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Sonya P
03-08-2007, 03:23 PM
Hi,

I have long wondered about the effectiveness of some of the web based recruitment tools used by some large companies, such as Taleo (at least I think that’s one of them!).

My personal view is that such systems could be a barrier to attracting high caliber staff because of people’s reticence to participate in what in some cases is an on-line interview with a computer.

Are these things effective? Or do companies spend thousands of dollars implementing them and then still end paying to get people through external recruiters?

It would be interesting to hear other people’s views, from both sides of the fence (employers/recruiters and applicants).

Cheers,
Sonya

David Wang
13-08-2007, 10:45 PM
Sonya,

My goal in recruitment has always been to identify and attract the very best candidates possible. Surely that’s just common sense for any recruitment consultant and any employer.

Yet, it appears that an ever increasing number of employers and recruitment firms are adopting methods designed to repel the very people they need.

Hiding behind web sites, they require applicants to fill in an application form, to be submitted to some faceless organisation, with no mention of a contact name and in some cases no way whatsoever in following up on their application. Some companies are even now trying to conduct an initial interview via an on-line form.

It’s as if they are trying to conduct a recruitment campaign without actually having any human contact with the applicants. These companies cannot possibly think that such processes will attract the best candidates in the marketplace, (maybe they're just arrogant!).

I can understand the desire to improve efficiency in the recruitment process, and I can see where some automated system for long shortlisting may be useful, perhaps with junior unskilled or semi skilled roles, where the pool of potential candidates for such roles can be quite large. However, I regularly see this robotic approach to recruitment being used for mid level and senior professional positions, where demand far outstrips supply of good candidates.

Today, in almost any skilled or professional discipline, experienced people with current skills and a good work ethic are rarely unemployed. They are also usually diligent in their work and even if they are open to new career prospects, they probably have precious little time to browse the job ads. Ironically that’s just the sort of person who most of us are looking for.

So when we are fortunate to get their attention why would we expect them to fill in some tedious on-line form and provide sensitive information to a machine, with some unidentified humans hiding behind it?

Renee Muir
24-09-2007, 02:40 PM
Hi Sonya,

I think both yours and David's concerns are quite valid and something I personally come across at least weekly with new clients.

I'll be upfront....I am biased (I work for an online employment solutions company - Onetest (http://www.onetest.com.au)) but I can tell you that we have done numerous studies around this issue and the stats are quite interesting.

Our psych's pulled together a report based around applicant's reactions to online cognitive ability testing which is somewhat relevant to what you are discussing and you are more than welcome to read - click here (http://www.onetest.com.au/internal/images/060321MSapplicantreactionsresearchpaper.pdf).

I think one really important point to remember is that online tools like application forms aren't meant (and should never) replace face-to-face interaction with candidates - particularly as it is an employee's market! But they should make applying easy and improve the experience of the applicants - so it is less onerous and demanding of time-poor professionals.

Essentially, anything you do throughout the recruitment process should bear the candidate's experience in mind...this will later form perceptions of the employer brand. Anyone implementing online tools through this process needs to ensure they are not burdening or hindering applications (this is where we like to think Onetest is the solution).

Hope this helps :)

Regards,

Renee Muir

Maisy H
10-04-2008, 05:07 PM
... they should make applying easy and improve the experience of the applicants - so it is less onerous and demanding of time-poor professionals.

Renee, as someone who has recently been in the market for a new job, my experience is the opposite. I cannot recall seeing one of these systems that left me thinking, 'wow that was easy'.

Given the choice of filling in some on-line form and submitting my personal details to a machine, or emailing it direct to a recruiter who I can follow up with a phone call, I would always choose the latter.

Click email link in ad > attach CV > type brief message and hit "send"

That's hard to compete with in the "ease of use" stakes :)

Cheers,
Maisy

aaron.athorn
19-05-2008, 10:16 AM
Hi Sonya and others,

We have always found that our approach to candidate management has been more positive than negative in that we have that "face to face" options for candidates to apply. We ask as few questions as possible in the initial stages of the process - we understand that people who are time poor, particularly in the professional sector, do not want to spend all day applying for one position. Experiences of my own through systems such as PageUp often have 30 minutes of your time in the application process alone, often retyping what is already in your resume.

The beauty of the process comes in the follow up - a professional, individualised letter or email (email is always the best) that thanks and acknowledges that we have received the applicants resume and information and also gives them a contact and follow up option (change referees or a phone number etc.)

My thoughts in a simple sentence - let your recruitment process (a human) manage out the unsuitable candidates. Psychometric assessment during the process is still not to hard for smaller numbers of recruitments.

Perhaps there is also a discussion of value in the number of candidates who apply in a particular recruitment - it is easier to psy. test 10 people than 1000 in person!

Regards,

Aaron

mspecht
04-06-2008, 01:37 PM
Hi There,

What a fantastic topic!

Firstly let me say the candidate experience should be the the primary focus of any recruitment process, and sadly this is so often not the case. I would also say that organisations who are using tools that require candidates to spend 30 minutes apply for a job, were probably using very similar processes before they implemented the tools, typically it is never the tool at fault more the implementation. More on this later.

But where I would like to explore is the general sourcing processes used by organisation especially in mid-to senior levels where as David mentions for many industries deman is far outstriping supply. Where real growth and efficiencies can be obtained is through effective use of technology before you even need a candidate, ok I realise this is an ideal state & works only for certain industries but bear with me. Engaging with you prospective talent base through the use of social media allows you to have already developed a brand and relationship with passive candidates, provided them a human touch (of sorts) so that when you need talent the process is easier. (Yes, this is what we have historically been trying do but social media is allowing this to change.) Social media when used correctly allows you to develop meaningful relationships with candidates that can then be converted in to job applications. The use of social media is a bit topic and will change they way we can and do interact with candidates, this will be very similar to the changes we saw with wide scale email and web adoption.

Once you have engaged with the candidate market, both directly and indirectly, and then you require staff having them fill in an online application process is easier. This process should still be as efficient as possible, and by exception not the rule should you be using technology to interview people. In fact your solution should have multiple entry points allowing different levels of data to be collected based on the role, the type of engagement etc. This way a senior manager who is already known to the recruiter should be provided with a user id and password to log on to the system and finalise the application. Whereas a more junior cold calling applicant where supply outstrips demand you could send them through a more complete filtering process online.

The key is that your technology implementation can not and should never be completed in isolation from your process changes. Further just automating your existing processes will probably only end up frustrating your candidates. This is much easier said than done. Simple example, most tools want to collect lots of data, to provide some form of personalised service and just in case the applicant becomes an employee, which then allows the data to flow into the organisations talent management tool. But for a vast majority of candidates they may never make it that far, to the tool should allow the candidate to complete multiple levels of data the further they get into the process. Once an offer has been extended then this can the the time to collect all the "juicy" talent data. The challenge is changing the process and at the same time ensuring legal compliance with the data collection. Asking an employee to re-type their resume into your system's format is just silly, one needs to ask how does this really add value. Sometimes it will but the decision needs to be made knowing the consequences.

At the end of the day both candidates regardless of if they are successful must walk away from your process with a positive view on the organisation. In turn improving your employer's brand.

Sorry for the long reply, just an area I am passionate about.

Rgds
Michael

Dianadg
23-06-2008, 04:58 PM
Hi

On-line applications is so far removed from what Human Resources is all about. I agree with Maisy, there is a huge difference between asking candidate indepth and drawn out psych type questions as opposed to adding CV's and other documents. Please tell me, what sort of organisation would choose this 'social media' (nothing social about this) to entice anybody let alone management (middle or other) to there 'family'. I find this very impersonal. This is not the way I would want to meet any propective employee.

Diana

Moz
01-07-2008, 06:35 PM
Just started going through the motions of applying for an HR Manager role with one of our largest mining companies (who's name begins with R) and encountered their Taleo system. I almost baled after reading their poorly formatted privacy policy which ended with the statement;

" that the internet is a global environment, using the internet to collect and process personal data necessarily involves the transmission of data on an international basis. "

Presumably this is some sort of disclaimer that they think gets them off the hook if my personal data goes astray. What I don't understand is why if they are in Australia and I am in Australia, does my data have to leave the country?

Incidentally, that's how the paragraph starts off ("that"), so clearly there is some text missing. I would have thought a multi billion dollar company would have a slightly more polished approach to recruiting managers.

Anyway, after that stage I then find I have to "register" before I can go any further. At which point I did bale. I for one am sick and tired of having to record login details for web sites which I may never visit again.

I wonder what makes companies think that good candidates (not necessarily including myself of course) want to jump through hoops just to apply for a job, when there are plenty of other attractive opportunities that simply require sending a CV and covering letter by email. Are they arrogant or just dumb?

Dianadg
02-07-2008, 09:32 AM
I personally find this form of recuiting quite arrogant. Who benefits from this? certainly not the applicant. Surely a large organisation with a (more than likely) large HR Department would have the capacity and capabilities to recuit "much needed" staff in a more constructive way. How hard is it to ask a prospective employee to attached two simple documents .... oh..... and here's a thought....... read the application yourself and not rely on a program that, more than likely was designed for a market far removed for what it was intended.