There is no doubt that the lengthy, traditional recruitment process can mean that potential talent slips through the net. In fact, 59% of organisations with over 5,000 employees reported that they lost good candidates last year, due to the length of their recruitment process.
These figures from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Annual Survey Report, show how traditional hiring routes need to speed up and catch on quick with our faster-paced world.
“Once a decision has been made that a position needs to be filled, getting the job description approved internally and advertised can take weeks as the task passes from one contact and department to another,” says Giles Heckstall-Smith, Commercial Director of e-recruitment software company, Jobtrain Solutions.
“And once the applications start coming in, they can be in a number of different formats, arrive at different times, some can be missed and the task then becomes very arduous.”
To bring the recruitment process up to speed, internet based e-recruitment software and applicant tracking systems have been implemented by companies, many of which have not looked back.
“As we were changing the way we managed applications from being completely manual to using an e-system we needed a solution which we could implement quickly, seamlessly and a system that would mirror the manual processes that we had in place so that it wasn’t too much of a shift for the users,” says Rachael Harvey, Head of Recruitment at Iceland.
“We also needed a comprehensive support service to help us to implement the system quickly due to the impending influx of new applications for the New Store openings. Since we went live with the system at the end of January we have received almost 148,000 applications. If we hadn’t implemented the system when we did, we would have really struggled to manage that kind of volume without having to draft in a team!”
In addition, candidates are also feeling at ease with the process. “Candidates tell us through online feedback that the application process is professional, easy to use and that they are particularly pleased that they receive immediate feedback and regular updates on their progress,” continues Rachael.
“Making the process as simple and engaging as possible for all involved is key for us,” says Giles. “Jobtrain Solutions’ systems are bespoke. They make life easier for HR managers by providing applications in the same format, all in one place. They can even view applications via iPhone or Blackberry. Candidates also benefit as they can log in online, organise their interviews, view feedback, and even contracts.”
If you wish to speak to Jobtrain Solutions for further information about E-recruitment software, please contact them on 01565 818 234.
HR Aspects Magazine appreciates the contribution to this article from Giles Heckstall-Smith at Jobtrain Solutions.
