Introduction
If you’re reading this article, it’s most likely because you, like many companies, are looking for a constant flow of candidates.
Whether you’re a company whose core business is placing talent, or one that constantly needs to develop its teams or sales, you need to set up a real recruitment machine. Ensuring a constant flow and pool of candidates is no easy task.
This requires solid knowledge of recruitment methods on the one hand, and advanced expertise in automation systems on the other.
In this context, the aim of this article is to share with you our method at Stepward and provide you with tips for building your own Recruitment Machine.
What is a Candidate Flow or Recruitment Machine?
In the world of recruitment, a flow of candidates is what ensures a constant talent pool. In other words, if you’re used to recruiting, say, developers, you need to implement actions that will have a lasting impact over time, not one-off hits.
For example, using an external recruitment agency can be seen as a short-term action, as you won’t have access to their pool of candidates. The agency may offer you one or two candidates, but they’ve probably talked to a dozen.
A candidate pool isn’t just a database where you store the CVs of candidates who have applied for one of your job offers or whom you’ve already met. It’s much more than that!
Having a constant flow of candidates requires what we at Stepward call “Candidate Nurturing”. You should therefore consider candidates as potential “customers”, and send them regular updates on your company, competitive analyses, and so on. The aim here is to keep your company in their minds and make them enjoy reading your e-mails, which will help reinforce your credibility in their eyes.
The idea behind a Recruitment Machine is to adopt a scientific approach, capable of quantifying your candidate generation. For example, if you need sales people on a regular basis, you know that you’ll need to meet between three and five candidates a week to be ready when the need arises.
The Recruitment Machine is inspired by the Sales Machine. The idea is the same, but here we’re not prospecting potential customers, but potential future employees. The mechanisms are much the same. For a flow to be interesting and meaningful, it must be “constant”.
Last but not least, a constant flow of candidates enables you to manage your recruitment efficiently and maintain relationships with former candidates. Ultimately, the choice of regularity rather than intensity is essential.
Prefer a steady flow of candidates to a one-off deluge.
How to Create a Self-Fed Candidate Pool?
To create a self-sustaining pool of candidates, three key elements are required:
- Permanent rather than “oneshot” candidate generation levers
- Automations to structure your candidate pool
- Automated message sequences
At Stepward, we have identified several sustainable candidate generation levers that can help you feed your talent pool regularly and effectively:
a) Outbound recruitment campaigns: These campaigns, based on automated sourcing, enable you to regulate the number of candidates contacted and feed your talent pool on a regular basis.
b) Jobboards: These online platforms are an excellent source of potential candidates. They enable candidates to search for jobs and employers to post their vacancies.
c) Employer brand: Your company’s reputation in the job market is another important lever for attracting and retaining talent.
Once these levers are in place, the next step is to structure your ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to make sure you don’t lose all that work.
At Stepward, we chose to create a pre-ATS with Airtable, which offers great flexibility and can be customized to meet our specific needs.
Finally, once your ATS is structured, the last step is to set up automated message sequences. This will enable you to keep in touch with your potential candidates, inform them of upcoming opportunities and keep them engaged.
Why is a constant flow or pool of candidates important?
For many companies, human resources needs are regular and cyclical. In this case, it is essential to set up a Recruitment Machine to :
- Speed up recruitment: If you have a constant flow of candidates, you can start the recruitment process as soon as you have a vacancy, without having to wait for applications to arrive. This will save you time and help you fill jobs more quickly.
- Anticipate needs: If you know you’ll need to recruit in the future, having a pool of candidates will give you a head start and enable you to plan ahead.
- Improve the quality of candidates recruited: A constant flow of candidates gives you the opportunity to meet a greater number of candidates, thus increasing your chances of finding the ideal candidate.
Even for companies that don’t have regular needs, a constant flow of candidates is just as important. Lack of time is a major challenge for HR, and a Recruitment Machine can help manage this efficiently.
Advantages of the Recruitment Machine
There’s no denying that the Recruitment Machine offers a number of advantages for a company. Whatever the size of your organization or your sector of activity, this recruitment machine can bring significant value to your recruitment process. Here are some of the main benefits you can expect from installing a Recruitment Machine:
Time-saving and efficient
With a Recruitment Machine, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you have a job to fill. Instead, you already have a system in place that works continuously to attract and retain top talent. This saves you valuable time and effort, which you can devote to other important aspects of your business.
Improving the quality of candidates
A Recruitment Machine gives you access to a constant stream of candidates, which means you have a wider choice when looking to fill a position. This can help you improve the quality of the candidates you recruit, because you can afford to be more selective and choose only the best.
Possibility of anticipation
With a Recruitment Machine, you can anticipate your recruitment needs. For example, if you know you’ll need to recruit developers in six months’ time, you can start attracting and retaining candidates now. This allows you to stay one step ahead and not be caught unprepared when the need arises.
Strengthening your employer brand
A Recruitment Machine can also strengthen your employer brand. By implementing an effective recruitment system and maintaining a constant flow of candidates, you show that you are a company that takes recruitment seriously and is committed to attracting and retaining the best talent.
Conclusion
In conclusion, whether your recruitment needs are regular or one-off, setting up a Recruitment Machine can be of great benefit to your company.
Not only does it enable you to speed up the recruitment process and anticipate needs, it also improves the quality of the candidates you recruit. Nevertheless, putting all this in place is not necessarily easy, and it’s often worthwhile coupling this method with a recruitment agency.
At Stepward, we’ve made it a priority to create a constant flow of candidates. If you have any questions or need help setting up your own Recruitment Machine, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
We’d be delighted to help you transform your recruitment process and ensure a constant flow of qualified candidates.
FAQ
- What is a Recruitment Machine?
It’s a structured, automated recruitment system designed to ensure a constant flow of qualified candidates. - How can I create a self-sustaining pool of candidates?
To do this, you can use several candidate generation levers, such as outbound recruitment campaigns, job boards and corporate branding. It’s also important to structure your ATS and set up automated message sequences to maintain contact with candidates.
- What are the advantages of a constant flow of candidates?
A constant flow of candidates can help you speed up recruitment, anticipate needs and improve the quality of candidates recruited. - What are candidate generation levers?
These are the ways in which you can attract candidates to your company. These levers can include outbound recruitment campaigns, job boards and corporate branding. - Why should I consider using a Recruitment Machine in my company?
The Recruitment Machine can help you manage your recruitment efficiently, maintain a constant flow of applicants and improve the quality of the candidates you recruit.
