What technologies do staffing agencies or executive recruitment firms use to promote their candidates to prospective employers?
Information Technology is now the primary driver of product differentiation and competitive advantage. I'd love to hear how staffing agencies or executive recruitment firms leverage technology to promote their candidates to prospective employers.
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May 31, 2014
Hi Sterling,
Technology helps us in bridging gaps.The executive search firms/ Staffing agencies are working around newer ways of cutting edge advantage :
1. Using Technology and online portals for capturing the Candidate Database with their interest areas( their own portal), Job Portals, Social Media etc.
2. Psychometric tests and drivers to help get a well rounded view of the candidate.
3. Skill test before they can call then as potential candidates!
4.Blogs to keep their active candidate community active by creating alumini base!
Once these agencies have well rounded view, they approach the employers with not just resume but a complete professional writeup.
Cheers
Rabia
May 29, 2014
Can you pose the question of reaching clients and prospective candidates vs the companies? It's communicating via email as far as I know but not with larger firm and had clients large financial institutions.
May 29, 2014
Hello Sterling , As I know these recruitment agencies try to their best to promote candidates according to employers requirements but its not that way always -in some cases they get the right candidate for the right post but in some cases where they don"t find the required person exactly they go for lower qualifications , especially if the required candidate ask for very high salary , or they just go for the alternatives in order to same time ,thats why some companies make interview & written questionnaire for the candidates , I was in this filed for short time , I can say its not perfect 100& but at least it saves time of the company & up-to 70 % it can ok .
May 28, 2014
If the role is client/customer facing, a video answering some basic questions gives the recruiting company a good idea of how the person reacts and comes across. This is key for say a sales position or health professional.
May 28, 2014
Sterling,
You said: "Information Technology is now the primary driver of product differentiation and competitive advantage."
I simply don't agree. Unless you're selling technology or a process driven technology, quite often the differentiator is the customer experience, be it helpline, after care, etc.
Technology is an enabler, because if you're a stupid business, you will do stupid business, however good the technology underpinning your processes.
OK, it could save your arse on occasions, but it isn't what makes the difference.
I'm sure there are examples people will now show us, but I cannot think of one
.
May 28, 2014
I see a lot of social media being used. There is a staffing agency in Boston where I live that interviews only through social media. There is no other form that they use. With Skype and Hangouts, this is a powerful tool for agencies to use.
May 28, 2014
LinkedIn for connections to candidates; jigsaw for random candidate search; no on twitter, no on Bullhorn, etc ---
May 28, 2014
I love the idea of a recorded interview sent via email, video would be even better. I don't know of any out of the box software that would accomplish this but I do know you could tailor our software (shameless Infusionsoft plug) to accomplish just about any situation. Would love to see what things people have found that work and would love to work with an agency or executive recruiting firm to develop a custom solution as a case study.
Good question Sterling!
May 28, 2014
I meant to say they are recorded videos. There are a few companies doing this now. Thanks.
May 27, 2014
Talent sourcing, social sourcing and tracking softwares are used to talent track prospective candidates.
May 27, 2014
An emerging trend I see is agencies recording an interview with the candidate and presenting that to the prospective employer along with the other candidate material. Along with the recorded interview, notes and work flow rules can be added. Interview Stream is an example company provider. (Not a plug, just an example). I suspect this will become the norm within a few years.
May 28, 2014
I completely agree. It's disruptive innovation in it's purest form.
May 27, 2014
Usually by phone with established contacts they have made with individuals in organizations but sometimes by email. Usually they want to discuss the candidate they are presenting to the hiring authority.
May 27, 2014
On the search side, selection through keyword searches through professional social media is the beginning. After that, email marketing and inmail driving
May 27, 2014
Sterling,
Great question. No doubt technology does drive many things. we recently placed a director of digital marketing and branding where the role had not existed before. This is an example of how manufacturers and service providers can improve the top and bottom lines.
As a 35 year veteran of executive search let me say that the application of technology to staffing firms is as different as the services they provide when compared to executive recruiting. I am much better qualified to address the search side of third-party recruiting practices.
While both use candidate (applicant) tracking systems to manage the volume of people they attract and contact, the search side delivers a much smaller number of people than a staffing firm that works with dozens or hundreds of temporary workers.
In Executive Search, we utilize technology to do research on organizations who are clients, potential clients and those who supply the talent sought by our clients. We utilize email systems and responders to manage communications with the people with whom we associate and contact.
In terms of presentation of qualified candidates for who we are retained to recruit by our clients, we use our own proprietary process that virtual eliminates the need or use of resumes/CVs. We present our candidates in all of the dimensions they possess, something a resume cannot do.
Just to be clear, a common mis-assumption is that executive recruiters spend a great deal of time finding opportunities for candidates "in-hand". Whereas a few do still practice that very old approach, most do not. We are rather involved in direct recruiting of actively employed people sought by our client for a very specifically defined role.
Finally, the driving force among the talent pool is Gen-X. As a demographic group, they had as many children as the Baby-Boom created. Most are not actively seeking to maintain a strong internet presence as it has become widely known that there are fewer of them then there are needs for them. Most of the best qualified focus their attentions on work, family and quality of life fully aware that a skilled search consultant will seek them out and contact them directly, often by phone.
I have tried to clarify why executive recruiting firms actually use less technology than in years past. We do use email. We do use the Internet but not so much for promotion of our services. Building personal relationships, not virtual ones continues to be the best practice of business development.
May 27, 2014
This is a great question..... There isn't a lot out there for this in the respects of Software. Most A.E.'s or agencies tend to market the candidate via e-mail or phone since it is their job to promote what is on the bench. If you find software, I would be interested in learning myself, but a solid or "rock star" bench candidate is usually good for the A.E.'s to sell and promote the agency so this is why there isn't a lot out there. You may have just found your idea to develop something.
Great insights Martin. What are your thoughts on the intangibles like cultural fit, personality, attitude, etc. Does video also have a role to play here?
-S