems are software programs that are designed to manage the process of finding and hiring new employees. These systems typically have a database of resumes, which is then searched for candidates that match certain criteria. 

They allow employers to compare applicants with each other, as well as with their own past applicants.

The most common types of applicant tracking systems include recruiting software, recruiting databases, and staffing software.

 If you’re willing to invest in this recruitment tool, it’ll save you time and make the whole hiring process a lot easier. 

Considering all of the above, when the time comes to expand your team make sure to apply some of these services. It’ll mean a lot to the proficiency of the hiring process and will increase the possibility of hiring the right match for you and your business. 

And that’s not just a time and money saver. Having the right staff on your side can launch your business beyond your imagination. 

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Tijana Milanković is a freelance content and copywriter.  Writing is her passion and her mission is to help others get their message out there. In her writings she’s focusing  on good research and creativity.

ChatGPT Top HR Influencers

You’ve probably heard about Open.ai’s ai chatbot solution called ChatGPT.
Like most, being in the Conversational AI tech space, I want to see what it could do, so I started just playing around with it.

In this case, I wanted to see what kind of research it could answer for me, so I typed in
Who are the top HR Tech influencers?” and below is the response.
I added the links, because Open.ai won’t quote sources or provide those details.
I thought the results were pretty cool, and accurate, because everyone listed here has extraordinary experience and influence in the HR Tech market.

It’s still early, but the tech is pretty useful for researching topics.


Who are the top HR Tech influencers? – the question to ChatGPT

 

Here are many HR tech influencers who are known for their expertise and thought leadership in the field. Here are a few top HR tech influencers:

  1. William Tincup: William Tincup is a well-known HR tech influencer and co-founder of RecruitingDaily.com. He is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to HR technology and is known for his insights on the future of work and the role of technology in HR.

  2. Jessica Miller-Merrell: Jessica Miller-Merrell is a well-known HR tech influencer and founder of Workology.com. She is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to HR technology and is known for her insights on the future of work and the role of technology in HR.

  3. John Sumser: John Sumser is a well-known HR tech influencer and editor-in-chief of HR Examiner. He is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to HR technology and is known for his insights on the future of work and the role of technology in HR.

  4. Madeline Laurano: Madeline Laurano is a well-known HR tech influencer and co-founder of Aptitude Research Partners. She is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to HR technology and is known for her insights on the future of work and the role of technology in HR.

  5. George LaRocque: George LaRocque is a well-known HR tech influencer and founder of HRWins. He is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to HR technology and is known for his insights on the future of work and the role of technology in HR.

  6. Stacey Harris: Stacey Harris is a well-known HR tech influencer and vice president of research and analytics at Sierra-Cedar. She is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to HR technology and is known for her insights on the future of work and the role of technology in HR.

  7. Jason Averbook: Jason Averbook is a well-known HR tech influencer and CEO of LeapGen. He is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to HR technology and is known for his insights on the future of work and the role of technology in HR.

  8. Trish McFarlane: Trish McFarlane is a well-known HR tech influencer and CEO of H3HR Advisors. She is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to HR technology and is known for her insights on the future of work and the role of technology in HR.

  9. Ben Eubanks: Ben Eubanks is a well-known HR tech influencer and principal analyst at Lighthouse Research & Advisory. He is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to HR technology and is known for his insights on the future of work and the role of technology in HR.

  10. Lars Schmidt: Lars Schmidt is a well-known HR tech influencer and founder of Amplify Talent. He is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to HR technology and is known for his insights on the future of work and the role of technology in HR.

    Let me know what you think. I’m thinking of running more examples and sharing the results.
HR Automation

Source: Pexels

Much like other aspects of work today, the human relations (HR) industry is changing. To keep up with current needs, HR professionals are shifting in focus towards cultivating a positive culture when hiring. Aside from tried-and-tested strategies such as sign-on bonuses and student loan repayment, HR managers are also using technological advancements to help improve hiring practices and employee management.

HR professionals can continue to disrupt the industry from AI to analytics while keeping a people-first focus. And these modern trends are the main focus of HR training, particularly at higher education institutions. Educational programs for human resource managers reflect these industry trends by focusing on applying modern HR principles and technologies to facilitate strategic talent recruitment and development. However, as helpful as technology can be, it can only work best when it centers its processes on people. Today, we’ll look at how technology is changing HR:

Increasing employee engagement

Businesses that pay attention to their employees’ needs gain a competitive advantage over rival companies. Case in point, to investigate cases of employee mistreatment and negative working experiences, Starbucks is investing in a digital community that connects 270,000 employees. A proactive effort to boost employee engagement and experience, the digital platform aims to create a unified global company that prioritizes employees.

 

Improving corporate wellness

Corporate wellness initiatives are tough to establish and maintain. Digital wellness apps and trackers can help HR teams keep track of employees who participate in company wellness initiatives, and which ones may need more motivation or incentive. According to a recent survey, 42% of job applicants say that wellness perks and benefits are a vital part of their final decisions. Investing in employee wellness — and knowing how to maintain it — makes you a more viable company in a competitive market vying for limited talent.

 

Predicting future outcomes and trends

One of the best use cases for digital technology in HR is the use of AI analytics. Using analytics and predictive technology, HR professionals can make sense of recruitment and workforce management data to understand better past recruits and employees and what needs to be changed to attract talent who will thrive in the company. While HR teams can do these functions without digital technology, AI can help them accomplish them quickly and with less room for human errors or biases. Understanding past recruits provide you with insights into potential candidates, allowing HR professionals to take on more proactive approaches to recruitment — an essential edge in today’s competitive talent market.

 

Optimizing corporate training

Lastly, a critical part of workforce management and employee retention can be achieved by providing them with the necessary opportunities to grow their skill sets. Businesses can save time and resources by offering corporate training using augmented and virtual reality technologies, a useful “hack” for employee onboarding, and on-the-job training, which can help recruits familiarize themselves and engage with the working environment. Aside from virtual realities, businesses can also use AI and data analytics to break down employee training data to enhance training approaches for future cases.

Ultimately, the different forms and uses of today’s emerging technologies can be incorporated into modern HR strategies. These will help save time and resources while streamlining an employee management workflow that works in favor of improving business success while addressing the needs of employees. 

Article by Colleen Laurie

Now Hiring Non stupid people

Recruiting, Hiring, and Keeping employees can be really tough.
Hiring the right people is even harder.
If you’ve been frustrated as a hiring manager, recruiter or HR team member, I’m sure you’ve thought couldn’t we just create a sign that said “Now Hiring- non-stupid people”. Well someone did, and it’s working.

In Pasadena, TX, Walter Parsons, the owner of Pets Gone Wild Resort was hitting the wall when it came to hiring for his small business. Originally he found this sign on Amazon.

Now Hiring Non-stupid people

They laughed in the office. But then, bought it. Put it up, and got qualified candidates. Right away.

 

The situation is pretty familiar in the HR and recruiting space.

They’ve used traditional job ads but weren’t getting enough candidates.

The candidates they did get, were not who they needed.
They were hiring people who left 3 days after starting.
They were hiring people who weren’t a right fit (using their mobile phones when they should have been working with the animals.)

It’s a story we hear all the time in recruiting and HR.
It’s not just getting candidates. It’s getting candidates that fit your company, the specific role, and your culture.
In a small business, everyone is a key player, so hiring someone that isn’t a fit is a painful process.

While the sign is an outrageous campaign, and something many of us would have loved to have used at some point in our careers, it is working for Pets Gone Wild. They got 3 quality applicants pretty quickly.

By looking at the YouTube comments there are a lot of supporters of the sign and the business owner.

Non-stupid people sign comments

Getting attention for your jobs is one thing, but making it easy to apply, engaging and qualifying candidates quickly are equally important.

There are lots of ways to change your job ad process to get more qualified candidates quickly.

Apply by Text - with QR Code
You can use Apply by Text, with QR Codes, making it easy for candidates to apply, pre-screen themselves, and then respond over text messaging.

Reported from KHOU 11

Superhuman powers

We asked recruiters, hiring managers, and business leaders for their Superpower tips for successfully hiring the best candidates.

What’s your “secret” recruiting superpower?
Is it your process? Your structure?
A special set of tools or tech?
Your ability to listen and get people?

Get to an Offer in Two Weeks or Less

My recruiting superpower is to streamline our hiring processes so we can get to an offer in 2 weeks or less, from my first conversation with candidates. This is extremely helpful in competitive situations where more than our company wants to hire a candidate. Twice, in August we beat out competitors simply because we collapsed the process and the other companies couldn’t make an offer before our 7 day expiration date on our offer letter.
If you have 2 coding interviews, then send them invitations for both coding interviews at the same time. Get every interview scheduled upfront. This move occupies your candidates’ calendars with your interviews making it harder for competitors to schedule with them. It also impresses your candidate on how efficient your company is compared to other companies that go dark on them for a period of time.
Marsh Sutherland, Senior Technical Recruiter at
Ocient

Treat Existing Employees Excellently

Our company’s “secret” recruiting superpower is being excellent to our employees. We work hard to create a fun and positive online office environment and take care of our employees. As a result, staff proactively encourage friends and family members to apply for openings even before we solicit employee referrals. These internal recommendations help us speed up the hiring, vetting, and onboarding processes and aid in identifying candidates with great cultural fit. Not to mention, referred applicants help to reduce employee attrition rates.

Tasia Duske, CEO of Museum Hack

Use Behavioral Interviewing

Our firm’s recruiting superpower is using Behavioral Interviewing.  Based on the idea that the best predictor of future behavior is past performance, our internal interview process (and the interview process we train our consulting clients in) create an environment where we ask good questions to get good answers.  Based on our questions, we are able to obtain objective, job-related answers from candidates. Rather than ask hypothetical or theoretical questions, we frame questions in a way that allows candidates to speak about their past experience and we understand how they will perform in the job for which they are applying. 

A simple example – rather than ask “What is your philosophy on managing conflict in the workplace?” we invite the candidate to provide an example by asking “Can you share a time you managed an employee conflict.”  A simple reframing of a common question lends itself to a higher quality response, which allows us to better evaluate a candidate.
Eric Mochnacz, HR Consultant at Red Clover

Focus on a Candidate-Centric Process

The recruiting process of most companies concentrates on filling the position, which means that every step of their strategy revolves around this aim. Our team focuses on studying the candidate’s traits instead, taking note of easily identifiable qualities and digging deeper to find more that match the requirements for the position. This candidate-centric process enables us to know more about the candidate, also helping the candidate notice the extra mile we go to help them reveal their particular traits.
Riley Beam, Managing Attorney of Douglas R. Beam, P.A.

Adopt a Proactive and Quick Recruiting Approach

My recruiting superpower is the eagerness in which I approach possible candidates on LinkedIn and respect for both their and my time. If I wrote to you, that means I believe you’re up for the job. If you truly are, based on what I read in your resume and what I heard during the interview, I will waste no time with the decision. Seeking jobs is nerve-wracking as it is and I try to make it less so for candidates.

Maciek Kubiak, Head of People at PhotoAiD

Focus More on Conversation as Against Process

Engage in conversation. Some recruiters focus too much on the process and structure that they forget to “listen” to the candidates. Avoid a dry Q&A process which filters out many qualities of a prospective candidate wanting to market themselves. Technical conversations may occur although human engagement is necessary. Hosting an organic conversation about the role and how the candidate can contribute will allow both parties to learn about one another. Focus on selling the role and employer rather than making it about yourself. If recruiters “listen” better, they can align the right roles with optimal candidates that will likely accept the role. If they decline roles, ask why, so they aren’t overlooked for more refined opportunities down the road. Most job candidates do not change their preferences overnight. Also, no one likes to keep repeating themselves for them to be literally heard. Job seekers will move on to better sources that align with their respective needs.
Sasha Laghonh, Founder of Sasha Talks

Attract Creative Talent With Branded Content

A creative and fun work environment. We believe our work speaks for itself, and we post branded content and other projects we’ve produced to attract potential employees. We foster a collaborative environment for our team and have learned people have followed us to see our process and how we made what we made. We post behind-the-scenes of our productions as a way to attract new talent as well as promote our brand. Being open about the process and presenting a fun and creative environment is key.
Stephen Skeel, Co-Founder of 7 Wonders

Identify and Hire People That Fit the Company Vision

In the long run, every employee in our organization connects with our vision and plays different roles accordingly. Since this approach is what has worked for us, we ensure that we induct this approach into our recruitment formula too. In finding candidates who fit our company’s vision, we are able to create a team that commits to a lot more than just a job position. This solution also helps candidates connect easily, considering how the best ones are those looking to engage in a long-term association.
Azmaira Maker, Ph.D., Founding Director of Aspiring Families

Let Your Brand be Seen as a Niche Authority

My go-to approach has always been (and continues to be) becoming an authority in a very specific niche related to the digital marketing sector. For example, a known figure in the link building or technical SEO sector. As a thought leader and authority in a niche, you naturally get incredibly talented juniors looking to learn from you. This then presents opportunities to hire fantastic juniors especially, and you can train them exactly to your processes from the outset. Perfect!
James Taylor, Founder of Digital Tool Report

Listen More and Build Relationships

Many people believe that the key to successful recruiting is having a great process. While having a streamlined process is certainly important, it is not the only thing that makes a successful recruiter. In fact, many of the best recruiters are those who have mastered the art of listening. They take the time to really understand what their candidates are looking for and match them with the right roles. They also know how to build relationships and keep candidates engaged throughout the process. In short, they possess all the skills necessary to find the best talent and help them reach their full potential. So while having a great process is important, it is not the only thing that makes a successful recruiter. The ability to listen and build relationships is just as important.
Travis Lindemoen, Managing Director of nexus IT group

Understand What People Want From Work

My recruiting “superpower” really is to understand what people are looking for in a job and be honest about what we can offer. Most people want an employer who is honest and loyal to them. They want to know that employers won’t fire them because they made a mistake or because they have to take time off for family. They also want to know their hard work will be rewarded with more pay or a promotion. Employers, especially those at big companies, have developed a bad reputation for using people up and hanging them out to dry. I am not like that and that comes across when I talk to possible recruits. They know that I want them to succeed and fulfill their dreams as much as they do. They also know that I will help however our company fits into that scenario whether it’s a job they just want through college or a long-term career.
Jessica Tasios, Dentist at Ora Dental

Look and Listen for Soft Skills

Look and listen for soft skills. Our secret recruiting superpower is our laser focus on soft skills in candidates because we believe soft skills are hands down the single most important thing a candidate can bring to our company. For example, we search out soft skills by asking specific questions about teamwork, leadership, and problem solving, and learning how to really listen to and translate their answers. Soft skills are often innate, and not something a candidate is used to parading around, so we really have to listen for their answers and translate them into our own terms. It takes a lot of energy and attention, but looking and listening effectively for soft skills in candidates is how we have formed the incredible team we have today.
Susan Shaffer, President of Pneuma Nitric Oxide

Endear With a Friendly and Approachable Personality

Be Approachable. People tell me all the time: “I just feel comfortable around you.” To me, this is the greatest compliment. I never try to be the loudest person in the room. Rather, I cultivate a warm and friendly demeanor that endears people to open up. I don’t want to intimidate people or make them feel competitive. I want them to trust me and like me. That’s how you get ahead as a recruiter.
Rob Reeves, CEO and President of
Redfish Technology

Recruiting Automation - Ben Eubanks Podcast

Our CEO, Jonathan Duarte, just completed a Live Cast on LinkedIn, with Ben Eubanks, of Lighthouse Research & Advisory, one of the top HR Tech analysts.

We talked about recruiting automation, text messaging with candidates, building ‘ReEngagement” campaigns, re-engage with the candidates in your ATS, to fill your recruiting funnel with candidates who already know your brand.

Recruiting Automation - Ben Eubanks Podcast



About Ben Eubanks:
Ben is a human capital management industry analyst helping companies and vendors with strategy, content, and more. He has worked as an influencer and analyst for more than ten years with seven of those in an independent capacity.
His experience working as an in-the-trenches leader in the human resources field has provided a broad range of opportunities to lead HR in smaller organizations, government contracting firms, and the nonprofit sector. Ben’s hands have been in pretty much everything at some point: recruiting, benefits, training, employee relations, executive coaching, and the rest of the spectrum you run across in an HR shop.

Lighthouse Research & Advisory

About Lighthouse:

Lighthouse Research & Advisory, is a modern analyst firm dedicated to setting the standard for excellence in talent acquisition and beyond.
By providing compelling research and actionable insights for recruiters, hiring managers, and business leaders, our mission is to navigate the rapidly-changing tides of human capital management in order to support today’s talent advisors.
From establishing frameworks for end-to-end recruitment marketing and high-powered CRM practices to illuminating the strategic impact of candidate experience and employer brand management, our goal is to chart a new course for talent acquisition.

DriveThruHR podcast

We’ve been hearing a lot about Recruiting Automation, Chatbots, AI & ML, but where are we with this tech in HR and Recruiting?

Michael VanDervort, Co-Host of the DriveThruHR podcastDriveThruHR podcast and Jonathan Duarte, CEO of GoHire, chat about chatbots, Apply by Text, and detoxing from another HR Tech in Las Vegas.

Candidate Experience - Measure It

Candidate Experience is a term being used quite a bit in talent acquisition and recruiting teams, but what exactly is a “candidate experience”?

What is Candidate Experience?

Candidate experience is the sum of interactions that an individual has with a company, or the company brand, where they might seek employment. These experiences might come from word of mouth referrals, search results from a job board, a couple of visits to the companies career site, good or bad mentions in social media, or from disgruntled candidates who applied and never received a response. Anyone of these interactions could be positive or negative for a company, but most companies don’t know what candidates think of them. In many cases, employers aren’t using tools for measuring candidate experience.

So Why does Candidate Experience matter, and why now?

Candidate experience matters because candidates have more employment options than ever before. With job aggregators and Google For Jobs posting nearly every job online, it’s common that online job boards are going to show not just your companies jobs, but your nearest competitors. I’d argue that prior to job aggregators and “All Jobs Everywhere”, candidate experience wasn’t as important, because there were fewer employment choices during the “Hidden Job Market” days. With more job options, candidates can look beyond just pay. They want to know more about hours, shifts, flexibility, PTO, company culture and of course working with companies they are attracted to or align with.

Candidates now have multiple ways to share their experience working at a company, or how they were treated during an interview. They have access to insider employee ratings through sites like Glassdoor, with CEO scores and employer benefits ratings.

To Understand your Candidate Experience, you have to understand your Recruiting Funnels.

Recruiting Funnels are the processes, or steps, or interactions, that occur between a potential employee and anyone that might influence a potential employee; including, the company’s brand reputation, career site, job descriptions, job application process, employer branding, interview scheduling, offer process, rejection process, and possibly onboarding.

While each department in your business might have its own recruiting process, there are often a lot of similarities. In smaller companies, the recruiting process is often left up to someone in human resources, a recruiter, or a hiring manager. In recruiting, many of the steps are manual, creating no consistency, and therefore producing inconsistent results. With inconsistent processes and no way to measure a candidate’s opinion, it’s impossible to know what’s working and what’s not.

In bigger companies, there’s often a handful of existing software solutions that don’t talk to each other but are required for recruiting and HR compliance. Are these technical issues causing candidates to drop out of the recruiting process? Is the process, from finding a job to applying, and hearing back from a recruiter, taking too long?

The typical Recruiting Funnel might start at job posting on a job board, with interested candidates then applying on the employer’s website.

When was the last time you searched for your own company’s jobs on Indeed or Google for Jobs, and tried to apply with the mindset of a candidate who has never seen your company before?

Whether you’re marketing on job boards like Indeed, or putting ads in a porta-potty, it’s important to understand every aspect of the candidate journey. How many clicks does it take to apply? How long does it take? Is the process easy to complete on a mobile phone?

From the initial first interactions to the completed application, the scheduling of an interview, to the uncomfortable rejection email”, what was the experience like for the candidate?

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.”

– Peter Drucker

If your Candidate experience isn’t up to par, what do you do?

If you think your candidate experience needs work, and that’s probably everyone, the first thing you have to do is document the process and the weaknesses, or problems. One way to measure how your candidates feel about the process is to survey them with a candidate experience survey.

If you want to improve something and get senior management to support your plan, you need to speak their language. In many cases, that means data and numbers. You’ll need to define the problem in measurable terms.  You’ll need to measure the cost of fixing the problem and the return on investment.  Creating an ROI for recruiting and fixing the candidate experience isn’t always going to be plain and simple, but there are ways. If you’re going to sell your idea to a VP of HR, or CFO, they want to see how you plan on tracking the results of the investment.

Consider an alternative, or “out-of-the-box” solutions, that can make it easier for candidates to apply, while integrating to your existing tech stack. Consider adding a text to apply recruiting chatbot, that can pre-screen candidates. Look at your recruiting funnels for areas where you can introduce recruiting automation solutions, to remove manual tasks, or speed the hiring process.

The Economic Cost of a Bad Candidate Experience

A couple of years back the Director of TA  at Virgin Media in the UK, released one of the first P&L effects of poor candidate experience on the overall companies bottom line. The negative impact of Virgin Media’s poor candidate experience was costing the company more money than the entire recruiting annual budget. After some exhaustive financial analysis, they could prove to the CEO and CFO that a bad candidate experience was actually costing the company money because those poorly treated applicants/customers were canceling their cable subscriptions. 

Like most things, it does take time for companies to understand the problem, adopt solutions and then create and manage solutions to institutionalize change to the new normal.

Benchmark your Candidate Experience against the Best.

The CandE awards started out of the passion of some of our industries’ most thoughtful leaders, like @GerryCrispin, @ElaineOrler, and @KevinGrossman with the intention of measuring candidate experience and understanding companies who were tackling the problem head-on, and then making those best practices available for other TA teams to learn from and replicate.

Some of the tools used to measure candidate experience, include Survale, a survey tool, that helps survey candidates about their experience with the company and the recruiting process. While many recruiting teams know about Glassdoor ratings, it’s also important to note that there are lots of employee review sites, and companies like Ratedly, founded by long-time industry insider Joel Cheesman, (also a co-host of one of the best HR and Talent acquisition podcasts (Chad&Cheese) aggregate employer reviews from multiple sites, making it easier to track and manage.

No matter what tools you use, it is possible to document and measure your candidate experience. Only then, can you start making measurable improvements.

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Port a Potties and Recruiting

What’s behind Door #2 will shock every recruiter!

Over the summer, I was taking my high school daughter to band camp (@WilliamTincup – no comment), and found one of the best recruitment marketing ads I’ve seen in a very long time.

So, what do Port-a-Potties have to do with Recruitment Marketing and Employer Branding?
You’ll be surprised!

With US unemployment at a 50 year low, job seekers have lots of options, and talent acquisition leaders have to get creative and learn from their marketing colleagues.

What this means to the employers, of course, is that what worked last year and the year before, might not be working anymore. If you’re still having the same hiring problems you’ve had for the last 5 years, it might be time to start thinking creatively, or looking at new solutions.

And to do that, you have to think and act like your ideal candidates.

So back to the Port-a-Potties.

Well, after a long, yet beautiful drive in the Redwoods of the San Francisco Bay Area, I needed a bio break when we got there.

So, I headed over to the port-a-potty, and my wife tells me…

You won’t believe what’s in the port-a-potty!

Of course, I’m intrigued.

USS Ad

When I open that flimsy plastic door, and take a seat (if you dare), and then look up… I see this…

It’s a glorious “Now Hiring” sticker on the inside door of the door.

At first, I don’t know what to think.

Holy Crap” (right?), that’s the weirdest thing ever. I’m kind of shocked.
I’m trying to make sense of it. Is this a good thing? Does it work? Is this good branding? Who are they trying to hire? What’s their target market?

And since I’m in the Thinker pose, sitting on the plastic throne, I start wondering about the campaign.

Thinker

Who is United Site Services trying to hire?
Drivers, hourly workers, equipment technicians… the same people who are working at construction sites or delivering materials to construction sites. The same people who would be frequenting a port-a-potty! Bingo!

It’s Highly Targeted Recruitment Marketing Ad! 

United Site Services is one of the largest construction services companies in the US. They rent and deliver construction equipment, including port-a-potties.

Placing stickers, on the inside of their hundreds of thousands of port-a-potties is cost-effective, highly-targeted, campaign.  Additionally, their target market is probably sitting down, and has a moment to read! (Just saying…)

Kudos to the United Site Services team

They’ve done a great job of targeting their potential workforce. When you’re going to do something different, there will always be risk, and this was definitely a risky move.

Now, just because I think the target marketing is great, it doesn’t mean the entire campaign is great, though.

For a campaign to be great, it’s got to work. It’s got to generate qualified candidates to be a success.

This is a really important point for all talent acquisition leaders, recruitment marketers, recruitment ad agencies, recruiters, and employer branding individuals and team members.

In a tight employment economy, Rule #1 = Make it easy for candidates to apply!

Take a look at the ad again. It’s great!

It has a picture of someone doing the job. Check!
The “Now Hiring” text really stands out. Check!
They include benefits, in simple text. Check!
They highlight “Full Time/ Permanent Positions” (job security is probably really important for their workforce). Check!

But, what about the call-to-action?

Look way down at the bottom right-hand corner of the ad… in the smallest font on the entire ad:

USS call to action

Here’s a great, attractive ad, highly targeted, uniquely placed, but the call to action isn’t highlighted, and unfortunately, I don’t think it works.

It’s time to check the Candidate Experience and journey.

So, now, I pretend I’m a job seeker and follow the call to action.

I take out my phone and start typing away, while sitting on the plastic throne, trying to get to the career site.

Remember it’s also really small print, so I have to look up at the sticker, and then back to my phone. And then up to the sticker and down to my phone. I have to do this a couple of times, and finally, since I’ve know the brand “United Rentals”, I give up looking up and down, and simply start typing.

I type “careers.unitedrentals.com” Fail #1.

Ugh. After squinting and looking really hard because it’s one big run-on string of 30+ characters with no capitalization, I notice… Oh, it’s not “UnitedRentals” it’s “UnitedSiteServices”. They were probably one company and split into two brands, but I didn’t know that.

I type “careers.unitedsitesedvices.com” Fail #2.

What? Ugh!!! Damn it… I typed the letter “d” instead of “r”… start over again.

Remember, Rule #1 is Make it Easy for Candidates to Apply.

It’s the candidate experience that counts. If you don’t make it easy for the candidates to apply, they won’t. To understand the candidate journey you have to test it as exactly as possible. We can assume candidates aren’t going to the port-a-potty with their laptops, so we need to test the call to action on a mobile phone.

A little frustrated, I took a picture of the ad, and went back to the car.

I failed 5 times until I finally got to the career site.

By then, I was pretty frustrated. I can’t imagine what a job seeker would have though, but it’s probably not good.

Typing 30 characters in exact order, on a mobile phone is NOT easy.

As a result, instead of getting candidates excited about opportunities, my guess is many candidates got frustrated and never make it to the career site at all. And, if they did make it to the site, they were frustrated.

Once I do navigate to the career site. It’s great. It’s mobile-friendly, lots of info, and probably cost $100,000 or more to build and maintain.

TIP: Follow the actual candidate journey, as a candidate would. No short-cuts.

If your workforce is “mobile-first”, you have to give them an easy to use, mobile-first experience. A 30 character career site url isn’t easy for the mobile workforce. Neither is a 20 character url, or even 15 character url.

Another Super Important Fact:

91% of career site visitors leave without completing an application!

Think about that for a minute. Since the evolution of applicant tracking career sites, about 20 years ago, the “default candidate journey” has been to send candidates to your corporate career site.

At the time, that made a lot of sense. Candidates were plentiful. The ATS helped with compliance and workflow process for the recruiters. Employers could add videos and other content to encourage the right candidates to apply.

But, less than 1 in 10 visitors complete an application. (The average visitor to application conversion rate was 8.52%, per Jobvite and Appcast application surveys).

If you’re wondering how you can generate more qualified candidates, without increasing your recruitment marketing spend, this “90% Applicant Drop-off” is a great place to start looking.

If you’re sending candidates to your corporate career site, you’ll want to track your “Visitor to Application” rate. (The total numbers of unique visitors to your career site, divided by the number of unique completed applications? Google Analytics is free and most ATS or career site or CRM should support this.)

A lot of large companies spend $100,000+ on their “career site”, or “talent network”, making them look really pretty and engaging, but if you don’t know if more candidates are applying, and if your attracting the right candidates, ie (qualified applicants), maybe what you have isn’t working.

So, What can you do differently? Use a chat bot!

Instead of losing 91% of prospective candidates, what if you captured 90% of those mobile visitors?

What if you could captured their name, phone number, location, email address, as well as some pre-screening and qualification questions?

That could be transformational, not just another “tool”.

You could massively increase your candidate experience and engagement, while increasing the number of qualified applicants.

Well… You can!

And you can do it today, through an automated text messaging conversation or recruitment chatbot!

Would that generate more qualified candidates for recruiters and hiring managers? Absolutely!

It’s called an Apply-by-Text chatbot.

And, with the candidates in your chatbot, you can add recruitment automation, by automatically scheduling interviews for candidates that meet your qualifications, saving your recruiters and hiring managers from the multiple back and forth emails and phone calls, while adding those candidates to your existing ATS via an integration.

Instead of trying to recruit with a call-to-action that isn’t easy, and and a candidate journey that sends candidates to your career site, that fails to convert job seekers to applicants, 90% of the time, you could try something like the below.

Apply By Text example

 

Which campaign do you think would more qualified applicants?

The 30 character alphanumeric career site URL, or a simple and easy-to-use text messaging application?

So, while I think the United Site Services targeting and ad copy was amazing, unfortunately, like so many candidate journeys, the call-to-action and applicant tracking system apply process often kills what could have been a great campaign.

For more information about recruitment marketing, recruiting automation, chatbots, for career sites, or Apply-by-Text, please contact us, or request a demo.

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Ira and JD Recruiting Automation LinkedIn Live
Ira and JD Recruiting Automation LinkedIn Live

The job application process isn’t working very well.

Consider that 90% of career site visitors don’t complete an application and 90% of candidates that do complete an application, never hear back from the employer, can we really say it’s working?

Ira Wolfe, long time Candidate Experience Architect, and Assessment Expert, GoHire CEO, Jonathan Duarte, discuss the job application process and how Apply by Text is the future of job applications.

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