Most recruiters waste up to a third of their week sourcing without a structured process only to miss out on great candidates and potential fees. In this competitive candidate market, you need to have an effective approach to candidate sourcing.
How can you engage more with your recruitment tech, data, systems, so you can nail candidate sourcing and improve your pipeline?
3 Ways to Improve Candidate Sourcing for Recruiters
I spoke with Ayla Tapper from Broadbean. They specialise in helping recruiters turbo boost the way they source, attract, and engage candidates and clients. I asked Ayla 3 questions about how recruiters can dramatically improve their candidate sourcing strategy to drive results.
1. What are your thoughts on the stat, recruiters spend 13 hours a week sourcing candidates?
I’d probably ask what admin they are wasting the rest of their time on if just under two days is being spent on sourcing candidates. While there will be time focussing on client relationships, spending just 13 hours a week sourcing candidates does suggest that recruiters are still spending a lot of time on administrative tasks including CV sifting and job posting.
With recruitment technology and software available to automate most of the mundane, repetitive tasks, recruiters should be able to invest more of their valuable time building meaningful relationships with candidates. With the UK in a recession while competition for talent remains high, freeing up some of this time is going to become more important.
2. 50% of candidate applications are a poor fit. Why is this the case?
There are a number of elements to this statistic that need to be addressed. In the first instance, the fact that there’s a mismatch between the job applications that are coming through and the job spec suggests the recruitment technologyor software that’s being used to promote the roles isn’t working as it should. Jobs need to be written in a way that appeal to the right audience. If the wrong people are applying – particularly at a time when there is still a skills shortage despite the slowdown in hiring – then it’s likely that the job advertisements themselves need a rethink.
It also indicates that any lead generation activity isn’t being optimised for the right keywords or target audiences. Today, recruitment requires an individual, tailored and targeted approach. The ‘spray and pray’ tactic of plastering a job advert everywhere won’t have the desired impact. Success isn’t getting more job applications. Instead, it’s defined by getting fewer, more relevant candidates to apply. With the right recruitment tech these ads can be pushed out in a more targeted manner and if half of the applications recruiters are receiving are a poor fit, then there’s a mis-alignment somewhere in this process.
It is important to add, though, that with skills shortages still rife, there is an increasing need to identify candidates with soft or transferable skills. It’s increasingly becoming apparent that the perfect candidate doesn’t always exist for very specific job specs, meaning that recruiters are having to look for applicants that meet some of the requirements in order to fill job roles. This could be influencing some of the results of the stat of 50%.
3. How can Broadbean help improve this stat - 73% of recruiters are suffering a candidate shortage?
It’s really not a surprise to see that the majority of recruiters are suffering from a candidate shortage given the pressure we’ve seen on the labour market in the last year. There’s no easy fix to the dearth of talent, but there are ways for recruiters to improve recruitment processes and use recruitment technology to free up a recruitment consultant’s time so they can focus on developing those all-important human relationships.
Broadbean’s technology can save recruiters between one to two hours a day by automating a significant part of the hiring process. The intelligent software is also designed to ensure jobs are being posted in real-time or at optimised times to ensure you’re getting the best results based on user experience candidate data.
Broadbean also provides the analysis and data recruiters need to ensure they are making truly informed decisions around the channels that are delivering the best ROI. As it is agile, it also allows activity to be re-adjusted or shifted in line with the latest real-time data.
Talking of Recruiters Improving Sourcing...
Our recruitment training platform - Recruitment HIIT - helps recruiters source quicker. We have a wealth of speedy recruiting tips designed to help recruiters reduce their sourcing time, including CRM sourcing and LinkedIn sourcing so you can source less and place more!
Plus, our Broadbean HIIT has cute tips on candidate sourcing, advertising your jobs and speedily managing your candidate pools so you can increase your placements and fees!
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Why AI Might Not Fix Recruitment Productivity
Recruitment Leaders - are you looking to engage with tech to help you drive productivity? Are you needing significant RoI from your tech stack? Be careful you don't fall into the pit of "tech before process".In the 2 decades we've been working in recruitment, a persistent, cyclical problem is starting over again — and it's being amplified by the advent of new technology like AI.😔History Repeating Itself: Tech Before ProcessMy team has watched a trend unfold: the belief that simply "buying data and tech and throwing it at a problem" will magically fix it.Unfortunately, it rarely does, and I fear we are seeing this pattern play out again with Artificial Intelligence.The core issue is that the recruitment industry often engages with technology without truly engaging with the process the technology is supposed to fix.We get why. A LOT has happened in and to the recruitment sector in the last 2 decades - it's a big ask for leaders to stand back from the coal face and really invest time in the problem when it's been so disruptive...But, we've seen this cycle before:The CRM wave: A sophisticated recruitment system is bought, added to the recruitment business, and recruiters are told to use it, often without a fundamental change to the underlying workflow.The Automation trend: Tools are purchased to automate tasks, but the initial problem (unproductive activities) remains because the why and how of the automation weren't properly addressed.Now, AI: In the rush to purchase the latest AI tools, many recruitment firms are overlooking the essential step of asking: "What problem are we trying to solve, and how will this technology specifically help me do that?"🤔Purchase V ProblemI recently said to a client who was trying to get buy-in from his recruiters for the AI tools he's bought:Are you processing the AI, or AI-ing the process?One way is wrong, the other right. Food for thought...This focus on the purchase over the problem means we miss the fundamental goal:Fixing recruitment productivity. Empowering recruiters to do the right things at the right time.🙋 WIIFM? What’s In It For Me? The Missing LinkA healthy skepticism - or outright fear - exists among many average recruitment consultants about what AI and automation are really there to do for them.If you're an innovation leader, your mind is likely 20 steps ahead, focused on the competitive edge, efficiency metrics, future-proofing, and adding value to your business. But when introducing new technology, you must take it back to basics and think with the recruitment consultant / resourcer / manager in mind.You need to answer the crucial question for them: "What’s in it for me (the consultant)?" - WIIFM?Stop talking about backend efficiencies and start talking about the individual's tangible benefits:"This will help you make more money.""This will enable you to take a longer lunch break.""This will free you up to see your kids' school plays."Ultimately, this tech is meant to enable recruiters to spend less time on low-value, time-consuming tasks (often up to 80% of their day) and more time on high-impact, revenue-generating activities. Because right now, the stats clearly show they are incredibly busy... potentially doing the wrong stuff.If you want technology to succeed, you have to connect it directly to the recruiter’s personal and professional drivers.What are your thoughts?What is the biggest barrier to getting your recruiters to use new technology effectively?And how will you ensure that you get true value from your tech, data, and people in the next year, and beyond?Automation Buddy / Bullhorn RoIWe are Automation Buddies set on helping ambitious recruitment businesses who want to increase speed and sales.We coach to inspire, and build your automations so you can recruit and sell!Plus, through our Bullhorn Vision service we help generate serious ROI from your Bullhorn, data, and people.READ MORE ABOUT OUR BULLHORN VISION SERVICEREAD ABOUT OUR AUTOMATION BUDDY SERVICEBOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION
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Recruiters! Is the Myth of GPDR Holding You Back?
Recruiters / Leaders / Marketers... Are you nervous of contacting candidates and clients without having their express consent?The advent of GDPR created some myths including “no more email marketing”. This blog will tell what total rubbish that is AND why you should be email marketing more than ever before!So, if you are a recruiter, recruitment marketer or recruitment leader, and:Want to generate more candidatesNeed more viable leadsShould be attracting more recruiters to your recruitment businessWant to be smart and use automation / email / WhatsApp / or dare I suggest, the phone…...you need to read this blog!🤔The Myth of GDPRGDPR has caused stupid amounts of disruption and confusion. Myths were created. Data was deleted. Business stopped… but at least we are all compliant, eh?Meanwhile, a little regulation called PECR – (Guide to the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations) has almost been ignored.I’m going to quote the regs throughout so to avoid further myths and nail down facts. This guide covers the latest version of PECR which covers marketing by phone, fax, email, text or any other type of ‘electronic mail’.*I am not a lawyer – I am a mere mortal. I have read the regs and interpreted them to suit myself and my recruitment clients.🔮Recruiters Need to Run Talent and Sector SurveysFirst – if you are conducting genuine market research (and a good recruiter should!) then:Genuine market research does not count as direct marketing. 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It’s not against the law!An unsolicited message is any message that has not been specifically requested. So even if the customer has ‘opted in’ to receiving marketing from you, it still counts as unsolicited marketing. This does not make all unsolicited marketing unlawful. You can still send unsolicited marketing messages – as long as you comply with PECR.This is interesting – note the word “often”:You will often need a person’s consent before you can send them a marketing message. But,You must not send marketing emails or texts to individuals without specific consent. There is a limited exception for your own previous customers, often called the ‘soft opt-in’.🥰Recruiters Now Need to Rely on Being Soft!Is this a proper “get out of jail free card”?The rules on electronic mail marketing are in regulation 22. In short, you must not send electronic mail marketing to individuals, unless:they have specifically consented to electronic mail from you; orthey are an existing customer who bought (or negotiated to buy) a similar product or service from you in the past, and you gave them a simple way to opt out both when you first collected their details and in every message you have sentHold on – you mean that if you have been dealing with someone already, they are a “soft” op-in? And you can mail them? Yes – as long as you make it easy to unsubscribe.The term ‘soft opt-in’ is sometimes used to describe the rule about existing customers.Existing customers, recruiters! What does this mean to you?The idea is that if an individual bought something from you recently, gave you their details, and did not opt out of marketing messages, they are probably happy to receive marketing from you about similar products or services even if they haven’t specifically consented. Probably happy! (Yes please!)The soft opt-in rule means you may be able to email or text your own customers.Read this:You can also email or text an existing customer who has bought (or discussed buying) a similar product or service from you in the past – but only if you gave them a clear chance to opt out of getting marketing emails or texts when you collected their details, and in every message.💡So Recruiters! What’s the Best Way to Create a Marketing List and Use Automation to Drive Comms? This paragraph had me clapping my hands… According to the ICO:You may want to compile your own in-house marketing list using details of people who have bought goods or services in the past, or who have registered on your website or made an enquiry. However, you should not assume that everyone is happy to receive marketing just because they have provided their contact details.So, basically, you can create email marketing lists from people who have not specifically consented!But have a little think! Your goal is longer term to create consent, and to create really good email marketing campaigns to get them to say “don’t delete me – I think you’re great!” Then you can take that engaged mailing list to your sassy clients and ask them to pop that in their pipes and smoke it –whilst you place lots of candidates with them at your rack rate fees!🏃➡️Now to Start Building an Email Marketing and Automation Strategy to Attract Your 3CsRecruiters!Candidates, clients, and colleagues (your 3Cs) need to hear from you!You need to maintain your legitimate interest in holding their data. You need to give them compelling reasons to stay on your mailing list - and your recruitment marketers have the keys to this!Automation Buddy / Bullhorn RoIWe are Automation Buddies set on helping ambitious recruitment businesses who want to increase speed and sales.We coach to inspire, and build your automations so you can recruit and sell!Plus, through our Bullhorn Vision service we help generate serious ROI from your Bullhorn, data, and people.READ MORE ABOUT OUR BULLHORN VISION SERVICEREAD ABOUT OUR AUTOMATION BUDDY SERVICEBOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION