Hiring managers have their hands full with the recruitment process. The COVID-19 pandemic notwithstanding, worker shortages continue to plague several industries. For example, the construction industry saw employment fall by 3,000 jobs in February 2021 and manufacturing payrolls decreased 14,000. Having the right recruitment tools can mean the difference between keeping your talent pipeline full and struggling to find and hire workers.
Why You Need Recruitment Tools
Candidate recruitment is a necessary but lengthy process. The cost of hiring the wrong employee is high. Losing an employee, whether by termination or resignation, can cost employers about $4,000. The cost is associated with recruiting, hiring and training a new employee plus any overtime you may have to pay to workers covering the workload. Recruitment tools use the latest methods to find, screen and hire the right candidates. When HR implements recruiting tools, the entire process also becomes more efficient saving time and money.
On the candidate-facing side, recruitment tools greatly improve the hiring experience. Recruitment tools take engagement into account, ensuring each applicant gets adequate attention. They play a huge part in the candidate management process, which builds relationships with applicants from the first job posting through onboarding.
Top Recruiting Tools
Applicant Tracking System
Hands down the number one recruiting tool is an applicant tracking system (ATS). An ATS manages the recruiting and hiring process by automating processes such as job postings, organizing applications and managing compliance through cloud-based software. An ATS is recruitment software at its best. It saves time by streamlining the process for all involved, allowing hiring managers to focus on finding the right candidate.
An ATS’s functions include:
- Posting and managing job listings
- Reducing application time
- Maintaining compliance through backend reporting, EEO-required taglines and background screenings
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) automates candidate sourcing. Programs and software integrated with AI algorithms can automatically scan talent pools based on your specific criteria. Possible candidates who aren’t hired can also be stored and automatically notified when a new position opens with their specific skill sets. The AI recruiter can contact candidates and follow up with them about available positions.
AI can also assist candidates through the application process, ensuring more completions. AI captures candidate information, texts reminders and nudges them to complete your online application. And, once you get the candidates in your talent pipeline, the AI recruiter can automatically screen them, determining if they’re qualified to move forward. An AI assistant can also automatically send an email response to a qualified applicant or reject those who don’t possess your minimum requirements, leaving you to move forward with the best pool of potential talent for the position.
Social Media
Social media has become instrumental for not only targeting candidates. Consider this revelation, candidates born after 1993 have always lived with the Internet. They also live on social media. When using social for sourcing, post job opening announcements across multiple platforms. Every company has a go-to social media platform based on its audience. Many find LinkedIn to be the best source to target candidates; others get the most return on investment from Facebook. But even if the tried-and-true channel works, it pays to put effort into other channels as well, especially if you’re trying to attract and hire a more diverse workforce. Consider using LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit and even TikTok or Snap Chat.
Job Postings
A great job description paired with a great job posting is essential for attracting the best candidates. Keep in mind, a job description and a job posting are two different things. A job description is primarily used internally. It is a detailed description of a job or position at your company. A job posting is used externally to list the job description on your website or job boards. While a job posting will include the job description (or at least some portions of it), its focus is to attract top candidates to your open position.
Writing a stellar job posting involves taking your formal job description and turning it into something that will attract the attention of job seekers. While you want to incorporate design elements like video, images, links, map and testimonials, the posting also needs to include information that catches the attention of the right candidate.
- An attention-grabbing headline or position description.
- Direct language that doesn’t leave room for applicants to think they might get the job even if they don’t meet the requirements.
- An example of what a typical workday or workweek will look like, clarifying expectations for potential applicants.
- Your company’s culture, including highlights about your values and what you offer your employees.
- Inclusive language and images, for example, avoiding the use of all-male pronouns.
Video Interviewing
Video interviewing software is a recruitment tool that allows employers to meet with candidates online. While this may have been used less in the past, moving forward the demand couldn’t be higher. If pandemic-forced lockdowns taught us anything it is that manyjobs can be done remotely, which makes video interviews appropriate and necessary. Some top examples of software include:
- Interview Stream. Interview Stream is focused on streamlining the interview process while transforming the candidate experience. Interviews can be scheduled or on-demand. Fifty people can take part in panel interviews and the software is mobile-friendly.
- Sonru, A Modern Hire Company. Sonru allows users to screen, assess and interview candidates. The software personalizes the process while using structured rating scales to aid recruiters, automated workflows and candidate self-scheduling tools.
- Video Interview. Video Interview provides a complete set of tools to create interviews and manage, view and evaluate candidates. The software allows the user to create either generic or specific interview questions. The questions appear on-screen for the candidates to answer. With the recorded interview, notes and ratings, colleagues who would not have been available for a live interview can also participate in the evaluation.
Candidate Assessment Tools
More employers are relying on candidate assessment tools like personality tests, background checks, drug tests and skills-based tests before hiring a candidate. According to SHRM, the purpose of employee testing is to help the employer predict how well an individual will perform on the job, reducing the chance the wrong person will be hired. Assessment tools can determine a candidate’s level of hard and soft skills and how they’ll integrate with future co-workers and a company’s overall culture.
There are dozens upon dozens of pre-employment assessment tools, Digital HR Tech lists 40 alone. Each comes in different sizes and offers different skill assessments. Choosing one comes down to what you want to test candidates on and how much you want to spend.
The difference between recruiting candidates who will be an asset to your organization and ones you’ll be looking to refill within a year, could all come down to the recruitment tools you use. These tools allow hiring managers to get the most out the candidate sourcing process, making HR’s job easier and the candidates happier.
How Arcoro Can Help
Arcoro’s ATS offers employers the ability to recruit with confidence. Its features include posting to multiple job boards, social media sites and tracking all of the responses. Our ATS is also designed to automate compliance with federal hiring regulations. And, because it’s a modular solution, once you hire the right candidate, all of their information is directly funneled into the onboarding module. Schedule a demo to learn how Arcoro’s ATS can streamline your recruitment process.
