The US alone is home to over 12,500 staffing firms, many of which are vying for the same market share. In the case of large companies (which typically have the budget to hire a recruitment firm), the sales process is lengthy. Business is often awarded to multiple firms across different teams and areas of the company.
However, landing new clients is only half the battle. You also need to have the right strategies, processes, and technology in place to effectively deliver quality services and achieve a successful outcome for your clients to keep their business year after year. Here’s a checklist of items that every agency should have to stay competitive and thrive in 2023:
1. Process Automation
50% of work can be automated in today's corporate landscape, but only 37% of HR functions are commonly automated. To remain competitive, recruitment agencies need to embrace automation and implement it in their workflow to streamline the recruiting process. Automation helps with:
- Quickly scanning resumes for keywords
- Automatically scheduling interviews
- Creating reports and analytics from data collected through the applicant tracking system (ATS)
Staffing firms might not be able to automate client and candidate outreach, but they can automate just about everything else. Invoicing, onboarding, sales quoting, and data entry are just a few of the tasks that can be automated to save time and resources. Here are a few tools you can use to make your recruitment agency more efficient and automated:
- CPQ Software: Configure, price, quote software helps salespeople create accurate, detailed quotes quickly and easily.
- CRM Software: Customer relationship management (CRM) software helps recruiters stay organized by tracking client contact information, job positions, and sales opportunities in one place.
- ATS Software: Applicant tracking systems help streamline the recruiting process by allowing you to track candidates and manage the hiring pipeline with ease. Some CRM systems come with an ATS built-in (e.g., Bullhorn) or easily customizable (e.g., Salesforce).
- Billing Software: Automated invoicing and billing software can help streamline the invoice process, send notifications to clients and vendors, and manage incoming payments.
- Payroll Software: If you work with temp or contract workers on your clients' behalf, payroll software helps you easily pay employees and manage their time off requests.
2. Data-Driven Recruiting
Data is everything in recruiting, as it provides insights into a candidate's experience and qualifications. For recruitment agencies to stay competitive, they need to invest in technology that enables advanced analytics capabilities.
Data-Driven recruiting enablement is the use of analytics and data to derive insights on candidates, their experience, and qualifications. Recruiters can use the data collected by their ATS to gain insights into a candidate's skills, experience, and qualifications. This allows them to more accurately match the right candidate with the right position.
Data-driven recruiting also helps agencies better understand trends in the market, such as what roles are most in demand and where there is a lack of qualified talent. This information can be used to drive targeted recruitment campaigns and help agencies stay ahead of the competition.
3. Mobile Recruiting Strategy
Today, job seekers expect a mobile-friendly experience when they search for jobs online. It’s estimated that almost 70% of job searches are conducted on mobile devices, so it’s essential for recruitment agencies to have a mobile-friendly website and job search experience.
Mobile recruiting includes optimizing your website for mobile devices, using mobile-friendly job boards, creating text messages and emails that are optimized for mobile, as well as leveraging geolocation to target local talent. It also requires an understanding of how different generations use their smartphones to search and apply for jobs.
4. Accessible Talent Pools
Recruitment agencies need to have access to a deep pool of talent. This includes both active and passive candidates, as well as those who are currently employed but may be open to new opportunities. The best recruitment agencies have a diverse network of contacts that span multiple industries and job functions.
Recruitment agencies should also leverage digital tools like social media, email marketing, and white-label job board software to reach the right candidates. These tools can also help agencies build relationships with passive candidates and engage them in meaningful conversations about potential opportunities.
5. Increased Focus on Candidate Experience
Top talent is always in high demand, and to get the best candidates you need to provide a great candidate experience. Several elements comprise the candidate experience:
- The online application process should be simple yet comprehensive.
- Initial job postings should be concise, clear and inviting
- The interview process should provide candidates with the necessary information to understand the job’s expectations and company culture.
- The interview process should move candidates along quickly without too many steps (three at most).
- Candidates should receive feedback throughout the recruiting process so they are aware of their progress and have an idea of where they stand.
- Recruitment agencies should ensure they respond to candidates in a timely manner and keep them updated on the status of their applications. Ghosting candidates can hurt your employer brand, and agencies should strive to provide a positive candidate experience from start to finish.
The key takeaway is that recruitment agencies need to invest in the right technologies and services, while also making sure they’re providing an exceptional candidate experience. With these elements in place, recruitment agencies will be well-positioned for success in 20
6. Online Presence and Visibility
An increasingly essential component of any recruitment strategy is a company's employer brand. A company's employer brand is how it presents itself as a workplace to both potential and current employees. It includes elements such as the company’s mission, values, culture, benefits, and more.
An effective employer brand communicates both the value that the company offers to its employees, as well as the unique features and benefits that make it an attractive employer. Having a strong online presence helps recruitment agencies stay visible to both passive and active candidates, so they can identify and recruit top talent.
Agencies should invest in traditional digital marketing outlets like SEO optimization, content marketing, social media campaigns, targeted email marketing, and PR tactics that will help them build and maintain an attractive employer brand.
Endnote
These are just a few of the factors that recruitment agencies need to consider if they want to be successful in 2023. Ultimately, recruitment agencies need to be data-driven, have access to a deep pool of talent, focus on candidate experience, and maintain an online presence. With these elements in place, they’ll be well-positioned for success.