What is E-Recruiting?
E-recruiting refers to employee search and recruitment via the internet. Ideally, companies use designated software for recruiting, making the recruiting process easier both for TAs and applicants. Applicants should simply enter their data and resumes via a designated form to apply for an open job. The gathered applications will then flow directly to the HR department and be automatically delivered into a company’s talent pool. Thus, manually submitting and sorting applications is generally no longer necessary. Besides, there is also a possibility of integrating employment agencies and job portals into the application process.
Why E-Recruiting?
About 75% of all applications are forwarded via job portals and company websites. Therefore, the first point of contact with prospective employees occurs online. Especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers and with Gen Z forming over a third of the workforce available on the job market, it is crucial to meet the needs of digital natives. Addressing the well-educated generations Y and Z means enabling them to apply through digital channels.
This is why e-recruiting stands as the most important way to attract new talent nowadays. Besides, the outreach of e-recruiting to prospective workforce is enormous. In addition to the most important job portals, social media such as Linkedin, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram can also be targeted.
Experts refer to recruiting through social media as social recruiting. Companies who adapt their social recruiting to the target group not only find the best talent but also strengthen their employer brand. Furthermore, when there is a possibility to submit the application via tablet and smartphone, we are talking about mobile recruiting.
In addition to the enormous outreach to the target group of prospective employees, the simplification of the application process is another reason to rely on e-recruiting. An online application system allows companies to process a bigger number of incoming applications. In doing so, the TAs also broaden their talent pool. Moreover, the workload of scanning through applications is hugely reduced thanks to software with pre-selection automation.
The automated processing of data helps recruiters by saving time. Since time is money, optimizing the recruiting process saves companies recruiting costs in the long run.
What Does E-Recruiting Mean to Applicants?
E-recruiting enables applicants to enter their data in the designed form and upload the required files. Thus, job seekers find this application process simple and straightforward. Additionally, applying usually does not require longer than 20 minutes, according to experts in the field. After submitting the application, candidates usually receive an automatic confirmation of submission.
This automated process alone impacts the first impression candidates have of a company. Unfortunately, many companies do not follow up after the application has been submitted or send notifications to candidates during the stages of their hiring process. This negatively impacts the candidate experience. In the worst case, candidates decide to give up and apply for another job in the meantime.
Implementing an applicant tracking system (ATS) helps track the stages of the candidate journey and update candidates on their application status. Moreover, an ATS not only improves communication, it also speeds up the entire application process. From the applicant’s point of view, this is a big plus. The less time it takes from submitting the application to the final decision, the better the overall impression.
Even if the e-recruiting software allows for sending automated rejection emails, it is still highly recommended to personalize them. Job seekers do not appreciate standard rejection emails that do not provide feedback on their applications. This can even lead to the candidate not applying to a company’s job position in the future.
What Should You Look for in E-Recruiting Software?
The features of e-recruiting software should reflect the company’s needs. However, there are a few must-have basic functions. For example, it should allow for creating an online job ad that conveys the company brand. Basic features should also include customizing the design of the career page and selecting suitable job boards so that TA teams can share job ads on numerous job portals and via other channels, saving themselves a lot of time.
A uniform ATS will allow for efficient and transparent management of application data. A talent pool can then create itself as if by magic. However, it is crucial that this database works reliably and doesn’t have any bugs, for example. The tool should also be easy enough to use so that both applicants and TA can manage it. Gathering data through an automated process saves TAs a considerable amount of time and effort.
Advanced functions are essential for some companies but not for others. For example, small-sized companies do not need resume parser technology that automatically matches the unstructured resume data into a structured tool format. This technical feature is only worthwhile if many applications are coming in because sifting through them manually can take a lot of time. Of course, matching can also be done manually when there is a small volume of applications.
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of E-Recruiting?
E-recruiting has both its advantages and disadvantages. Let’s go through them!
Advantages
One advantage of e-recruiting is its broad outreach to the prospective candidates. Companies can counteract the shortage of skilled workers by using e-recruiting to address the target group of digital natives.
The entire application process is also much more efficient, and applicants receive feedback promptly. It has a positive effect on the company’s image and also saves costs in recruiting. Additionally, the HR department does not waste valuable time on administrative tasks such as creating a talent pool or manually filing databases.
Another advantage is the integration with a digital employee referral program.
Firstbird, for example, is the leading provider of digital employee referral programs and has over 1,000 customers such as McDonald’s, Vodafone and the Arvato Bertelsmann Group. Firstbird’s digital platform combines the advantages of e-recruiting with the benefits of social recruiting.
With employee referral programs, employees can refer friends and acquaintances for job openings and share job ads via social media. It adds more value to the applications because personal referrals are still the best recruitment channel. In return, Talent Scouts, or employees providing referrals, receive a reward for successful hiring.
This is the way companies gain qualified candidates who are the perfect cultural fit. At the same time, reporting and management of referrals occur within the e-recruiting software.
In pandemic times, it becomes clear that companies will have to deal more and more with remote and e-recruiting. After all, online job interviews are more practical in terms of mobility. Moreover, if companies offer remote work on a permanent basis, it allows them to erase geographical boundaries and thus broaden their talent pool enormously.
Disadvantages
There are no disadvantages associated with mere e-recruiting. However, implementing recruiting software sounds to most companies like it will incur high costs. Even if the system promises cost savings in the long run, some companies shy away from such an investment.
Before deciding to invest in recruiting software, have a look at the platforms industry experts are using. For example, well-known companies such as Deloitte, Telekom and Accor already use Firstbird software to manage their employee referral programs.
Can Companies Live Without E-Recruiting?
Companies could not make it nowadays without having many of their workflows digitalized. This also refers to the recruiting process. It makes little sense not to rely on e-recruiting. The only exception could be made for the carpenter’s shop or that small, family-owned store around the corner. Apart from these examples, there is hardly any existing company that does not benefit from e-recruiting.
E-recruiting software implementation is also extremely simple. Companies do not need to have their own IT department, since the software providers often provide their customers with strong support before, during and after introducing the platform. This allows companies to rely on the know-how of experienced experts in the software industry.
With little effort, companies can achieve maximum results when it comes to e-recruiting. Executive boards should therefore not underestimate the importance of hiring the best workforce. As entrepreneur Marc Benioff stated, “acquiring the right talent is the most important key to growth. Hiring was – and still is – the most important thing we do.”
