Hyrell Online Hiring Systems Blog

Anyone who has applied for a job recently knows that Applicant Tracking Systems that just take your resume and search for certain keywords are pretty much the worst thing ever created.

Applicants know that the hiring manager on the other end probably isn't reading it and is, instead, just letting the system scan it for keyword matches. Ultimately, the system spits out a list of a few candidates that have 90% of the correct keywords.

Now, from the hiring manager’s perspective, these systems are just as bad. You, as the hiring manager, are trying to manage the overwhelming flood off resumes and applicants but suspect you're often missing very qualified applicants.

Missing qualified applicants is the reason that we at Hyrell created an online hiring system that does not rely solely on the resume for the application process. In doing so, we've created a better way to ensure you're finding the right applicants.

Using custom sets of Yes/No questions that each company can create, the Hyrell system automatically ranks and scores the incoming applicants based on your most important criteria (i.e. "Do you have at least 3 years of experience in our field?”).

Then you can choose to further analyze the applicants that truly meet your needs by using our powerful Virtual Interview process. This allows you to see applicants’ long-form answers to relevant questions that you choose (i.e. “We are looking for upbeat, talented and focused individuals to help continue our growth. Please tell us why you are a good fit for this position.")

Of course, you still get to view education, past work experience and a list of references in their applicant file. And yes, you can also view the applicant’s resume as well, but at this point in the process, you have all of the background you need to make an informed decision on any applicant.

Sure, this process takes applicants a few extra minutes to complete compared to the ‘upload resume here’ button. But we view that as a positive – companies get a more complete picture of the applicant and applicants get a chance to provide more than a standard resume and cover letter. Don't you want someone that REALLY wants the job and isn't just sending their resume to every position available? Remember - just because you know Microsoft Paint, doesn't make you a designer!

We're not suggesting you go resume-free but we do know one thing for sure - There's a Better Way to Hire!

The team at Hyrell is constantly striving to improve our application and pass along valuable and time saving features. We are happy to note the following enhancements to the system that are included in our May 2012 Release.

Background and Response Tip

In the Virtual Interview response section of the Applicant’s file, Hiring officials can now see the Background and Response Tip in addition to the Virtual Interview question (and applicant’s answer to the question). Prior to this release, and for the sake of brevity, hiring officials were only presented with the virtual interview question and applicant’s response. Now, the hiring official is provided the full context of each virtual interview question.

Forward File Identifier

Up until this release, the name of the originator of a forwarded file did not appear in the automatic Forward File email signature element. The assumption was that the originator of the forwarded file would identify him/herself in the comments section of the communication – not always so. At times, files have been forwarded without comment which masked the identity of the sender. With this release, the name of the sender will now automatically appear in the sender’s signature element of the forwarded file email.

Search Enhancement in Library Positions Tab

The system has been modified with better search functionality in the Positions tab of the Library. Now, you may search using any word or component of the position title.

EEO Page Enhancements

The EEO page now includes the following:

• A header statement that informs the reader that EEO is a federally-mandated, voluntary step of the job application process
• A means to self-identify the race of an individual who is of two or more races
• A Veterans identifier selection
• A Disabled Applicant identifier selection

Many departments within small and medium businesses (SMBs) have adopted technology to gain efficiencies. To save time. To become more productive. To increase profits.

However, one area of a company that often lags in technology adoption is recruiting and hiring.

Which is both ironic and unfortunate.

It is ironic because human resources and their hiring activities were early adopters of technology within the SMB world. The HR world was online when clouds only related to weather and they have been posting openings on internet job boards going back to the 1990s.

More than a decade ago, hiring officials knew they could use technology to help attract applicants. Yet, today many are still using the same methods. Receiving emails with resumes attached isn’t cutting edge (or efficient) any longer. It's now merely just the beginning of a cumbersome and manual process.

This is also unfortunate because there is a new breed of technology that can dramatically increase the probability of finding the right hire. Simply posting to a job board isn’t enough.

There is now a solution that attracts, and more importantly, highlights, best-fit applicants. The needle can now be pulled from the haystack without hours and hours of wasted time.

So we urge you, human resources, take back the lead in technology adoption!

There is a better way to hire.

There are few companies in the small and medium business (SMB) world that are over-staffed. Each person is responsible for his or her own area but everyone pitches in and does what is necessary to keep the company headed in the right direction.

Goals are set. To-do lists are made. Intentions are pure. But at the end of the day, everything from the to-do list doesn’t get crossed off, the list grows and goals get pushed.

How can you stop the cycle? You can start by adopting smart business technology within your company or department.

To be clear, not all business technology is worth your attention. There are solutions that won’t make you or your company more efficient – they are cumbersome, hard to learn/use, take forever to set-up and frustrate you every time you think of them.

However, there is a growing group of smart, friendly, useful business technologies that just about any company can adopt and afford. Plus, it will make your workday more efficient. Salesforce.com can guide your Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Zendesk can handle customer support tickets. Google Apps can provide company-branded emails and shared calendars. And Hyrell can help with one of the most inefficient areas any business faces - hiring.

The inefficiencies built into many hiring processes can be overwhelming:

- maintaining job descriptions,
- posting to various sources
- updating your company’s career page
- reading resumes
- calling applicants
- scheduling interviews
- re-scheduling interviews
- pre-hire assessments
- and on and on and on.

There has to be a better method to deal with your hiring needs, right? Fortunately, there is.

The Hyrell Online Hiring System provides a single platform that helps your company post all of your jobs to national internet job boards, and evaluate, track and process all incoming applicants. Our applicant tracking tools and overall recruiting management won’t make everything in your company more efficient but it will make your hiring activities more streamlined, effective and productive.

Use smart technology – be efficient.

One of the largest, and most well known, sources of job applicants is craigslist. Unfortunately, in addition to providing plenty of applicants, it can also provide plenty of time-wasting emails. However, there is a better way to make craigslist work for you.

The most basic form of a craigslist job posting workflow is simple. A company posts its job opening on craigslist. Applicants see the job and either reply to a real email address (i.e. jobs@yourcompanyname) or an anonymous email address that craigslist will provide. This process helps generate applicant flow, but there is often far too many unqualified applicants flooding your inbox because it only takes a few seconds to hit ‘reply’ and upload a resume.

The problem with this method is that it still puts the burden on you to read through each email, figure out if that applicant is qualified and communicate with that applicant through the hiring process. Even if you are extremely efficient at weeding through resumes, this process is inefficient at best.

There is a better way though – use the Hyrell Online Hiring System. First, post your job in the correct geography and job category. However, instead of having applicants apply to an email address, you direct applicants to your recruiting management system, powered by Hyrell. Our system is configured so that each job opening within your company has a unique URL. That means you can direct applicants to a specific job posting, with specific qualifying questions (instead of sending them to one generic application or having the applicants simply attach a resume). Now, our system will do the work for you – it scores and organizes all of your incoming applicants allowing you to focus on the best-fit applicants, not the time-wasting resumes and emails.

By focusing on the best-fit applicants, you can then use the powerful applicant tracking features of the tool to both communicate with the applicant and track every action of the hiring process. If utilized correctly, your company should get more qualified applicants and you’ll spend less time on the hiring process.

In our experience, craigslist isn’t perfect for all job types in all locations. However, except for a few major metropolitan areas, it is free to post your job openings - so make it work for you! If you are looking to leverage the applicant flow of craigslist but want a more efficient system to handle your entire company’s hiring needs and workflow, Hyrell is here to help.

Lots of applicants apply to your job openings. Unfortunately, if you don’t have a recruiting management system in place, every applicant probably doesn’t always receive a final decision or status update in a timely manner (if at all). These unanswered applicants fall into the dreaded black hole of hiring.

Most companies want to update every job applicant as he or she moves through the hiring process (selected/not selected, status updates, etc.). Unfortunately, few companies are able to close the loop with all applicants, all of the time.

Why? It can take up too much of your valuable workday. Calls. Emails. Voicemails. On top of that, statistically, the final update can’t be favorable for the vast majority of applicants. And the list keeps growing! Not many people enjoy giving an applicant the message, “Unfortunately we are going in a different direction…”

If an applicant was willing to spend the time applying to a job, he or she probably expects some sort of update or final decision. This is even more probable in today’s social, open world.

Luckily, if you don’t have time to update each applicant, we’ve created a simple, effective and personal method to update each applicant through every step of the hiring process, often with only two clicks. The Hyrell Online Hiring System applicant tracking system (ATS) can automatically log every action, with every applicant, for you.

You can update an applicant one at a time, or in batches. Good news or bad news, it closes the loop with each applicant. Even if they don’t get the job, the odds have been increased that the applicant will respect your organization for having the courtesy to provide an update. It’s good business and good karma.

No more telephone tag. No more copy and paste emails. No more snail mail or postcards. No more overwhelming stacks of unanswered applicants.

Let the Hyrell Online Hiring System give you your time back. Update your applicants easily and efficiently and eliminate the black hole!

The November 2011 edition of Inc. Magazine had an interesting article for anyone involved in the hiring process: How to Make Hiring Less Frantic. You can read the full article here. The title is self-explanatory and it provides a few helpful tips, including:

- Always evaluate and engage your applicant pipeline
- Publish your jobs where applicants can find them in today’s searching world
- Tweak each job listing to better attract skilled candidates
- Act swiftly on hiring decisions when then best talent presents itself

Inc. is correct in its guidance and in addition to its list, you should also consider leveraging technology to make the entire process more systematic, organized and efficient. The Software as a Service (SaaS) model now allows for companies of all sizes to utilize an online hiring system.

A forward-looking, well-designed online hiring center can allow you to easily follow the above recommendations and make your hiring practices less frantic. A quality, light-weight applicant tracking system (ATS) will also allow your company to actively engage with its applicants, track ongoing communications, and develop a relationship with each quality candidate.

When a business uses a new technology it should accomplish several goals – and there aren’t many more important than getting the right people working on your team. If it does so effectively, and makes hiring less frantic, even better!

The primary goal of posting a job on the internet is having qualified applicants find the job and apply to it. But how can you put your company’s job postings in the best position to be seen by prized applicants?

One solution is simple – use job-seeker-friendly job titles and job descriptions.

Successful content on the internet (and your job postings certainly qualify as content) is largely driven by search results. If job seekers can’t find your openings in search results, how can they apply to it?

Utilizing job titles and job descriptions that match what applicants are actually searching for could significantly increase the probability of star applicants finding your openings.

But if common sense or this blog entry isn’t enough persuasion, you can check out what Indeed.com (the largest job board aggregator in the world, so it has plenty of data to rely on) had to say about the topic a few months ago here.

With respect to job titles, Indeed.com has four simple recommendations:
(1) avoid using internal titles;
(2) refrain from using abbreviations or acronyms;
(3) describe the actual work being performed; and
(4) mention the level of the position in the title (Entry Level, Senior, etc.).

With respect to job descriptions, Indeed.com recommends keeping them concise but descriptive, include keywords, describe the duties the applicant will be performing (so the applicants can match their skills sets versus your expectations), and cite specific requirements if your company has them in terms of education, experience, certifications, etc.

If you have any questions about what keywords and phrases work best, you can always run a quick search on Google or Indeed.com to see what phrases generate the best results.

If you are still stuck, put yourself in the shoes of an applicant – what terms would you search for?

Your next key hire could be one search away. Are you maximizing the odds that person will find your opening?