11 Tips to Manage Your Candidate Database
You get a lot of job applicants and you see potential in them. The challenge is that you don’t have job openings yet. You will need these candidates in the near future! So, are you just going to let go of these talented professionals? Maybe, maybe not. It all depends if you know where and how to keep their data effectively. The HR role has evolved along with the digital age. Proper investment and education on the right technology will let the HR function reach the peak of its success, as stated in Entrepreneur. Each type of HR transaction has become paperless. This is advantageous in keeping candidates that will fill an important role in your company. To help you with efficient HR planning, this article will discuss 11 useful tips for managing your candidate database.
11 Tips to Manage Your Candidate Database
Before you spend on an expert to create an automated system for your database, let us make sure your investments won’t be put to waste. Maintain outstanding HR KPIs by familiarizing the database management checklist below.
Plan Ahead
To have a manageable candidate database, organize a plan. Formulate questions that will make any project successful. What do you want to achieve out of it? How do you achieve it? When do you want this project completed? Who will help you complete a manageable candidate database? Once you’ve already performed an evaluation of objectives, it becomes easier for you to put the project to work.
Integrate into One Database
There are a number of sources where the candidates’ data are stored and updated. Data from career pages, social media, job boards—these can be united into one database. Saving these in one place on your computer makes a more convenient reference for your candidate database.
Use Applicant Tracking System
With the convenient job applications the internet brings, you will inevitably get resumes from unqualified applicants. However, ATS can smartly identify qualified resumes by detecting their top skills, past jobs, and previous companies. ATS can easily suggest candidates who match your standards. Instead of manually arranging the resumes systematically in folders or spreadsheets, use an applicant tracking system to automatically sort resumes onto your computer database. According to Software Advice, businesses from a variety of sizes whether small, mid-sized, or large can purchase an ATS. The ATS that will be given by your provider will depend on the size of your business.
Use Third-Party Tools
By using third-party tools, you’ll make the best version of your candidate database. Invest in various software that supports automated emails, scheduling, in-app messaging, job ads updates, candidate surveys and feedback for your database. The candidate surveys and feedback software will not only smoothen your communication with the candidates throughout the process. These reports will also give you proper insights about your applicants for better employee productivity and employee management in the future.
Use Advanced Search Filters
Advanced search filters will give you specific options for the attributes you search for in a candidate. You get to choose the age, location, gender, and field of expertise. With these search options, you get specific results, avoid unwanted ones, save time and effort, and become more organized.
Create Data Segmentation
To identify what skills, experiences, or credentials you need, put categories and sections for each. You can also use tags to ease the process of finding a particular qualification. Focus especially on the skills. The goal of a candidate database is to easily find the right professional for a company role. When skills are visible or easily searchable, it will also be more convenient for you to shortlist your candidates.
Avoid Duplication
Some system glitches are inevitable—these are not limited to your candidate’s database. Constant duplications can take place, cluttering your database in the process. To avoid such happenings, add a component to your database that automatically detects outdated and duplicated information of the candidates.
Set Limitations on Who Gets Into Your Database When Needed
Your database automatically receives tons of applicants’ data from multiple sources. Overpopulation of applicants on your database isn’t healthy. Add controls on who you want to let into the system. You might only want to keep interviewed and referred candidates.
Clean Your Current Database Whenever Necessary
Some irrelevant content may slow the process and worse—corrupt the system. Hire someone to do a periodic decluttering of your database to prevent it from happening.
Keep Your Database Engaged
Send your candidates automated texts or emails through your third-party messaging tool occasionally. Communicate with even your inactive previous candidates. Build a rapport with them so that in time you’ll need their expertise, it will be easier for you to make them a part of your organization.
Make Your Database Accessible to Your Recruiting Team
Last but not the least, orient your team about the proper usage of your database. Let them collaborate with each other for better recruitment productivity. The Association for Talent Development stated that there are software systems specially developed for HR recruitment collaboration. Two of these are Comeet and Recruiterbox. Comeet is an instrument for recruiters, hiring executives, peers, and even the management to work with each other. Recruiterbox, on the other hand, focuses on the collaboration between the HR officers and existing employees, where employees have a say about the candidates to hire. Either way, investing in one of these schemes will also develop trust and teamwork in your company.
Your candidates’ data and information can be stored through a spreadsheet or just a piece of paper. But these can get easily distorted or lost, and searching for the right candidates can really get costly. The advanced and innovative systems specially designed for human resources such as applicant tracking systems and third-party tools will make it easier for you to track and pick the right candidates for your job openings. This software will also offer better security for your files. With the tips enumerated above, you’ll save time, money, and effort. Plus—you’ll get the best results and end up with a productive workforce.
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