HR recruitment software and systems have revolutionised the world of recruitment in recent years. They have helped businesses to streamline and automate processes in a number of ways which has been of benefit to both the employer and job applicants. The recruitment market at the moment is fast paced and challenging for employers as candidates look to find better paid work and jobs which offer them the flexibility that many have now become accustomed to.
Recent CIPD research estimates that 4 million UK employees have changed career due to a lack of flexibility at work so it is a massive issue. The availability of quality candidates is also a source of frustration for many employers, and candidates will quickly move on from an application process which is overly onerous or complicated. Your business might be great to work for and have a fantastic opportunity, but if candidates can’t apply easily then you’re going to miss out and your staffing headaches are going to increase.
Keep reading to learn how HR software can help with your recruitment process.
What does HR recruitment software look like?
Depending on the size of your business and your budget, there are different options available. Some HR software systems either have built in recruitment functionality or the system provider will offer a bolt on recruitment module. However, it’s important to note that these bolt ons more often than not come at an additional cost to the core system. Some larger companies will also have an all singing, all dancing, applicant tracking system (ATS). This interfaces with their main HR system so that data can be easily transferred from one to the other and job adverts can be posted to multiple sites at the push of a button.
How do these systems work?
The overwhelming majority of candidates now apply for a job online rather than the traditional hard copy CV and covering letter, or application form. By using an HR recruitment system or ATS, that process is now far more efficient. The software will collect all the necessary details from candidates, and this information is then fed directly into the system when they apply online. This then negates the need for time consuming administration and data entry tasks at the back end of the process and frees up administrative staff to complete other tasks.
With candidate information already in your system the second stage of recruitment, shortlisting, is again made much more efficient. You don’t have to wait for someone to print and photocopy all the applications in triplicate and then arrange a meeting where you sit around a table with colleagues to decide who to interview. HR systems which offer recruitment functionality will typically have a built in shortlisting feature so the shortlisters can review the applications at a place and time that suits them. The shortlisters score candidates based on pre-set criteria and then once everyone involved has completed their scoring, each candidate will be ranked and your shortlist will be complete so that applicants can then be declined or moved on to the selection stage. Again, the system will do this for you and will send pre-populated emails to candidates.
Once shortlisting has been completed, an HR system can then be deployed to send interview invite details to candidates. Some systems will allow candidates to book their own interview time directly into a calendar from a pre-arranged number of slots and this calendar will the sync the bookings with the calendar of the interviewers. The more advanced ATS systems will also facilitate selection exercises and questions.
What are the benefits of HR software for recruitment?
We’ve already mentioned a number of the key benefits of HR software for recruitment, including how it helps to save time and automates processes. HR recruitment systems in the long run will also save your business money and deliver a great return on investment. Many recruitment systems will integrate with your company’s social media accounts, which is a great way to promote your vacancies and again saves time by not having to do multiple manual posts.
By using a HR software system for recruitment, you will also vastly improve the candidate experience. The application process is simpler and slicker and gives a great first impression, and the use of HR recruitment systems facilitates quick and easy candidate communication which will minimise drop off. Many systems will also collect data about where the candidate saw the job advert and this allows you to assess your recruitment advertising strategy to make sure that your adverts are working, any spend on advertising is correctly targeted and if some sources aren’t working.
Although HR recruitment systems are great, they won’t actually interview candidates for you and so that part of the process still has to be completed either face-to-face or remotely. When a decision has been made though and an offer accepted, your HR recruitment system can kick back in and be used to send out contracts and store all the pre-employment checks that you carry out on new starters so that your compliance is all in order.
Get in touch and see how HRX can help
If you’re about to embark on the journey of recruitment and you want to save yourself time on admin tasks, why not take a look at how our HR software can help? What’s more, you can even sign up for a FREE 30 day trial! Or get in touch with our friendly team today to book a demo.
