In a time where every decision and every action has the potential to significantly impact your bottom line, it’s imperative that you gather important data and make decisions to improve based on that data.
Recruiters today are facing a wide range of situations. For those who work with clients in essential industries, their days may be flying by, and there simply isn’t enough time to dot every i or cross every t. Others may be looking for ways to streamline and focus their time and energy on the most likely actions to convert, finding excellent candidates and filling reqs.
And many recruiters are still working remotely while others are working in a hybrid situation and others are just returning to the office in a “new normal.” Yet, they’re all trying to onboard candidates remotely in a completely different workday than they knew pre-pandemic.
How can we help give them guidelines and lanes to keep them on track and keep your staffing firm moving forward? Guidelines and lanes can help keep them on track regardless of their work situation, with clear goals that lead directly to ROI for your staffing firm, while simultaneously improving recruiter performance, recruiter satisfaction and candidate/contractor satisfaction.
Here are some of the core metrics that can help you do just that:
Pre-COVID, our clients were getting the best results using texts as a primary method of communication with candidates and contractors. We’re all on our phones throughout the day. We check and respond to texts faster than any other communication method (how often do you check voicemails, especially if they’re not from your mom?!). And most importantly for recruiters, we respond quickly to texts.
Ideally, depending on the information being shared/questions being asked, where the candidate is in the process and other factors will determine whether a specific candidate or text message warrants a hands-on, manual text. In many instances, though, automation can handle a bulk of those text messages. They can handle the heavy lifting for texts at critical times like:
> Interview instructions. A few months ago, this would have said “directions to the interview,” but it’s safe to say that most instructions will be coming with a Zoom link for the foreseeable future.
> Check-in post-interview. Asking how things went after an interview (before you talk to the client) can be super helpful.
> First day check-in. Talent is overwhelmed right now, and starting your first day during a pandemic is pretty stressful, to say the least.
> Mid-assignment check-in. Ensuring everything is going smoothly increases the likelihood a contractor completes the assignment, and keeps you top of mind for redeployment.
> Hot jobs. This is a great way to keep your network in the loop for any openings. Be sure to include links so that candidates can easily apply from their phones.
> Just checking in. There’s a lot to be said for simply checking in to make sure your candidates are healthy and okay. It’s a nice thing to do, and it can also increase redeployment or “wake up” dormant candidates in your database.
Automation can handle all of these types of texts. You’ll want to jump in with manual texts, though, for follow-up to any responses. In a typical day, your recruiters should either be manually, or through automation, sending between 20 and 30 texts (with automation, though, it’s definitely possible to send more!).
Sending texts is important, but it’s not going to help you much if your candidates aren’t reading and responding to them. Texting for texting’s sake won’t get you very far. Starting with the key areas noted above is a good way to encourage a strong response rate. After all, candidates need this information to start their jobs!
If your response rate isn’t where it needs to be (around 50% for “mission critical” texts, and between 30-50% otherwise), keep this advice in mind:
> Ask for a response. This is the simplest way to improve your response rate. Depending on the content, your candidates may not realize you want a response! A tag at the end of your messages with something simple like, “Shoot me a quick 👍 to let me know you got this okay” or “Sound good? Any questions?” can help improve your response rate.
> Send content that matters. It can be tempting to text ad nauseum, but keep your messages to things that matter to your talent. The important information above 👆 is a good starting point. Messages of encouragement, checking in to see how candidates are doing, asking for updated contact info (which can help turn dormant candidates into active ones) and potentially sharing links or resources that can be beneficial may all help to improve your response rate. Relevant, engaging content is almost always welcomed!
And the more your candidates respond and engage, the less likely they are to ghost, they’ll feel more engaged and are more likely to stay on the job. It’s a win all around.
Okay, we’re in some uncharted territory here, so some text/communication opt outs as the world continues to change and pivot aren’t necessarily something to incite panic. But if you see a jump after certain automated texts go out, or if your opt out rate climbs significantly, it could be a sign that your content is off point.
Scroll back up and check on the list of suggested texts and tips to ensure your texts are on point, relevant and engaging for talent. That’s a good place to start.
Now more than ever, a solid retention rate is critical for your staffing firm. Maintaining 75 to 85% of your talent and ensuring their ready to go on-assignment is essential in an increasingly flexible world. Stay on top of this rate every 30 days so that you can pivot and make changes as necessary to stop the bleeding.
The automated check-ins mentioned above are essential here. Daily or weekly updates keep your candidates engaged and in the loop. We’ve seen many clients significantly increase their retention and redeployment rates by implementing this one change alone.
Talent wants and needs to hear from you now more than ever. Give them what they need while also maximizing your recruiter performance with our candidate engagement platform. Sense works seamlessly with your ATS, integrating quickly with your current recruiting tech setup to help you start seeing quick results.
We’ll walk you through our platform and show you exactly how Sense can work in your staffing firm. Give us a shout to set up a time, and let us know if you have any questions. We’re here to help!
