Being a recruiter is no mean feat! It’s all too easy to lose track of time, what you’re meant to be doing, or where you’re meant to be. If you’re serious about staying on top of your work day, you need a quality database that provides you with tangible benefits – after all, you’re paying for it!
A well configured recruitment database can change the way you work for the better; indexing your clients for ease of reference, automating candidate data entry through your website, and making all your data easily accessible through search. As long as you take the time to set it up correctly it’ll have you working smarter in no time.
1 - Keep on top of tasks
You’re never going to remember all of your tasks and information, no matter how good your memory is. You can ditch the tatty notebooks filled with endless to do-lists and use your database instead for all of the following:
- Track your business development calls
- Follow up with new candidates and potential clients
- Schedule clash-free meetings and interviews with ease
And that’s just the start! A good recruitment database takes everything you need to do that day, and makes it both easier and faster to complete. Meaning you can prioritise your tasks accordingly, and with those extra few minutes saved, I’m sure you’ll manage to squeeze in some extra business development calls...or another cuppa, whatever floats your boat.
2- Get direct applications
By linking your website directly to your database you can smooth out the application process, and make it easier for passive candidates to put themselves on your radar. Take the time to configure your database so interested parties can add themselves to your database through an ad on your website. You cut out so much of that boring admin we hate doing, while also growing your candidate pool! Making sure all of your direct applications are stored centrally within your database also gives you visibility of all the available candidates for a job, rather than those you’ve got in front of you. Meaning there’s no way you can miss out on that star candidate who’s sure to make you an instant fee because they’re buried in your colleague’s inbox.
3 - Money making hotlists
Once candidates are in your database, you want to make sure they don’t just sit there. Create hotlists of your instant money makers for yourself that you can refer to at any time. If you have the functionality, configure your database to automatically update a hotlist whenever a candidate is added to the system who matches the criteria. Not only will that mean you’re always aware of the best talent available, it’s also a great sales tool to promote whenever you make a BD call because you can promise your clients a quick match for their requirements every time.
4 - Instant matching on jobs
When you land a new job, don’t start throwing money at the job boards straight away. You’ll likely attract the same candidates you’ve already got on your database...what a waste of money. You’re bound to have some great candidates who were in the running for previous jobs, or who mentioned an interest in similar roles previously who are still looking for a new job. With a quick Boolean search, your database will help you to find them and get in touch direct! The worst they can say is they’re not interested this time around...but it didn’t cost you anything to find that out, and if they are, you’ve saved money!
5 - Effortless shortlisting
After you’ve identified potential matches from your current database, creating your shortlists is so much easier. No need for spreadsheets with endless tables or tabs anymore, your database will do the grunt work for you and have shortlists available at the press of a button (if you set it up right!)
6 - Easy searching
One of the greatest benefits of a database is how you can pop in a few keywords and get all the results at once that relate to it. Yes, you can press control + F to find a particular word within your spreadsheets, but personally I find it a bit annoying having to click through until I find the record I’m looking for. Looking for a CV in your inbox proves even more difficult, as your keywords are spread throughout a huge number of different ‘files’. Set up your database to parse all this information, index it for quick search and you'll have a much less painful experience for all involved. Not to mention a more effective workflow in the office.
A database will help you get more from your working day; matching candidates with jobs faster, offering quick and easy job search options, and opening up your management team to a whole world of useful tools. You’ll be more organised, better prepared, and - with all the time you’re saving - you might be able to take your lunch away from your desk for once!
Images: Rawich, Ondrej Supitar, Luis Llerena
