For better or worse, the digital transition has completely reshaped the way candidates and recruiters alike approach talent acquisition. And yet, the right toolset can benefit both sides, turning an inefficient and often dehumanizing process into a personalized journey that benefits everyone.
So here are eight tools we think will help you to make it happen.
1. Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
An ATS is the most invaluable tool for any modern recruitment process. Depending on the specific tool's feature set, it can streamline or even automate different aspects of the recruitment process, from job posting and resume shortlisting to scheduling interviews and sending rejection letters. A capable ATS is a prerequisite for all other talent acquisition tools, which it is built upon and usually integrated with.
2. Candidate Relationship Management Tools
Not to be confused with customer relationship management, this goes beyond your ATS because it helps nurture relationships and keep lines of communication open between you and prospective hires you might need at a later date. It can classify candidates you've interacted with or found on online job boards, create personalized emails to keep candidates engaged or leverage social media like LinkedIn to contact compatible candidates even though they may not be actively looking for a job.
3. Talent Assessment Tools
A candidate might look like the perfect fit on paper, but skills-based and science-driven tests that ensure they're actually the real deal. This part of the screening is crucial for positions in tech and IT, medicine, engineering, and so on, where a lack of proven expertise can severely affect your company or – in some environments – human life. Apart from evaluating professional competence, assessment tools can also provide tests that gauge critical thinking skills, ethics, personality traits, and other diverse criteria that indicate a good cultural fit.
4. Password Managers
But don't forget that each new talent acquisition tool you use might potentially increases your company's vulnerability to cyberattacks. Because of course, job applications regularly ask candidates to include sensitive information about themselves, ranging from personal data and contact details to medical history. Password managers guarantee that strong safeguards are in place to protect this information.
That's because they generate complex and (obviously) unique passwords for all user accounts, eliminating the threat that weak or duplicate passwords pose to security. And of course,
password managers for Mac, Windows, and other operating systems are widely available at a range of functionality and price levels. They streamline team collaboration no matter what operating system you work with, as well as provide secure sharing and seamless device syncing. Better yet, they usually provide extra account security with two-factor authentication.
5. Video Interviews
Hiring for remote work positions doesn't have to depend just on resumes and written communication anymore. Video interview platforms let you schedule real-time chats with candidates – around the world if necessary – or have them record answers to your questions. This makes the process more personable; it helps determine whether a candidate is suitable for customer-facing roles; and of course it weeds out fraud.
6. Onboarding Tools
Finding the perfect fit is vital, but it's only the first step towards ensuring successful introduction into the company.
Onboarding tools take over and automate this process. On the one hand, they streamline the accompanying paperwork and necessary account creation. On the other, they can provide access to knowledge bases and training materials that get new employees up to speed in a faster and more consistent way than relying on human contact.
7. VPNs
Nowadays it's pretty common for new personnel to work remotely themselves, which can introduce even more security problems. VPNs mitigate potential risks posed by accessing your company's networks and data records from unsafe sources like public Wi-Fi.
They encrypt all connections, which makes tracking and interception of sensitive business data impossible. In short, using the best
business VPN available and having it active when working remotely secures the connection to candidate databases and other tools on the list. This allows you to handle vulnerable data, conduct interviews, and otherwise do your job without compromising your security … or your privacy.
8. Analytics Tools
OK, so you've thought about it and implemented what you need. But there's still another step to go. That's because you need to know how much of an impact your new tech tolls have had. And this means you need to set up and track relevant performance metrics. That's what recruitment analytics tools are for. They can integrate with your ATS, CRM, etc., and assess the new regime has on time, quality, and cost of hiring, not to mention the level of success that people have in the role.
Conclusion
Well, that sounds quite a bit to do, doesn't it? But you won't necessarily need everything, so focus on what's important to you. Create a new infrastructure around this, and start to reap the rewards of a more streamlined, effective and secure function. You'll wonder how you ever did without it!
