As a freelance recruiter, you’ve embraced this path for the promise of freedom and flexibility, right? However, freedom isn’t just about breaking free from traditional employment structures; it’s about equipping yourself with the right tools to maximize your efficiency and success. That’s where an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) comes in, offering you the key to unlocking your full potential.
In the ever-evolving landscape of talent acquisition, freelance recruiters play a crucial role in connecting businesses with top-tier candidates. But managing a diverse range of clients and candidates can be a daunting task without the right support.
Here are 8 reasons why incorporating an ATS, such as Talent Finder, into your recruitment arsenal can be a game-changer.
8 reasons for using an ATS as a freelance recruiter
You can manage candidates easily
Freelance recruiters often juggle multiple clients and candidates simultaneously. An ATS simplifies candidate management by providing a centralized platform to organize, search, and track applicants across various projects. This streamlined approach ensures that no potential candidate falls through the cracks.
You can switch effortlessly from one client to another
Freelance recruiters often find themselves switching between clients and projects, each with its unique requirements and deadlines.
With intuitive user interfaces and customizable workflows, you can quickly adapt to the specific needs of each client without missing a beat. This flexibility ensures that you can effectively manage multiple clients simultaneously, maintaining productivity and delivering results.
You can collaborate with the HR team and line managers
Collaboration is paramount for a freelance recruiter, especially when working with diverse teams or managing remote clients. An ATS facilitates seamless communication, enabling you to collaborate with clients, colleagues, and other stakeholders in real-time, directly within the tool.
Centralized data ensures everyone is on the same page, fostering a more collaborative and effective work environment.
You can base your decisions on real data
In the competitive world of freelance recruiting, data is your ally. ATS platforms provide analyticsand reporting tools that offer insights into your recruitment process. By analyzing data trends, you can make informed decisions, refine your strategies, and continuously improve your success rate.
What’s more, it helps you in your search for new assignments. You can back up your argument with your own figures. This factual data (e.g. your average time-to-hire) is an unbeatable selling point for you!
You can build your Talent Pool
Freelance recruiters understand the value of nurturing relationships with top talent, even if they’re not currently a fit for a specific role. With an ATS, you can easily build and maintain a talent pool of qualified candidates. For example, you can send personalized job alerts based on candidate profiles.
By leveraging advanced search functionalities, you can quickly identify suitable candidates for future opportunities. This proactive approach not only reduces time-to-fill but also ensures that you always have a pool of qualified candidates ready to meet your clients’ needs.
You make sure you’re 100% GDPR compliant
Freelance recruiters must adhere to various legal and compliance standards. For example, your talent pool is subject to GDPR. With Talent finder, it’s automatic. Candidates apply, they give their consent to the GDPR agreement, and the data are stored for a certain amount of time. When the data is about to expire, candidates are automatically alerted to update their consent.
Those security measures help you build trust with your different stakeholders.
You can provide the best Candidate Experience
Providing an exceptional candidate experienceis vital for a freelance recruiter’s success. An ATS optimizes the application process, making it user-friendly and responsive. It also helps you make sure each candidate receives feedback, through automatic emails.
This positive experience can significantly impact your reputation and attract high-caliber candidates.
You can improve the quality of your service
As a company partner, a high level of service is expected of you. That’s a lot of pressure! But with an ATS, you can assure your customer of top-quality service.
Having your own tool strengthens your credibility. But above all, it’s the capabilities of this tool that will make you stand out from the crowd! By leveraging the full potential of your ATS, combined with your strong expertise, you can ensure a shorter time to performance.
An extra service you can bring to your clients is Talent boost, our unique multiposting campaign. We optimize your job ad to make it irresistible to candidates and we publish it on all Belgian job boards. This online campaign brings you more quality and motivated candidates. Plus, as a freelancer, you benefit from a preferential price for your clients.
You’d like to bring this cost-efficient recruitment campaign to your clients? 📣
An ATS allows you to automatize and centralize every aspect of your recruitment workload. It frees up your time and your mind, which is basically what you’re looking for, as a freelance recruiter!
Plus, being the master of your own boat isn’t always easy. Autonomy comes with its own set of challenges. Thanks to the control and clarity the ATS brings you, you can gain confidence and make sur you’re doing your job right!
Wondering how Talent finder can make your freelance recruiter’s life easier?
In the recruitment field, monitoring your KPIs (key performance indicators) is not just an administrative task, it’s a strategic imperative.
This data, both quantified and pragmatic, offers you a valuable window on the quality of your advertisements, their visibility, the state of the job market, the efficiency of your recruitment process, or even the experience of candidates. In other words, KPIs are the radar that guides you towards a better understanding of your recruitment practices, to better attract and retain the talent you need. 🧲
In this article, we suggest 14 KPIs to check regularly as part of your recruitment missions.
Recruitment statistics encompass a set of quantitative and measurable data related to the recruitment process within an organization. These data provide key performance indicators (KPIs) for evaluating and measuring the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of the candidate selection process.
Why monitor your recruitment KPIs?
Improved inclusion and diversity / Reduced bias: Monitoring recruitment data enables analysis of trends in inclusion and diversity. By identifying potential biases in the recruitment process, companies can take steps to promote better representation of diversity within their workforce.
Better use of resources and media: Data monitoring helps optimize resource allocation by identifying the most cost-effective channels and media for disseminating job offers.
Better candidate experience: Reducing the time it takes to fill a position, as well as improving communication with candidates, contribute to an overall positive candidate experience.
Better understanding of the work involved in recruitment: Visibility into the volume of applications and interviews provides a better understanding of the effort required to fill a position.
More efficient recruitment process: You identify inefficiencies, guide processes in real time, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
Recruitment KPIs to monitor
Different data will give you different information. Of course, it’s always important to consider this information with a pinch of salt, and to put it into perspective.
KPIs for monitoring the performance of your job ads
1. Number of applications / open position: This measure provides an overview of the visibility and attractiveness of the job offer. A high number of applications may indicate high attractiveness, but it’s also crucial to consider the quality of applications.
2. Number of clicks / job ad: The number of clicks in relation to job ads provides information on the appeal of the job title and text preview. This helps fine-tune ad content to maximize visits from potential candidates.
3. Number of candidates contacted by telephone (i.e. whose CVs meet the sine qua non conditions) / open position:This measure evaluates the relevance of the advert by identifying the number of candidates contacted out of all the applicants. Receiving 50 CVs is meaningless if only 5 of them meet the essential criteria. A relevant advert should attract candidates matching the specific needs of the position.
4. Application rate (Number of applications / number of clicks): This conversion rate measures how many candidates who viewed the ad decided to apply. It provides an indicator of the ad’s effectiveness in converting initial interest into concrete applications.
KPIs for monitoring the relevance of your recruitment sources
5. Number of applications / source:By analyzing the number of CVs received through each ad distribution channel (job boards, LinkedIn, internal database, career page), you can determine which sources are most effective in attracting candidates.
6. Number of candidates on shortlist (= list of promising candidates) / source: Similar to the previous statistic, this measurement takes you a step further. While one recruitment source may turn out to generate more applications, another may generate more quality candidates, i.e. those you place on the shortlist. Depending on the different steps in your recruitment process, you can also analyze the number of applicants at each stage by source.
KPIs for monitoring the effectiveness of your recruitment process
7. Number of interviews / open position:The number of interviews can be used as a barometer to assess the interest aroused by an open function, giving an idea of the number of candidates deemed relevant for the position. However, beyond this initial analysis, it also reveals the ability of the recruitment process to identify the right candidates at the earliest stages of the process.
8. Time to fill:This is the time between the opening of the position and the signing of the contract. Measuring the time taken to fill a position provides information on the overall efficiency of the recruitment process. A high time-to-fill may mean that your recruitment process involves too many steps, or that internal communication lacks fluidity. In order to be agile in the face of potential internal emergencies, it’s key to keep time to fill at a reasonable level.
KPIs for assessing the candidate experience
9. Time to hire: Similar to time to fill, this measure takes the candidate’s perspective. It measures the time that elapses between the candidate applying for the job and signing the contract. Multiple stages, slow feedback and slow decision-making are all factors likely to significantly increase your time-to-hire. The major risk is to frustrate committed candidates, driving them to explore other recruitment opportunities and, consequently, losing them.
10. Offer acceptance rate (Number of offers accepted / Number of offers sent): This measure enables you to determine whether your salary offers are competitive. It may also tell you more about your ability to secure the commitment of your candidates throughout your recruitment process.
11. Net Promoter Score: This metric, widely used to assess customer satisfaction, makes it easy to measure the candidate experience. The NPS is based on a simple question that asks participants to rate, on a scale of 0 to 10, the likelihood of them recommending a company or service to their friends or colleagues.
12. Satisfaction questionnaire:You can obtain interesting avenues for improvement by surveying candidates directly. Whether the questions produce quantitative or qualitative results, your willingness to improve will be greatly appreciated by candidates.
KPIs for monitoring the inclusiveness of your recruitment process
13. Percentage of applicants by gender: This statistic is essential for assessing your company’s ability to attract diverse candidates. Significant variations in the percentage of applicants by gender for certain positions or hierarchical levels may signal specific challenges. But it doesn’t stop there. It’s also about how far they get into your recruitment process. That way you can spot any bias in e.g. the screening stage, interview stage, etc. and act accordingly.
14. Percentage of applicants by age range: This metric shows the age diversity among applicants, and whether the company is attracting talent from different generations.
Analyzing KPIs at different levels, whether by recruiter, by job category, or globally, is of paramount importance in drawing informed conclusions and making sense of recruitment process metrics.
Examining individual recruiter performance contextualizes results within the overall recruitment framework, making it easier to identify specific opportunities for improvement. Analysis by function category reveals industry trends, enabling recruitment strategies to be adapted, while a global perspective reveals complex correlations and general success factors.
How to generate these recruitment statistics?
Use an Applicant Tracking Software: An ATS allows you to centralize and efficiently analyze recruitment data. It’s all in one place! You no longer need to switch from one platform to another.
Keep your processes up to date in your ATS: An ATS enables you to set up your own workflows, based on your reality. However, it’s important to keep each of your recruitment processes up to date, to ensure data compliance.
Choose the right KPIs: You can’t monitor everything. It’s important to focus on the data you consider to be your priority.
Visualize data regularly in a reporting tool, integrated in your ATS.
Define SMART goals based on your current situation and the one you want to achieve.
No more excuses! You now have all the keys to embrace these recruitment analytics, refine your strategy, and make continuous improvement your priority. 🎯
Want to find out how Talent finder can help you collect and analyze your KPIs? 📊
Do you solely rely on your company website to showcase your job offers? Let’s get real – finding the right talent involves more than just that. The talent acquisition market is as competitive as ever and requires a more proactive approach, using various recruitment sources.
Nowadays, it’s more and more difficult to qualify candidates as active or passive. According to Michael Page, 73% of candidates are open to new opportunities. While 43% of them are actively looking for a job, the remaining 30% are still hesitating. Their position is more passive, but their mindset is one of change. The key is to make sure they see your job ads.
You have to go where your ideal candidate is. And that’s what we are going to talk about in this article: where can you find candidates? What are the different recruitment sources that exist? Let’s discover them together!
But before exploiting the different sources you have at hand, there are two prerequisites:
Understanding your ideal candidate: Knowing the skills, traits, and values that align with your company culture helps in targeting the right candidates. This understanding enables a more strategic approach to selecting the most effective recruitment sources.
Crafting an irresistible job ad: Before exploring recruitment sources, it’s essential to create a compelling job advertisement. A well-written job ad not only attracts attention but also clearly communicates the job requirements and company culture, setting the stage for successful recruitment.
What are the different sources for finding candidates?
#1: Your company website
Your company website is the digital face of your organization. A dedicated careers page can showcase your company culture, values, and current job openings, attracting candidates who resonate with your brand.
It’s usually the first source to be considered – a must-have.
However, it’s based on a pull strategy, not a push strategy. This means that candidates must spontaneously visit your website to discover your job offers. That’s why it’s necessary to exploit other channels to ensure that the entire candidate market is reached.
#2: Job boards
Platforms like Stepstone, Monster, LinkedIn or Indeed are go-to destinations for job seekers. Posting your job openings on these boards broadens your reach and exposes your opportunities to a wider audience. You benefit not only from their visitors, but also from their database of candidates. These sites allow candidates to sign up for mailings and receive job alerts for positions that may be of interest to them.
However, posting jobs on those websites is expensive. Through our Talent boost service, we publish your ad at a preferential rate on all Belgian job boards.
Talent boost helps you reach more candidates! 🧲
We write an attractive job ad for you and publish it on all Belgian job boards.You have free access to our ATS Talent finder to easily treat applications.
Leverage the power of social networks like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook to share job openings. Engaging content and targeted advertising can help you connect with passive candidates who may not actively be seeking new opportunities.
Encouraging employees to share job openings on their personal social media profiles turns staff members into advocates. This amplifies the reach of job postings and adds a personal touch, as potential candidates are more likely to trust recommendations from current employees.
However, your content shouldn’t just be vacancies. You need to get people to follow you. Share information about your company, your employees, your projects, your expertise, and tips. Through posts, videos, and behind-the-scenes glimpses, recruiters can present an authentic and appealing image of the workplace, attracting candidates who resonate with the company values.
#4: Employee referrals
Employee referrals are a powerful and multifaceted source for recruitment, providing not only high-quality candidates but also contributing to a positive company culture, cost savings, and faster hiring processes. Encouraging and nurturing an employee referral program can be a strategic investment in building a strong and engaged workforce.
Existing employees have firsthand experience with the company’s culture and work environment. When they refer candidates, there is a higher likelihood that those individuals will seamlessly integrate into the team and align with the company’s values and mission.
#5: Internal mobility
Internal mobility, or the practice of filling job openings with existing employees, is a highly beneficial source for recruitment within an organization.
Filling positions from within not only boosts employee morale but also ensures that you have a workforce familiar with your company’s operations and values. When employees see a clear path for career development and progression, they are more likely to remain committed and motivated, contributing positively to the workplace culture.
It also reduces the time and money investment required for the onboarding.
#6: Talent pool
ATalent Pool is a curated database of potential job candidates who are highly qualified and have shown interest in joining your organization.
Having a talent pool enables faster hiring when a new position opens up. Instead of starting the recruitment process from scratch, recruiters can turn to their talent pool for candidates who have already expressed interest and may be a good fit for the role.
Applicant tracking systems are key for building a valuable talent pool. An ATS such as Talent finder serves as a centralized repository for candidate information. It allows recruiters to store and organize candidate data, making it easy to search for and retrieve information when building or accessing the talent pool.
Once your talent pool is filled with talent, you will be able to send targeted job alerts but also to contact specific candidates you found based on criteria.
#7: Job fairs
Participating in industry-specific or general job fairs provides a direct avenue to engage with potential candidates face-to-face, showcasing your company culture and opportunities.
Job fairs facilitate networking among employers, recruiters, and job seekers. This networking can extend beyond immediate hiring needs, creating valuable connections for future recruitment efforts and building relationships within the professional community.
#8: LinkedIn Recruiter
LinkedIn Recruiter is a premium service that allows you to search for and connect with potential candidates directly. It provides a targeted approach to sourcing talent based on specific criteria such as skills, experience, location, and industry. You can even go a step further with Boolean search operators to refine your searches. This allows you to combine keywords, exclude certain terms, or focus on specific phrases to enhance the accuracy of your search results.
The platform provides InMail credits, allowing recruiters to send direct messages to candidates outside of their network. They will receive a message but also an email notification. This feature is valuable for initiating conversations with potential candidates, even if they are not actively looking for new opportunities.
#9: School and University Programs
Establish partnerships with educational institutions to tap into fresh talent. Internship programs, campus recruitment, and workshops can create a direct pipeline to emerging professionals.
#10: Personal network
Utilize your personal and professional connections. Networking within your industry can yield valuable referrals and recommendations.
#11: Industry network
Engage with industry-specific forums, events, and associations. This targeted approach can help you identify candidates with the specialized skills and knowledge your organization needs.
#12: Recruitment offices
Recruitment offices specialize in identifying and placing candidates in various roles. Their expertise in understanding the job market, industry trends, and specific skill requirements allows them to efficiently match candidates with suitable job opportunities.
Specialized recruiters maintain extensive networks and databases of qualified candidates. By leveraging their resources, you gain access to a diverse and pre-screened talent pool, including both active job seekers and passive candidates who may not be actively searching for opportunities.
Outsourcing recruitment to an agency can significantly reduce the time and effort spent on sourcing, screening, and shortlisting candidates. This allows internal HR teams and hiring managers to focus on other critical aspects of the hiring process.
Don’t limit yourself! Extend your search and explore a variety of sources…
The landscape of recruitment is vast and diverse, with a multitude of sources that organizations can tap into to find the right talent.
However, the effectiveness of any recruitment strategy hinges on foundational elements such as a well-crafted job ad and a deep understanding of the ideal candidate. These prerequisites set the stage for a targeted and successful recruitment campaign, ensuring that efforts are focused on attracting individuals who not only possess the necessary skills but also align with the company’s culture and values.
And the journey doesn’t end there. Beyond identifying potential hires lies the equally important task of convincing these candidates that your organization is the right fit for them. but that’s a whole subject we can cover in a future article.
Centralize and optimize the use of your recruitment sources with Talent finder!
So, you’ve embarked on the treacherous journey of hiring. You’ve sorted through resumes, conducted interviews, and even navigated through the murky waters of decision-making. But now, it’s time for the dreaded moment: rejecting candidates.
We get it – it’s not exactly the highlight of your day. But guess what? It’s time to master the art of rejection with an edge that leaves everyone wiser and better off.
For an open position, you will receive a certain number of applications. Some candidates won’t make it to the interview stage, but others will, and will therefore put in more effort and investment, making rejection all the more frustrating.
The ultimate objective here is to keep them in your talent pool. The talent that doesn’t fit today could be the one you’re dreaming of tomorrow. ✨
Our 6 tipsfor rejecting candidates with respect
#1: Don’t leave any candidate on hold
Every candidate who applies must receive a reply. Of course, as part of your hiring process, chances are you’ll receive a large number of out-of-scope CVs.
Ghosting is so 2020 (or was it 2019?). Either way, it’s officially out of style.
Ignoring candidates after they’ve put their heart and soul into your interview process is like leaving a text on “read.”
To make your life easier, ATS such as Talent finder offer automatic e-mails. First, an e-mail is automatically sent to the applicant to acknowledge receipt of the application. Then, a rejection e-mail is automatically suggested to you as the recruiter when you remove the candidate from the process. In this way, you ensure that every candidate is kept up to date. Of course, it’s important to personalize this e-mail. Your ATS will first adapt specific fields to the candidate and the position at hand, but you can also add additional information according to the stage where the candidate was.
And also, stay available later, because candidates might have complimentary questions. Don’t just drop the bomb and then close the door!
#2: Honesty – The unsexy but necessary stage
Let’s face it – nobody likes the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ routine. So, why serve up the same bland dish when it comes to rejection? ‘
Giving no reason is all the more frustrating for the candidate. And even if the candidate doesn’t agree with your justifications, at least you’ve had the merit of being transparent.
Be upfront and honest about why a candidate isn’t the chosen one. A lack of qualifications, a cultural mismatch, a poor interview performance, inadequate experience, overqualification, behavioral red flags, unrealistic expectations, …? Those are all valid reasons for turning down a candidate.
#3: Give constructive feedback, not a roast session
Rejecting someone with honesty doesn’t mean you have to be rude or ruthless. Be clear on substance, but respectful on form. Lay it out – kindly, but clearly.
In any case, the candidate will be disappointed. But you can make the experience worthwhile by providing them with avenues for improvement.
If a candidate had the courage to face your firing squad of questions, they deserve precise feedback and advice. Point out areas they can work on. Maybe they need to adjust their CV, or reconsider which type of positions they apply for. Take the time to guide them in their future job applications.
A person involved in several recruitment processes may be faced with numerous rejections. This is likely to damage their self-confidence. So don’t be all doom and gloom and emphasize the candidate’s qualities and the factors that will help them find a job.
And if the candidate was avdanced in the recruitment process, in turn, ask them what they thought of their interactions with your company, and if there’s anything you can improve on. On the one hand, you’ll be able to improve your process, and on the other, you’ll be showing candidates that you value their opinion.
#4: No one’s got time to wait
There’s nothing worse than desperately waiting for a reply that never arrives. You check your e-mails every 10 minutes, and you never let go of your phone to make sure you don’t miss that long-awaited call.
As a recruiter, don’t let the suspense drag on.
Some candidates may be less suitable and end up as a second option. We prefer to keep them in reserve just in case the first-choice candidate decides to step back. And that’s completely fine. However, it’s crucial to maintain respect and transparency. Keep this candidate updated regularly. But be cautious not to let things linger too long. If it turns out this candidate won’t ultimately fill the role, inform them as swiftly as possible.
#5: Less corporate jargon, more human
No need to sound like a business robot while dishing out the news. Ditch the corporate jargon and get a tad more human. Show empathy, acknowledge the candidate’s investment; especially if the candidate has progressed far in the recruitment process.
After all, you’re all in this job-search game together.
A phone call allows you to demonstrate your authenticity, but also that you take responsibility for the choice (we don’t blame you if you cross your fingers to get the answering machine). E-mail can sometimes seem like the easy way out. So take courage and make that dreaded phone call.
And above all, follow up with a summary email to make sure all the info is kept in writing.
#6: Leave the door ajar
Okay, so maybe they weren’t the right fit this time. But who knows what the future holds? Leave the door slightly ajar. Encourage candidates to keep an eye on your company’s future openings.
After all, you never know when their skills might be just what you need. Everyone’s evolving and maybe they’ll learn the key competence you need today in another company.
Improve your Employer Brand, even when rejecting candidates
So there you have it, a crash course in rejection etiquette that’s less formal and more ‘real talk’. Remember, giving the rejection talk isn’t fun for anyone involved, but doing it right can turn an awkward conversation into a respectful exchange.
In short: respond to all candidates, personalize exchanges, provide constructive and honest feedback, don’t leave candidates waiting indefinitely, and keep in touch for possible future collaborations.
By following these key tips, you will be able to positively impact your Employer Brand and fuel your talent pool on the long run.
Are you looking to attract top talent and stand out from the competition? 🌟
Then it’s time to focus on creating an outstanding candidate experience. When you offer your candidates a positive and memorable experience, you reinforce your reputation as an employer of choice and maximize your chances of recruiting the most qualified talent.
76% of candidates share their positive experiences with friends and family (and 58% share their negative experiences). It’s worth looking into, isn’t it?
In this article, I offer you expert advice on how to create an exceptional candidate experience, without having to put in too much effort, if you’re supported by an ATS.
What’s the Candidate Experience?
The candidate experience is everything a candidate goes through when applying for a job with a company. It includes every stage, from the moment they discover the job offer to the employer’s final response.
Throughout the process, the candidate will go through different emotions. From the very first contact with the company, candidates may be enthusiastic about applying for a new position, uncertain about their chances of being selected, or even anxious about the interview process.
Putting the candidate experience first means taking into account the candidate’s emotions throughout the recruitment process. The aim is for candidates to leave the process saying: “I really felt considered”, whether the outcome of their application is positive or negative.
And it’s not an easy exercise, because there are many potential touchpoints with the candidate. So don’t forget to list them all:
Career site
Social media
Job offers
Application form
Screening interview (by phone)
Interview (via Teams or face to face)
Personality test/assessment
Follow-up mails
Feedbacks
Onboarding
…
13 action levers for a successful candidate experience
#1: Nurture your online presence
As you can see, the majority of touchpoints are online.
Candidates research the companies that interest them and keep up to date with their news. This is known as inbound recruiting.
Inbound recruiting is a strategic approach to recruitment that aims to actively attract qualified candidates in a targeted way, by creating a strong employer brand and using digital marketing techniques.
In inbound recruiting, the company produces and distributes quality content on online platforms, to showcase its corporate culture, values, exciting projects and employee benefits. By using these channels, the company naturally attracts candidates who feel aligned with its vision and work environment.
The key idea behind inbound recruiting is to position the company as an employer of choice, arousing the interest of potential candidates and encouraging them to apply spontaneously.
Show candidates that you’re a great place to work!
In this context, a must for candidates is your career site. This is where they expect to find all the relevant information about your internal organization.
Above all, you need to be where candidates are: on social networks. You can prioritize certain channels, depending on your target audience (the profiles you’re looking for), but also on your internal resources. If your communications department is small, focus on the most relevant social network.
#2: Write a powerful job ad
In addition to this permanent presence, it is key to develop specific recruitment campaigns. This begins with the drafting of an attractive job offer and then its dissemination on all Belgian job sites (aka multiposting), such as Stepstone, Indeed, Monster, LinkedIn, … but also on your own career site.
The job offer stage is crucial. This is when you need to convince the candidate to apply for a specific position. Your Employee Value Proposition is your best weapon. The EVP is the little spark that will make candidates want to apply to you, the little extras that make your company unique as an employer. In fact, it’s all the elements you’ve made visible in your inbound recruiting strategy.
Many companies develop a strong, powerful brand, with a clear value proposition for their customers and an omnichannel communications strategy. Then we come across a job posting and… it’s a flop!
The company was described from the outset, but with no indication of future ambitions, a laundry list of tasks, unreasonable expectations in terms of profile… all without selling anything to the candidate.
And yet, every company has great things to highlight. Start by defining your EVP (we’re here to help!) and translate it into an attractive job offer, with a tone true to your brand. Talk about your culture, your values, the work environment, the afterworks, the atmosphere, and above all the salary. The latter is a real point of differentiation for employers for 2 reasons: (1) you may be offering a higher salary than the competition (2) you show candidates that your salary policy is 100% transparent.
#3: Communicate in a personalized way
When communicating with your candidates, make sure you are clear, precise and transparent at every stage of the recruitment process.
Give preference to a personalized approach. For example, you can greet candidates by name, mention the strengths of their application and clearly explain the next steps in the process. Show them that you consider them to be unique and valuable individuals for your company.
This can seem tedious, especially if you’ve received a lot of applications. Automatic emails can save you precious time. They’re actually an email template, pre-defined according to the stage of the process you’re at, and can still be customized (which we strongly advise you to do).
What’s more, as the emails are automatically proposed to you, you can be sure of getting back to all candidates, including those who unfortunately don’t pass the telephone screening stage.
#4: Collaborate and centralize information
ATS enables all candidate data and the progress of the recruitment process to be shared within the team. So there’s no need to send CVs or feedback by email, where you forget to copy this or that person.
Everyone has access to the same data, time is saved and candidates are judged in the same way.
#5: Tailor the process to the candidate
With an ATS, we can easily consult a candidate’s history with our company and any comments from colleagues. We can then personalize the process and show the candidate that their past is taken into account.
#6: Simplify the application process
Nothing discourages a candidate more than a long and complex application process. So forget cover letters and all the friction that can make it less likely that a candidate will apply.
The easier you make it for candidates, the more qualified applications you’ll receive. So, yes, we’d like to find motivated candidates, ready to write a cover letter for our benefit… But let’s be honest. Candidates in place before applying are already hesitant about a possible change, and too much effort may dissuade them from taking the plunge.
Conversely, if criteria are absolutely necessary, avoid wasting the candidate’s and your time. Set up pre-selection questions (on languages, qualifications, level of experience…) to spare out-of-scope candidates unnecessary disappointment.
#7: Treat the interview as an exchange (not an interrogation)
The interview is a key stage. It’s the perfect time to communicate the company culture and create a personal connection with the candidate.
Right from the start of the interview, make sure you create a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Greet the candidate warmly, offer them a drink if they wish, and put them at ease before starting the discussion.
Use the interview as an opportunity to talk about the company’s culture and core values. Instead of simply listing points, share real-life stories that illustrate how these values are put into practice on a daily basis within the company. On the other hand, actively encourage the candidate to ask questions about the company, the team, the position or anything else that interests them. This shows that you value their opinion and want to address their concerns.
#8: Reduce waiting time
Waiting time can be a key factor in the candidate experience. Try to reduce delays between the various stages of the recruitment process. When a candidate applies, be sure to provide them with an estimate of how long it will take to process their application. Regular and transparent communication throughout the process will keep candidates interested and engaged.
#9: Provide constructive feedbacks
After each stage of the recruitment process, take the time to provide detailed feedback to candidates, whether they are selected or not. This constructive feedback allows candidates to learn and grow. Explain clearly the reasons for your decision and give them advice on how to improve their applications in the future. Your attention and investment in candidates’ professional development will leave a positive and lasting impression.
#10: But also… Ask for candidate feedback
To continually improve your recruitment process, don’t hesitate to ask candidates about their experience. This extends the conversation and puts you on an equal footing: “I’m giving you my feedback, but I want yours too!”
Set up anonymous questionnaires or follow-up interviews to gather feedback on the strengths and areas for improvement in your recruitment process.
#11: Make good use of your reporting tools
The advantage of ATSs like Talent finder is that they record all the data relating to your processes: time-to-shortlist, time-to-hire, number of resumes received, sources of resumes received, gender and age of candidates, etc.
By observing your results, you can also improve the candidate experience. You may find that 80% of your hires are men, or that just 5% are over 50. This can help you identify systemic problems. By taking these observations into account, you can improve your diversity and inclusion initiatives.
#12: Tap into your pool of candidates
As you can see, ATS enables you to store data on your candidates, and thus build up a talent pool. You can then search this database for candidates who have already expressed an interest in your company. For their part, they can also feel valued for not having been forgotten at the back of an Excel spreadsheet.
💡 The little extra: job alerts. They keep candidates up to date with all your new jobs.
#13: And last but not least… Make sure they get a great onboarding!
Yes, just because a candidate has signed up doesn’t mean the experience is over. Onboarding is the transition from candidate to employee. You need to be well prepared for your arrival to ensure that your integration goes as smoothly as possible.
A checklist of things to prepare :
Work equipment ready for use (computer, computer access, notebooks, pens, etc.)
A warm welcome: at Talent finder, for example, we’re having breakfast together! 😊
Clarification of the role: go over the content and objectives of the role together, to make sure that everything is clear.
An induction program: include training sessions, presentations on the company and its values, and meetings with the various departments.
Regular feedback
Don’t underestimate the importance of the candidate experience
By following these tips for optimizing the candidate experience, you’ll create a positive and memorable impression with candidates, while reinforcing your image as an attractive employer. Providing an exceptional candidate experience is a valuable investment that will result in attracting and retaining top talent.
