Speed and efficiency are critical in talent acquisition – especially when you’re under pressure to fill open roles in a tight labor market. Talent teams everywhere are looking for new ways to streamline processes, eliminate barriers, and optimize the end-to-end candidate experience.
Fortunately, new advancements in automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are changing the face of TA technology. Whether you need to save time with your sourcing efforts, improve the application and screening process, or get more top candidates across the finish line, there’s an AI-powered solution that can help. And with recruiting budgets on the rise – a trend that’s expected to continue over the next 6-12 months – there’s never been a better time to invest in automated TA solutions.
At first glance, it might seem like automated tools would dehumanize talent acquisition – or even jeopardize your job security. But in fact it’s quite the opposite! Strategic use of automation and AI can create a more positive candidate experience while eliminating manual administrative tasks – so talent pros can focus on delivering the specialized, personal interactions that candidates expect.
Here are a few ideas to help you understand how automation can help move more of your top candidates from “applicant” to “employee.”
1. Make interview scheduling a breeze
Interviews are a critical part of the hiring process but scheduling them can be a hassle – not to mention a drag on time-to-hire. While you’re trying to coordinate schedules with hiring managers and leaving phone messages for busy candidates, the best talent may already be meeting with your competition.
The 2021 Job Seeker Nation Report found that scheduling difficulties are among the top contributors to a negative candidate experience – so automated scheduling tools like Jobvite’s Smart Self-Scheduling can be a game-changer for talent teams. Simply text candidates a set of proposed times that match the interviewer’s availability and then automatically schedule the interview based on the candidate’s response. Scheduling changes or unexpected cancellations can be communicated instantly so neither side is left hanging.
In addition to boasting a 98% read rate, text messages are simply a more convenient way to communicate for both candidates and recruiters. And our research shows that 69% of candidates prefer to schedule interviews via text rather than email or phone calls.
2. Nurture candidates with textbots and chatbots
In a competitive job market, keeping candidates engaged throughout the hiring process can be a challenge. Once you’ve identified a “short list” of top candidates, for a given role, effective and personal communication can help to keep your brand top-of-mind.
With Jobvite’s Intelligent Messaging solution, you can engage with candidates throughout the hiring process via textbot or web-based chatbot. These automated messaging tools can be used to share information and links, answer common questions, provide help on your career site, and even pre-screen high-volume applicants to ensure only the most qualified candidates advance to the interview stage.
Job seekers tell us that great communication from a potential employer is the top factor in a positive candidate experience, and 26% of candidates now expect to see chat functionality on employer sites. Yet less than 11% of Fortune 500 companies are currently leveraging chatbots – so embracing this technology can help your company to deliver the right experience and stand out from the competition.
3. Don’t forget the importance of onboarding
The hiring process doesn’t end with a signed offer letter, or even the first day on the job. Effective onboarding is critical to making new employees feel welcome, helping them acclimate to their new role, and setting them up for success. In fact, new hires are far more likely to stick with a company long-term if they have a great onboarding experience.
Onboarding is just one more possible application for automated text-based communications. Jobvite’s ATS includes a native onboarding system that makes the process easy, efficient, and fun! As soon as the offer is accepted, our centralized onboarding portal automatically assigns tasks, sends forms, sets deadlines, and tracks progress to smoothly transition every new hire into a productive employee.
To help you give new employees a great introduction to your company, we also created this comprehensive onboarding checklist.
Let Jobvite help
Whatever challenges you’re facing, the right tools and technology can help you streamline workflows, increase efficiency, and improve the candidate experience. To learn more about all of Jobvite’s automation capabilities, download our new ebook, How to Improve Recruiter Efficiency with Automation.
You can also visit jobvite.com and schedule a demo to see our automated solutions in action!
