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      4 Ways to Use Today’s Global Mobility Trends to Recruit Top Talent 

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      Are you searching far and wide for new talent? Is that search feeling farther and farther afield? There is roughly a one in four chance (27%) that your company is struggling to find qualified employees locally or feels that the Great Resignation significantly impacted relocations in 2022. This comes despite relocation volumes and budgets increasing by 7% from 2021 to 2022 and is expected to increase in 2023 for 58% of companies of various sizes across industries.
      As pressures from the pandemic continue to ease, employees considering relocations also have evolving needs. Below are a few ways organizations can keep up with them:
      Continuously review benefits.
      When was the last time your organization conducted an in-depth review of its benefits? If it was a year ago or more, it is time to review them again. Simply put, organizations must continuously review their job offerings and relocation benefits to ensure they remain competitive and attractive in a dramatically changing environment.
      According to Gartner, just 32% of workers feel that they are being paid fairly due to inflation and recession concerns. Further, Jobvite shares that 52% of American workers across industries believe they could simply make more money by switching jobs. If the grass looks greener everywhere an employee looks, your organization must be equally appealing. Important questions to ask during your benefits review include:

      Does your organization’s compensation meet cost-of-living demands where you are located?
      How do relocation benefits impact general workplace benefits?
      What are our competitors in the region touting?
      Do you have a trusted House-hold Goods Moving provider that can support you and your potential new hire with the relocation process itself?

      Prioritize balance.
      There is far more an employee must consider today when weighing a relocation opportunity than in the past. Develop workplace management policies that take remote work, work/life balance, voluntary relocation, and flexibility into consideration. While many employers want to see their employees back in the office, in January 2023, almost 30% of all work happened at home. This is six times greater than the remote work rate in 2019. How and where we work has changed.
      How does your organization accommodate working from home, and what does that mean for relocating talent? You must have an answer to this question because even if an employee is willing to relocate, it does not necessarily mean they only want to work in the office. What flexibility options are you offering to entice in-office work with the desire to relocate your employee to your headquarters’ hometown?
      Consider family.
      For many families in the U.S., remaining close to home is both practical and personal. Data from the Pew Research Center shows that about three in 10 U.S. citizens live within an hour’s drive of some or all extended family. More adults today are also living in multigenerational households than ever before. One in five adults now lives with parents or grandparents – a rate that has quadrupled since 1971.
      This closeness to family is a preference and value for social and economic benefits, as family members are often available to help working parents, especially in sharing home labor such as childcare. Ensuring your organization’s relocation policies include resources to support the relocation of spouses, children, and residences is vital for prospective employees considering moving away from extended family.
      Offer guidance.
      Moving to a new city or state can be intimidating. New residents want to know where the best schools are located, where the best restaurants are, and what the best commute to take is. These are just a few of the barriers holding back prospective residents without someone on the ground to guide them.
      Workplaces that offer robust resources or partners to help guide employees through the relocation process can help. This can be a go-to individual who can share insider information on the most popular suburbs and best nightlife – complete with parking tips – or it can be through lump sums or flexible policies that allow employees to spend time seeking these answers on their own. Allowing time to tour houses while also paying for temporary housing can make a difference in an employee’s willingness to relocate and their happiness once they do.
      The war for talent is in full swing. When many companies are touting remote-first work policies, enticing new employees to physically relocate to a new city, state, or country can be difficult. Of all the stressors related to starting a new job or relocating to a new area, moving there should be the easiest part.
      Mary Beth Johnson is Vice President of Business Development for Atlas Van Lines. 
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      in Employer

      How to Manage Inbound Applications & Rethink Talent Sourcing Analytics: Tips for Recruiters

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      Experiencing an overwhelming volume of inbound applications? In a new episode of Talk Talent to Me, LTK’s Global Head of Talent and People Analytics Shally Steckerl shares the importance of balancing application friction and how to optimize the applications coming in (especially when it’s become so easy to apply). 

      With Shally’s insights, let’s explore how to think about talent sourcing analytics in a new way and manage a flood of applications. 

      Handling too many inbound applications

      Shally has noticed a recent increase in candidate volume on LinkedIn. Reflecting on this, he says:

      “It’s more people clicking on jobs. But compared to the per capita click per job per person, it’s gone down. It used to be that a hundred people would be looking for jobs and fifty of them would be clicking on jobs a day. Now, it’s ten thousand people looking for jobs, [and] more like a thousand people clicking them. 

      There’s more indiscriminate clicking. We get the same person applying for dozens of jobs and [LinkedIn’s] Easy Apply doesn’t seem to really be a good idea anymore because we have too many applicants too quickly.” 

      Tools like this enable low-intent candidates and result in a “fire hose of candidates,” which usually means fewer fits for a role but more work for the recruiter. Seeing how much time and money this wastes, Shally encourages talent professionals to shift to a big-picture view. 

      Related: Connect with a curated pool of highly qualified tech candidates on Hired.

      Evaluate your hiring tools

      Shally points out teams may be spending a lot of money on a tool “where only a quarter of one percent of the people is getting hired.” Can you relate?

      Related: How to Secure Approval for New Tech Tools (Free Template)

      “There are other tools where I’m spending less and getting more hires per capita. I need to think about that and try to improve the conversion of quality from LinkedIn by essentially decreasing the volume.

      All the different aspects of recruiting start to come under the microscope and into question. Are they a good return on investment? As a recruiter, you want all the money to spend on all the tools because you don’t know what’s going to work. But when it’s your budget, you really start to look at what you’re spending your money on in a different way.”

      Related: Get Internal Approval for Recruiting Tools: A Step-by-Step Playbook

      4 Ways to better balance the hiring process

      Over the last few years, there’s been a lot of talk about how important it is to reduce friction in the application process. That might include:

      Removing the cover letter 

      Not asking applicants for information already on their resume

      Making the job application process mobile-friendly

      But then the floodgates open.

      Shally believes there needs to be a balance when it comes to reducing friction. “You want to reduce friction so you’re not making it inordinately awkward and difficult to apply. [At the same time,] you don’t want to reduce friction to the point where people can indiscriminately apply.”

      So what can you do to achieve a balance? He suggests the following strategies.

      1. Advertise jobs more selectively

      “You could use, for example, programmatic advertising. This would spend your advertising dollars on destinations producing the outcome you want. Rather than looking for the outcome to be an indiscriminate number of applications, now we need to measure the source based on the percentage of interviews it generates.

      Let’s say Source A has a hundred applicants but produced five interviews. Source B has ten applicants but also produced five interviews. Source B is producing higher quality per capita so I need to look at that.”

      2. Prioritize outcomes over activity

      “Activity refers to clicks and applies, which are really not relevant anymore. The outcome would be an interview or other results downstream. At the very least, you should be looking at which ones are making it to the interview because that’s a good indicator.” 

      More on this later… 

      3. Improve job description readability

      A few tips to keep in mind:

      Make job descriptions more gender-neutral. 

      Make job descriptions interesting and appealing. 

      Structure the order of information and how much information is present. 

      Make job descriptions shorter (without removing the interesting parts).

      Keep your company brand, mission, and vision apparent without excess text and long lists of bullet points.

      Shally says you might say, “‘If you’re interested in this kind of job, you landed in the right place.’ or ‘This is the kind of job for people like this. If this is you or you are someone who does this, then this is the job.’ 

      Then you have a little bit about what’s exciting about a job, the requirements to qualify the candidates, and the nice parts. Somebody will read that and know they’re in the right place and check those boxes. All the details need to be succinctly visible on the page.” 

      You’ll also have people looking at the job and realizing it’s not a fit for them. They might actually opt out after looking at the minimum qualifications or because they don’t align with the mission. This provides an effective filter to reach the right people. 

      4. Enhance employer brand

      It’s also possible you have a high volume of applicants because people are just looking at the job and have no idea what your company does. Address this by creating an employer branding campaign to make more people aware of what your company does. 

      “That way, they don’t have to determine that from the job posting itself. Candidates instead focus on reading the job requirements to see if they’re a fit.”

      Related: 8 Ways to Hire Faster & Build a Better Employer Brand

      Rethink your hiring metrics

      In this episode, Shally emphasizes a focus on the quality of a hire over the activity numbers game. When evaluating the best sources, he likes to compare which source led to the most amount of interviews. 

      So, why the interview? Why not go further back or ahead? 

      Once you get a candidate and a hiring manager to agree to meet with each other (whether they actually do or not), consider it a win. This is still a positive indicator of quality according to Shally. Where things tend to no longer depend on a recruiter’s ability to attract people is beyond the interview. 

      “Before the interview, we can’t measure quality because all we know is they applied – unless you want to look at every resume.

      Anything beyond the interview is out of the control of the recruiter because the hiring manager is the one conducting the interviews to determine the actual hiring of a candidate.” 

      Let’s consider the end of the funnel – the number of job offers. Here, you’re “looking at the quality of the entire process. That’s not just the source of the applicants. It’s the source of the interview experience, compensation, employment brand, hiring manager competencies as an interviewer, background check, and market conditions. These things don’t need to be tied to that source.

      You would be crediting a source for an offer when, in reality, there’s more to the offer than the source. However, there’s not much more to the interview than the source.” 

      Level up your talent sourcing  

      Want more insight into reaching high-quality candidates in a flood of applicants? Download this eBook to uncover 8 ways to prevent and/or handle an overwhelming amount of inbound applications.

      If your team needs some temporary or long-term help sourcing candidates for tech or sales roles, Hired can help! As an extension of your team, Hired Sourcers shortlist, screen, and manage communications to keep the process moving. Learn more about Hired Technical Sourcing services.

      Want more insights just for recruiters?

      Tune into Hired’s podcast, Talk Talent to Me, to learn about the strategies, techniques, and trends shaping recruitment and talent acquisition—straight from top experts themselves. More

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      in Employer

      AI in Talent Acquisition, Talent Sourcing Analytics, & More: Talk Talent to Me May ’23 Recap

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      Catch up on the May 2023 episodes of Hired’s Talk Talent to Me podcast featuring recruiting and talent acquisition leadership who share strategies, techniques, and trends shaping the recruitment industry. 

      AI in talent acquisition with Justin Ghio, Director of Talent Sourcing at Activision Blizzard

      Talent sourcing and people analytics with Shally Steckerl, Global Head of Talent Sourcing and People Analytics at LTK 

      Hiring and building a successful team with Erica Maureen Carder, Head of Talent Lifecycle at Wellthy

      1. Justin Ghio, Director of Talent Sourcing at Activision Blizzard

      AI is taking every industry by storm and tech recruiting is no exception. Justin encourages talent professionals to view AI in recruitment as a tool to enhance productivity and hiring processes. He explains everything he knows about AI in the talent sphere, why it is misunderstood, and how to make it work for you. Read this blog to dive deeper into the episode.

      “AI can’t do everything from start to finish for me. What it can do is give me 10 options to look at faster than I can think through one option.”

      Listen to the full episode.

      2. Shally Steckerl, Global Head of Talent Sourcing and People Analytics at LTK 

      Shally shares why we need to find talent-sourcing tools other than LinkedIn, the importance of balancing application friction, and how to optimize the applications coming in (especially when it’s free to apply). He tells us why he considers the interview set-up to be the first marker of recruitment success – and why recruitment success should not only be based on the number of hires.

      “You want to reduce friction so that you’re not making it inordinately awkward and difficult to apply but you also don’t want to reduce friction to a point where people can indiscriminately apply. There’s that fine balance.”

      Listen to the full episode.

      3. Erica Maureen Carder, Head of Talent Lifecycle at Wellthy

      For Erica, finding the right kind of employees – ones prone to growth and seeking out challenges – is fundamental to success. She talks about why this individual attitude is the number one thing she looks for in prospective hires. She also shares what makes for capable employees and why there are no perfect candidates out there.

      “If you have employees that are stagnant, guess what? They are not going to be engaged.”

      Listen to the full episode.

      Want more insights into recruiting tips and trends?

      Tune into Hired’s podcast, Talk Talent to Me, to learn about the strategies, techniques, and trends shaping the recruitment industry—straight from top experts themselves. More

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      in Employer

      How to Use AI in Recruitment: Insights from Activision Blizzard’s Talent Sourcing Director

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      Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is taking every industry by storm and tech recruiting is no exception. In a new episode of Hired’s Talk Talent to Me podcast, Activision Blizzard Director of Talent Sourcing Justin Ghio encourages talent professionals to view AI as a tool to enhance productivity and hiring processes. 

      Any recruiter or TA professional knows how precious time is… and how time-consuming the talent search can be. AI helps free up recruiters and TA teams to focus on what they do best: relationship-building and delivering exceptional candidate experiences.

      With Justin’s insights, let’s explore how AI empowers recruiters and TA professionals.

      AI meets Talent Acquisition & Human Resources

      While AI can feel overwhelming and even a bit scary in such people-centered roles, Justin assures talent professionals it’s not something to fear. 

      He says, “I feel the perception is ‘It’s going to take my job. It’s going to replace everything I’m doing.’ But currently, it’s more about how you can make it work for yourself and understanding its limitation. I think that’s something we’ve realized: it can’t do everything from start to finish for me.”

      Justin encourages TA professionals to focus on “how to use it to speed up processes and ideation without replacing what we do best.”

      Reflecting on AI in HR tech, Justin explains it’s being “sold as something so much broader and bigger in our industry versus the incremental steps. AI is never going to close a candidate… or talk to an international candidate about types of credit cards to open while they’re abroad to build credit in the US. Those are human conversations. Those are things we still have to broker. We use the technology to get us to those conversations, but not impede them.”

      So, how exactly can AI help you? 

      Justin shares a few ways AI supports talent activities: 

      Enhance candidate sourcing

      Uplevel candidate communications

      Let’s review some examples of how talent professionals and AI might join forces. 

      1. Enhance candidate sourcing with AI

      Justin finds the underlying AI’s natural language processing technology to be quite useful. Gone are the days of having to write developer and programmer and engineer. AI knows those are the same. 

      Simply write “software developer” and anyone with the title “programmer” or “engineer” will surface too. “You’re saving time that scales out infinitely across your user base and second to second for recruiters.” 

      Related: Hired Releases 2023 State of Software Engineers Report

      The same goes for sending a message, then clicking “Contact Attempt One.” You probably don’t need to do both of those actions so rely on a machine that knows If the user sends an email, it moves the candidate to “Contact Attempt One” If they reply, it moves it to “Bonded.” Ditch the notepad and tally list on your desk. Justin encourages you to “lean on the AI to manage a lot of that minutia.”

      Activision leans largely on AI for skill adjacency to target mid and entry-level candidates. “We’re able to see a match score based on someone’s skill rating. AI is looking at peers of individuals at organizations and based on skills they have, helps me understand the questions I need to ask. 

      AI will verify the individual has a particular skill or that we need to confirm it because someone who worked there has this skill, but they don’t have it on their resume. The days of someone forgetting something on their resume will hopefully be forgotten as we move and the technology matures.”

      While Justin believes Boolean search will still be a differentiating skill set, he does think: 

      “Those who don’t use AI technology to speed up the iteration process will be left behind. I think the people who will continue to be the best Boolean searchers are the ones who can use AI to get 60-80% of the way there. 

      Add the special sauce

      Then, they put their special sauce on top and allow it to become uniquely their version of that boolean. This will continue to allow people to be great at those sub-skills in the world of sourcing.”

      And by “special sauce,” Justin is referring to the human touch. 

      After all, he says “Nobody’s excited about being the best phone screen scheduler. People are excited about being really memorable on the phone. They’re excited about being really punctual with getting things on the books with candidates and having meaningful conversations where candidates feel like they’re being respected, heard, and being given opportunities in the organization.”

      2. Uplevel candidate communications 

      Those human moments are what make working in recruiting or talent acquisition special.  “At Activision, we look at how to leverage technology to help us do more of what we’re best at…You’re better at a lot more dynamic parts. You work with candidates very well.” 

      Related: Find your next opportunity in TA with Hired’s Tech Recruitment Collective

      When it comes to making the case for this technology internally, Justin says the key is “understanding where that point of finality is – where that stopping point of what the technology is or isn’t.”

      You want to capture how to leverage it to a certain point. “Our philosophy isn’t to use it to send all emails. It’s used to write ten rough copies. Then, take two or three of them and customize them.” Use AI to deliver something in five minutes which typically takes an hour.

      When evaluating AI tools, how can talent professionals ensure they are being fair and equitable to candidates?

      Justin advises you to consider these three questions: 

      How does this work? 

      Why does it work this way? 

      What happens if I want to change it?

      It’s essential to grasp the underpinnings and leverage them in a use case applicable to your environment. “There should be an underlying human element. Being able to author rules over top of the machine is really what I would have people ask vendors about,” Justin says.

      Embrace collaborative intelligence

      Justin views AI as “an invaluable tool to help us accelerate the ideation already happening in TA.” Recognize that AI is not a replacement for human expertise but a powerful tool to augment and accelerate recruitment processes. Think of AI as your strategic ally. It works best in collaboration with human expertise. 

      Unlock its potential to drive efficiency, increase productivity, and attract top talent quickly. With the right approach, it can revolutionize recruitment while preserving the invaluable human touch that defines successful hiring. 

      Start plugging in those prompts and questions keeping in mind you now “have a jumping-off point. It’s really for that starting block, not the ending.” 

      Interested in unlocking the power of AI in recruitment?

      Learn to use game-changing sourcing and recruiting practices with AI. Join the Talk Talent to Me workshop on Wednesday, May 24 at 6 pm PT at the Minna Gallery in SoMa. Top talent leaders in San Francisco will explore what AI means for the talent world and how you can use it to create powerful candidate experiences. More

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      in Talent Acquisition

      The 6 Best ATS’s for Recruiting Firms in 2023

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      In today’s competitive job market, it’s crucial for recruiting and staffing agencies to have the best tools and resources available to stay ahead of the game. That’s where the Best ATS platforms for Recruiting and Staffing come in. 
      Some standout solutions in this category include Bullhorn and Manatal. From candidate sourcing and tracking to collaboration and reporting, these platforms have everything agencies need to succeed. 
      But with so many options on the market, it’s essential to consider factors such as pricing, ease of use, and customer support before making a decision. Let’s explore the top six ATS (Applicant tracking software) platforms for recruiting agencies and staffing firms and see what sets them apart.
      The Best ATS for Recruiting Agencies
      1. Bullhorn
      With over 10,000 customers worldwide, Bullhorn is an acclaimed ATS in the staffing industry. The cloud-based platform offers both ATS and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) features to help recruiters manage their end-to-end staffing process.
      If you’re a recruiting agency that needs a scalable solution to manage its staffing needs, Bullhorn is your friend. The ATS can handle high-volume recruiting, complex workflows, multiple locations, and diverse client requirements. 
      Bullhorn dashboard
      It also comes equipped with AI-powered resume parsing and job matching to save time and improve candidate sourcing and screening processes.
      One of the unique differentiators of Bullhorn is its relationship intelligence features like pulse and radar that help recruiters monitor interactions with candidates and clients to identify engagement opportunities.
      Additionally, Bullhorn provides advanced reporting and analytics to dig deeper into recruitment metrics, identify trends and optimize recruitment strategies.
      Some of the key workflows of Bullhorn include:

      Candidate submission: Recruiters can submit candidates to jobs internally or externally, review their resumes, track their status, and communicate with them via email or text.
      Interview: Bullhorn lets you schedule interviews with candidates and clients, sync them with your calendars, send reminders and feedback requests, and update your status.
      Placement: It allows you to create placements for candidates who accept job offers, associate them with relevant information (including job details, pay rates, and start dates), and generate contracts and invoices

      Pros: 

      Bullhorn integrates with various third-party tools, including major vendor management systems, social media platforms, and email providers, to provide a seamless workflow and data synchronization. Some prominent names include Gmail, Outlook, LinkedIn, Herefish, TextUs, and more. 
      Bullhorn has more features than other ATS software, including job order management, candidate search, activity tracking, reporting, lead tracking, pipeline management, and relationship intelligence.
      Bullhorn’s bulk email-sending function allows you to communicate with multiple candidates or clients simultaneously.

      Cons: 

      Bullhorn does not have a free version or transparent pricing. Plus, the basic plan doesn’t include LinkedIn integration or unlimited data storage.
      Some users report that Bullhorn’s interface is not very intuitive or user-friendly.

      2. Manatal
      Manatal is a cloud-based ATS that helps HR teams and recruiting firms manage their entire recruitment process – from sourcing and candidate management to placement and onboarding.
      Manatal also stands out from other ATS solutions in a few key ways. 
      For starters, it offers candidate enrichment that lets you build detailed candidate profiles using data from LinkedIn and 20+ social platforms. This feature gives a holistic view of a candidate’s background and experience, allowing you to find a suitable match for a job opening.
      Candidate Enrichment
      Another unique feature is AI recommendations. You can reach top talent in your database with search tools, filters, and candidate scoring. 
      Recruitment CRM is another standout feature. This lets you keep track of commercial activity, clients, placements, and revenue all in one place. This is particularly useful for staffing and recruiting firms that need to manage a high volume of client relationships and placements.
      Recruitment CRM: Track pipeline in one place
      Manatal also offers a branded career page that helps you create a customizable career page or integrate an existing one. This can be a great way to showcase your brand and attract top talent to your organization.
      Some of its key workflows include: 

      Candidate sourcing: Manatal helps you source candidates from multiple channels, including job boards, career pages, LinkedIn, referral programs, and even manually. You can also enrich candidate profiles with social media data and AI insights. 
      Applicant tracking: It lets you track job applicants through different stages of the recruitment process using pipelines and activities. You can also collaborate with hiring managers and invite them to review candidates and provide feedback.
      Candidate matching: Mantal’s AI engine finds suitable candidates for your vacancies based on their skills, experience, and education, among other criteria. You can also use search tools and filters to narrow your candidate pool.

      Overall, Mantal is for HR teams, recruitment agencies, and headhunters looking to source and manage candidates quickly. It’s especially suitable for those who want to leverage AI and social media data to find the best fit for their vacancies. 
      That said, Mantal may not work for those who prefer a more traditional or manual approach to recruitment or need more customization or integration options.
      Pros: 

      Manatal has lower prices than many other ATS tools. You also get a 15-day free trial to try the features beforehand. 
      Manatal is easy to use and has Kanban-style, drag-and-drop pipelines for candidate management. 
      It also saves time and improves hiring quality with its AI-based suggestions tool. 

      Cons: 

      Manatal doesn’t let you add multiple locations for a single job position on the career page.
      They need to offer more customization options for the career page and email templates. 
      Lack of integrations with some popular tools like Zoom and Slack.

      Pricing: 
      Manatal offers three pricing plans: Professional, Enterprise, and Custom:

      The Professional plan costs $15 per user per month, allowing up to 15 jobs per account and up to 10,000 candidates. It also includes unlimited hiring managers.
      The Enterprise plan costs $35 per user per month and allows unlimited jobs, candidates, and hiring managers. It also includes custom features and integrations upon request.
      The Custom plan is on demand and requires contacting the sales team for a quote. It includes everything in the Enterprise plan plus custom features and integrations tailored to your needs.

      3. Recruit CRM
      Recruit CRM is a cloud-based recruitment software that combines ATS functions with a customer relationship management (CRM) system. It works as an all-in-one solution for managing and automating the recruiting process. 
      One of its most notable features is its simple and easy-to-use interface, making navigating and setting up a breeze. This can be a massive plus for recruiters with limited technical expertise.

      Recruit CRM interface
      Recruit CRM also has a visual pipeline that shows the status of each candidate, making it easy to track their progress through the recruitment process. Additionally, the platform offers a self-service portal that lets candidates update their profiles, reducing administrative work for recruiters.
      Another unique feature is its sourcing tool, which allows you to source candidates directly from LinkedIn. This can save recruiters time and effort when trying to find the perfect candidates for a job opening.
      Some of its primary workflows include: 

      Candidate interaction: It helps you communicate with candidates using email templates, bulk emails, email tracking, SMS integration, and a candidate portal.

      Managing clients: The CRM feature allows you to create and track opportunities, submit candidates, get feedback, and generate invoices.

      Posting jobs to multiple job boards: It has a single interface that lets you buy and post ads to premium job boards or automatically post jobs for free.

      Pros: 

      Recruit CRM’s modern and easy-to-use interface requires minimal training and setup.
      The visual pipeline gives a quick overview of candidates’ status, such as applied, assigned, shortlisted, or offered.
      It provides native integration with Zapier that helps connect with 5000+ business apps.

      Cons: 

      The lack of a calendar view for scheduling interviews or tasks. 
      The limited character limit for notes on candidate records may not be sufficient for recruiters. 
      Users have reported difficulties in training and solidifying processes with RecruitCRM due to constant updates and changes since it’s still in an early stage of development.

      Pricing: 
      Recruit CRM has three pricing plans: Pro, Business, and Enterprise.

      Pro plan ($85 per user per month): It allows unlimited jobs per account and up to 10,000 candidates, contacts, and companies. 

      The Business plan ($125 per user per month): It allows up to 20,000 candidates, contacts, and companies. It also includes everything in the Pro plan + resume/CV formatting, 100 custom fields, and API access.

      The Enterprise plan ($165 per user per month): It allows unlimited candidates, contacts, and companies. It also includes everything in the Business plan + a custom SLA, custom branding, dedicated servers, and a dedicated account manager.

      You can also start a free trial of Recruit CRM with no credit card required. The free trial provides access to all features with 50 candidates, 50 contacts and companies, and four open jobs.
      4. Loxo
      Loxo is an all-in-one talent intelligence platform that combines ATS, CRM, outbound recruitment, data, and sourcing tools. Consolidating these functions into a single platform helps simplify workflows, reduce costs, and improve performance.
      Loxo’s sourcing tool is worth noting. It provides access to a 1.2 billion professional and social profiles database from multiple data sources, including public profiles and the open web. And if you’re worried about the accuracy of contact information, Loxo’s got you covered with verified email, phone, and social profiles for over 800 million contacts.
      Candidate sourcing
      Loxo also offers an outbound recruiting tool that lets you create and automate multichannel sequences to engage candidates via email, SMS, and phone calls. This can be a great way to build a strong talent pipeline and reduce your reliance on job boards and other passive recruitment methods.
      That’s not all – Loxo also leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to learn hiring preferences, suggest potential candidates, and automate tasks. This can help you save time and focus on the most important parts of your job.
       Here’s a quick overview of Loxo’s key workflows:

      Sourcing candidates from 1.2 billion profiles using a sourcing tool that automatically adds them to the database and enriches their profiles with social media data.
      Managing candidates using an ATS that shows the status of each candidate using a visual pipeline.
      Managing clients using a CRM that allows you to create and track opportunities, submit candidates, get feedback, and generate revenue.

      Pros: 

      Loxo combines ATS, CRM, outbound recruitment, data, and sourcing tools into one AI-powered talent intelligence platform.
      It offers access to a large database of professional and social profiles, verified contact information, and AI-recommended candidates.
      It allows you to automate outbound recruiting with multichannel sequences and built-in email, SMS, and calling features.

      Cons: 

      Some users mentioned difficulty in importing data from other sources or exporting data to other formats. 
      There’s a need for more training and documentation on how to use the software effectively.
      It’s priced higher than many other ATS platforms on the market. 

      Pricing: 
      Loxo offers three plans; their pricing will depend on your plan and add-ons. 
      The free plan offers the basic ATS and CRM features for free forever but includes no add-ons. The add-ons are optional features that can be purchased per seat, per month, such as Loxo Connect, Loxo Source, Loxo AI, Loxo Outreach, Talent Insights, SMS & Calling.
      The professional plan costs $299 per seat per month and includes all the add-ons as well as customized workflows, a dedicated onboarding specialist, and priority customer support. 
      The enterprise plan has custom pricing and includes all the features of the professional plan as well as AI internal mobility sourcing, e-signature integration, SSO, SOC 2 Type II reporting, audit logs, and deployment options.
      5. ZohoRecruit
      ZohoRecruit is another talent acquisition software that offers an ATS and a CRM in a single recruitment platform. It helps staffing agencies and internal HR teams source, attract, engage, and hire quality candidates for any role.
      To source candidates, you’ll get access to a database of professional and social profiles, along with verified contact information and AI-recommended candidates. 
      ZohoRecruit also offers a visual interface to help you track and manage the entire recruitment process – from sourcing to hiring. It consists of different stages, such as Screening, Assessment, Interview, Offer, and Hired, and each stage has appropriate candidate status.
      Hiring pipeline 
      You can also customize your hiring pipeline by adding or removing stages, color-coding them, and mapping candidate statuses to them. 
      Here’s an overview of the key features of ZohoRecruit: 

      Source & Attract: It allows you to post jobs on 75+ job boards with a single click and share those listings on social media platforms. You can also access an extensive database of professional and social profiles, verified contact information, and AI-recommended candidates.
      Track & Engage: Recruiters can track where their candidates are at every hiring stage and optimize their recruitment process with advanced analytics. They can also communicate with candidates via email, SMS, and phone.
      Automate & Hire: You can use custom automation tools to push candidates through every stage in the hiring process. You can also create a customized career site to attract more applicants. 

      It also lets you customize your career sites with SEO-friendly keywords, subdomain mapping, localization, and mobile optimization. And finally, it integrates with over 50 other tools, including Zoho CRM, Slack, Zoho Sign, Zoho Analytics, Outlook, and LinkedIn.
      Pros: 

      Affordable pricing plans, making it accessible for small and medium-sized businesses.
      Integration with other Zoho products, such as CRM and HR management, for a seamless hiring and onboarding experience. 
      Easy-to-use interface and intuitive navigation, reducing the learning curve for new users. 
      Good customer support, with helpful documentation and responsive customer service agents. 

      Cons: 

      Some users have reported occasional glitches and slow performance, particularly when working with large amounts of data.
      Some users have reported difficulty integrating third-party tools and plugins, which can reduce the platform’s flexibility.
      Reporting and analytics features are less advanced than other ATS platforms, making tracking and analyzing recruitment metrics harder.

      Pricing: 
      Like Loxo, ZohoRecruit’s pricing also depends on the plan and different add-ons. 
      The free plan offers the basic ATS and CRM features for free forever but includes no add-ons. 
      The add-ons are optional and can be purchased per seat, per month, including Zoho Workerly, Zia Voice, Candidate Anonymization, Assessment Module, SMS & Calling.
      The Standard plan costs $25 per seat per month and includes all the free features + resume parsing, email templates, interview scheduling, and reports. 
      The Professional plan costs $50 per seat per month and includes all the standard features + career site management, social media integration, and advanced analytics. 
      The Enterprise plan costs $75 per seat per month and includes all the professional features + modules, custom functions, and webhooks. 
      The Ultimate plan has custom pricing and includes all the enterprise features + a dedicated database cluster and premium support.
      6. Gem
      Gem is a talent engagement platform that leverages data and automation to help you engage talent more deeply, build diverse, high-quality pipelines, and hire predictably at any scale. 
      Gem integrates with various applicant tracking systems (ATS) to streamline the recruiting process and provide a single source for all talent relationships.
      For starters, it offers full-funnel insights into the recruitment process. This means recruiters can see the entire process, from sourcing to hiring, and use this information to optimize their outreach strategies and measure performance.

      Pipeline analysis 
      Another feature worth noting is its ability to automate personalized email campaigns and follow-ups. This will help you save time while ensuring you stay in touch with candidates. Additionally, the platform syncs all email activity with the ATS and LinkedIn, making it easier to track communications.
      Some of its key workflows include: 

      Sourcing candidates from LinkedIn or other sources and uploading them to Gem and the ATS through a single click. 
      Creating email sequences and templates and sending personalized outreach campaigns to candidates. 
      Tracking email opens, clicks, replies, bounces, unsubscribes, etc., and syncing them with the ATS and LinkedIn.
      Scheduling interviews with candidates and sending calendar invites and reminders.
      Moving candidates through stages in the ATS based on their responses or actions

      Gem is particularly beneficial for teams looking to build diverse pipelines and make predictable hires at scale. However, it may not be suitable for recruiting teams without access to an ATS or those who do not have a clear hiring strategy or goals.
      Pros: 

      The platform supports diversity and inclusion initiatives by helping recruiters source underrepresented talent, track diversity metrics, and mitigate bias.
      It facilitates collaboration between hiring managers and other stakeholders on candidate profiles, feedback, notes, ratings, etc.
      Offers a modern and user-friendly interface, making it easy for recruiters to navigate and use the platform.

      Cons: 

      Gem doesn’t disclose its pricing on its website but offers a free demo and a free trial for interested customers. 
      It’s not an ATS itself – you’ll need to integrate it with your pre-existing ATS to sync data and context.

      Benefits of Using ATS for Recruiting Agencies  
      Here are some of the benefits that an ATS can offer:
      Faster Hiring Process
      It’s a given that automated systems help reduce the time recruiters take to make hiring decisions. They allow candidates to apply via their website or mobile applications while they are away from their desks. 
      The application process is quick and simple, eliminating human errors during data entry or selection. This also helps recruiters save time and quickly get the right person on board.
      Streamlined Recruitment Process
      ATS automates many manual tasks, including posting job ads, screening resumes, scheduling interviews, and sending follow-up emails. 
      This frees up time for recruiters to focus on more human-centric tasks like candidate engagement, employer branding, and stakeholder collaboration.
      Data-driven decision making
      ATS platforms provide recruiters with valuable insights into their recruitment metrics like time-to-fill, source of hire, and cost-per-hire. This helps them optimize recruitment strategies, measure performance, and make data-driven decisions.
      Easier Management 
      An automated system allows you to track your candidate’s progress at all times, making it easier to manage them throughout the recruitment cycle. From assessment through onboarding and beyond into career development programs or even promotion opportunities when available within your organization’s structure, ATS platforms help you keep track of everything. 
      Manage Large Volumes of Applicants
      One of the best things about an ATS is its ability to handle large volumes of applications and resumes. 
      If you receive hundreds of applications per week, it would be impossible for your team members to go through each manually, especially when they have other responsibilities on their plates. Using an ATS allows you to keep track of all those applications so that you can identify candidates who meet your criteria and contact them if they are chosen for a position. 
      Key Features That Your ATS Platform Should Have 
      Here are some key features you should look for in an ATS platform:

      Ease-of-use: The platform should be easy to use and navigate through. You don’t want to waste time trying to find something that is not there. Your ATS should also be user-friendly, meaning it must come with a great user experience (UX).

      Integration options: Integration is key when choosing an ATS platform because they allow you to connect with other systems you already use — including HR software solutions, CRM, and applicant tracking solutions. It also helps you keep all the data related to hiring candidates in one place.

      Job posting: Job posting is one of the most common activities in recruitment. Naturally, your ATS should allow you to post jobs on job boards, social media, and other platforms like LinkedIn. Many ATS platforms even help you post multiple jobs simultaneously and also allow you to create automatic notifications when someone applies for a particular job. This saves you time as you don’t have to manually review each application received or respond to each candidate individually.

      Application tracking: You’ll need a system that can keep track of each applicant’s information throughout the entire process – from initial application through follow-up emails after interviews or preliminary job offers. That way, if someone doesn’t get hired but is a good fit for another position in the future, you can easily add them back into the database.

      Interview organization: Your ATS should assist you in scheduling and interviewing candidates. You should be able to send calendar invites and reminders and create interview kits that include candidate resumes, questions, feedback forms, etc. 

      Collaboration: The ATS you pick should let you collaborate and keep everyone in the loop on hiring decisions. It should also help you share candidate profiles, notes, ratings, feedback, etc. 

      Questions to Ask Vendors on Demos 
      When evaluating an ATS platform for your recruiting agency, it’s important to ask vendors the right questions to get a suitable fit for your organization. Here are some questions to consider:

      Ask the vendor about the candidate pipeline process. This question will give you an understanding of how the system handles each stage of the hiring process and if it aligns with your agency’s workflow.

      How does your ATS integrate with other recruiting tools and services? Make sure your new ATS will integrate seamlessly with whatever systems you already have in place, like payroll or HRIS systems.

      What type of tasks does it automate? Automation can help you save time by automating tasks such as candidate follow-ups, interview scheduling, and resume screening. Ask vendors about the extent of their automation capabilities.

      What’s the difference between our current applicant tracking system and yours? This will help you understand what exactly you’re getting when you pay for this new software and why it’s worth upgrading. 

      How does the ATS handle diversity and inclusion? Many companies are prioritizing diversity and inclusion in their hiring processes, so don’t forget to ask vendors how their system can support your agency’s efforts in this area.

      Can you customize the ATS to fit our agency’s specific needs? Every recruiting agency has different workflows and processes, so check whether you can customize the ATS to meet your agency’s needs.

      What kind of reporting and analytics does the ATS provide? Reporting and analytics can help you track the performance of your recruiting efforts and make data-driven decisions. Ask vendors about the types of reports and analytics their system provides.

      What kind of support and training do you offer? Knowing what kind of support and training vendors offer is important. Ask whether they provide support for onboarding, training videos, and ongoing support. This can significantly affect how quickly your agency can get up and running on the new system.

      How much data can it hold? This will greatly impact how many applicants you can track and manage through the system. If you need to store resumes, cover letters, interview notes, and other data, ensure your vendor has enough storage space.

      Common FAQs
      What is an ATS?
      An ATS platform is a software application that helps recruiting agencies manage their entire recruitment process, from sourcing to hiring. It automates and streamlines tasks like job posting, resume screening, candidate communication, interview scheduling, and reporting.
      Why do I need an ATS platform?
      You need an ATS platform because it will save you time and money in the long run. You’ll have a more efficient way of finding the right candidate for your job openings so that you can reduce the amount of time spent on recruiting efforts. This means more time for other important things like training new hires or managing existing employees.
      What are the key features I should look for in an ATS platform?
      The key features to look for in an ATS platform for recruiting agencies include job posting and distribution, candidate database management, interview scheduling, and collaboration. Some additional features include reporting & analytics and integrations with other recruiting and HR tools.
      How much does an ATS platform cost?
      The cost of an ATS platform varies depending on the size of your recruiting agency, the number of recruiters using the platform, and the features and functionality you require. Some platforms charge per user or job posting, while others offer monthly or annual subscription fees.
      How secure is my data on the ATS platform?
      Most ATS platforms offer data encryption, regular backups, and access controls to ensure the security of your data. It is important to ask vendors about their security measures and certifications to protect your data.
      Pitfalls to Avoid When Buying an ATS for Your Recruiting Agency 
      If you’re looking to buy an ATS for your recruiting agency, there are a few pitfalls you should avoid.

      Focusing too much on features and not enough on usability: While an ATS with robust features can be enticing, if it’s not user-friendly and intuitive, it can be challenging for recruiters to adopt and fully utilize the tool.

      Overlooking integration capabilities: A good ATS should integrate with other key tools in your tech stack, including job boards, HRIS, or CRM. Overlooking this can lead to manual data entry and siloed information.

      Neglecting security features: This includes password protection, encryption, and user access controls. Your ATS should also have a backup system if something goes wrong with the primary server or database.

      Ignoring customer support and training: Without proper training and support, you might end up struggling to use the platform and encounter issues that hinder your productivity.

      Failing to consider scalability: As your recruiting agency grows, your ATS needs to scale with you. Investing in a platform that cannot meet your hiring demands can result in downtime, lost candidates, and missed opportunities.

      Wrapping it Up!
      An ATS platform can significantly streamline and optimize the recruitment process for recruiting agencies. An ATS can also help recruiters source, engage, and hire top talent by automating workflows, enabling better collaboration, and providing data insights.
      Overall, each ATS platform discussed in this conversation has standout features that may make it the best choice for certain recruiting agencies. 
      Zoho Recruit’s hiring pipeline and candidate management system may appeal to agencies seeking a customizable and visual approach. Gem’s automation and collaboration tools may be ideal for agencies seeking to streamline their communication and hiring decisions. Or, Loxo’s comprehensive suite of features may appeal to larger agencies with more complex needs.

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      in Employer

      Investing in Early Talent, Relearning, & More: Talk Talent to Me April ’23 Recap

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      Catch up on the April 2023 episodes of Hired’s Talk Talent to Me podcast featuring recruiting and talent acquisition leadership who share strategies, techniques, and trends shaping the recruitment industry. 

      Putting people first with Kelly Minella, Head of Recruiting at Calendly

      Investing in early talent with Krishna Kumar, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Quintrix 

      Relearning and eliminating biases with Jenny Cotie Kangas, Director of Employer Branding and Awareness at PandoLogic

      Creating a thriving company culture with Maryjo Charbonnier, CHRO at Kyndryl 

      1. Kelly Minella, Head of Recruiting at Calendly

      Put people first. You’ll be more likely to make quality hires and maintain a cohesive work environment, according to Kelly. In this episode, she shares how she knew her CEO cared about prioritizing people and the importance of a talent team having a shared understanding. Plus, Kelly tells how the introduction of interview training has made Calendly better and why you should always be asking for and reviewing candidate feedback.

      “I applied [to Calendly], and my first conversation was with our CEO, Tope Awotona, and it was fabulous. I remember calling my mom afterward and being like, ‘Mom, that was special’. And the reason why, and why it has remained special, is how much priority he puts on people.”

      Listen to the full episode.

      2. Krishna Kumar, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Quintrix 

      Investing in early talent is becoming more popular. Krishna discusses why businesses need to think more about this talent in the long term and how companies can better support their new recruits. He also dives into his game-changing post-deployment framework and why many candidates are falling short of the mark. 

      “Career development, or lack thereof, is the number one reason for people to leave their jobs and explore other opportunities. So, you want to make sure that the candidates are constantly receiving the support, feedback, and career development to be successful.” 

      Listen to the full episode.

      3. Jenny Cotie Kangas, Director of Employer Branding and Awareness at PandoLogic

      Sometimes the best approach to a challenge is to start from scratch. When Jenny lost most of her memories as a result of a head injury, she underwent a process of extreme relearning. Though the experience came with hardships and frustrations, it was hugely beneficial to her professional life. In this inspiring episode, Jenny shares how learning to explain things in their simplest form, eliminating biases and blindspots, and employing reverse engineering strategies leads to true organizational change.

      “When you storytell something in a way that makes sense to a 10-year-old – all of a sudden everybody can understand it. Not just the top 10% or the most experienced in your organization, but everybody can. And when you’re trying to actually make change happen, your goal is to hit everybody, not just the top 10%.”

      Listen to the full episode.

      4. Maryjo Charbonnier, CHRO at Kyndryl 

      Maryjo isn’t afraid of a challenge. In fact, she has sought out difficult problems to be part of a solution. Her passion for change-making led her to be Chief HR Officer at the world’s largest startup with over 90,000 employees and $19 billion in revenue. As an expert on cultural processes, Maryjo explains what it takes to cultivate and maintain a thriving company culture. 

      “One of the most important things HR people do is listen to what isn’t said.” 

      Listen to the full episode. 

      Want more insights into recruiting tips and trends?

      Tune into Hired’s podcast, Talk Talent to Me, to learn about the strategies, techniques, and trends shaping the recruitment industry—straight from top experts themselves. More

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      in Talent Acquisition

      The 6 Best Video Interview Platforms in 2023

      by

      When it comes to hiring in 2023, using the best video interview software is essential. After all, video interviewing is now an integral part of the hiring process, and the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated its adoption. 
      According to a recent survey, 86% of companies now use video interviews to evaluate job candidates. Video interview software is crucial because it enables hiring managers to assess candidates remotely, which is particularly important in today’s world of remote work and social distancing. It also saves time and resources, as it eliminates the need for in-person interviews and can be used to screen top talent quickly.
      As we move further into 2023, it’s clear that video interviewing is here to stay, and with so many platforms available, it can take time to decide which one to choose. 
      In this article, we’ll explore the six best video interviewing tools of 2023 and what makes them stand out from the competition.
      The Best Six Video Interview Platforms
      Here are some of the best video interview platforms to use: 
      1. myInterview

      Founded in 2016 by two friends who wanted to create a more personal and efficient way of assessing job applicants and hiring, myInterview is a one-way video interview platform. You can further meet the shortlisted candidates for a live interview as well. 
      You can either choose from a library of questions or create your own. You can also customize the settings, such as time limit, retries, and branding.
      Here’s how it works:
      myInterview prompts you to fill out a simple form to create your job. 
      After you fill in those details, you can create and send video interview questions to job seekers, who can record and submit their answers online. 
      Next, myInterview will allow you to brand your interview by adding your logo, custom colors, images, or background. 
      Additionally, you can include an introductory video by recording it, linking it via Vimeo, YouTube, or Dropbox, or even uploading a pre-existing video from your computer.

      Finally, you can invite candidates to the job interview and review their videos right inside myInterview’s dashboard.
      Once candidates start sending their videos answering interview questions, recruiters can watch and evaluate the candidates’ videos using artificial intelligence and collaboration tools. 
      For example, the myInterview Intelligence feature uses artificial intelligence to rank candidates based on their video responses. 
      They also offer features like automated shortlisting, curated interview playlists, and bias-free assessment Interviews.
      Shortlisting is also easy, thanks to custom Kanban columns to help you track a candidate’s stage. You can set your workflow to match your company’s hiring stages and customize columns into shortlisted, rejects, approved, etc.

      All these features combined can help recruiters save time and money, screen more candidates, and find the best fit for their company and culture.
      Here’s a quick overview of myInterview’s key features: 

      Invite candidates: Recruiters can invite candidates to take the video interview by sending them a link via email or SMS. Candidates can access the interview on any device with a camera and microphone.
      Review candidates: Recruiters can review candidates’ videos on an intuitive dashboard that shows their scores, rankings, and feedback. They can also share the videos with other team members or clients for collaboration.
      Hire candidates: Recruiters can hire candidates by contacting them directly from the platform or through their ATS or workflow system.

      All in all, myInterview is suitable for recruiters who want to save time and reduce the risk of bias in their hiring process. It’s also suitable for candidates who wish to express themselves beyond their resumes and showcase their personality and fit for the company culture. 
      That said, there may be better options for recruiters who prefer live or face-to-face interviews.
      Pros: 

      Integration with other platforms such as Indeed, Workable, and Zapier. 
      It offers a free plan with ten candidates per month and affordable pricing plans for different needs and sizes of businesses. 
      The dashboard has smart shortlisting options, allowing you to filter, sort, and rank candidates by various criteria. It’s also easy to use, intuitive and customizable with your branding and intro video. 

      Cons: 

      It may not capture the full range of candidates’ skills and abilities, especially for technical or creative roles that require more than verbal communication or problem-solving.
      Limited customization options for branding and user experience. This can be a drawback for companies looking to create a more personalized candidate experience.
      Limited reporting and analytics capabilities can make it difficult for recruiters to track their recruitment campaigns’ success and identify improvement areas.

      Pricing: 
      myInterview offers annual billing options and the pricing depends on the number of candidates per month. The pricing plans are:

      Starter – Free forever with ten candidates per month and one active job.
      Individual – $99/month with unlimited candidates per month and two active jobs.

      Professional – Custom plans with custom candidates per month and custom active jobs.
      2. Willo

      Willo is another asynchronous video interview platform that allows candidates to record their interview answers at a convenient time rather than having to schedule a live video interview. This makes the process more flexible and convenient for both candidates and hiring managers.
      You can add different question types, including video, audio, text-based, and file uploads. You can also assign a specific number of retakes and answer length.
      Another unique feature of Willo is its ability to integrate with other HR tools, such as applicant tracking systems (ATS) and job boards. This allows hiring teams to streamline their recruitment process and manage everything from one place.
      Additionally, recruiters can evaluate and manage candidates in a Kanban-like dashboard and get an overview of their complete hiring process. 
      However, Willo may not be the best fit for companies that require live video interviews or need to assess candidates’ soft skills in real-time. In addition, some candidates may feel uncomfortable with the idea of recording themselves on video, which could limit the pool of potential candidates.
      Some of the key workflows of Willo are:

      Creating an interview: You can create an interview by choosing a title, adding a description, selecting questions from a bank, or creating your own. You can also set the time limit and number of retakes for each question and customize the branding and appearance of the interview.
      Sending an interview: Send an interview link to candidates via email or SMS or embed it on your website or job board. You can also integrate Willo with your ATS platform to automate the sending process.
      Reviewing an interview: Willo lets you watch video responses of candidates whenever you want, rate them on a scale of 1 to 5, and leave feedback notes. You can also filter and sort candidates by rating, status, or date.

      Pros: 

      Willo integrates with over 5,000 enterprise apps and popular ATS platforms.
      It saves time and resources by automating the screening process and allowing candidates to record their answers at their own convenience.
      It provides a great candidate experience and a fair opportunity for everyone to showcase their skills and personality.

      Cons: 

      Willo lacks some features like live video interviews, questionnaires for specific roles, etc., and some of its counterparts have. 
      It may not be suitable for some roles or industries requiring more interaction or assessment.
      Doesn’t have enough customization options for branding, design, or questions. 

      Pricing: 
      Willo offers three pricing plans. Here are the details:

      Starter plan ($75 per month): For up to 50 interviews per month with additional features such as custom branding, advanced analytics, and priority support.
      Growth plan ($300 per month): For up to 250 interviews per month with additional features such as team collaboration, custom domains, and GDPR compliance.
      Scale plan ($850 per month): For up to 1,000 interviews per month with additional features such as a dedicated account manager, API access, and enterprise integrations.

      Willo also offers discounts for non-profits and early-stage startups. You can apply for them on their website.
      3. VidCruiter
      VidCruiter is another video interview platform on this list. However, VidCruiter stands out among many of its contemporaries for its ability to provide both live and pre-recorded video interviews.
      In addition to interviewing candidates, recruiters using VidCruiter gain access to HR-based features, such as structured questions and rating guides, to assist them in their evaluations.
      VidCruiter also offers an SHRM-approved interview guide builder that aids in implementing structured interviews, reducing hiring bias. Additionally, the platform provides a dedicated account manager for each client and offers 24/7 support.
      Some of VidCruiter’s key features include: 

      Pre-screening: Recruiters can filter candidates based on their skills, qualifications, and personality using pre-recorded video interviews or online assessments. 
      Interview Scheduling: VidCruiter helps automate the scheduling process using an online calendar system that syncs with your email and ATS. 
      References: VidCruiter’s automated references system allows recruiters to collect references from candidates by sending out requests and reminders via email or SMS.

      VidCruiter is ideal for organizations and recruiters who want to streamline their hiring process, save time, and reduce costs. It’s especially beneficial for organizations that hire remotely or internationally since it eliminates scheduling conflicts and timezone barriers. 
      However, it may not be suitable for recruiters who prefer traditional face-to-face interviews or those with limited internet access.
      Pros: 

      It offers pre-recorded and live video interviews and other features such as skills testing, automated reference checking, digital signatures, etc.
      It allows you to customize your workflow, branding, questions, rating scales, etc., to suit your specific needs and preferences.
      It integrates with other platforms and tools such as ATS, CRM, calendars, etc.

      Cons:  

      They’re not upfront when it comes to their pricing and billing options. You’ll have to contact their sales team for a custom quote. 
      While VidCruiter offers a wide range of features, some users reported that the platform could be complex and difficult to navigate. This can make it challenging for new users to get started quickly.

      4. HireVue
      Initially founded in 2004, HireVue is a video interviewing platform allowing recruiters to conduct live and on-demand interviews. Some of its standout features include over 1,000 job-specific interview guides, real-time evaluation tools, automated candidate routing, and enterprise security. 
      Another distinctive feature is its built-in tools for evaluating coding proficiency and critical soft skills. HireVue’s technical assessment software employs video, AI, and coding challenges validated by a team of organizational psychologists to help you evaluate technical talent.

      Other key features include: 

      Game Assessment: HireVue offers game-based assessments backed by neuroscience and data science that help you select the most suitable candidates. The games measure cognitive abilities, emotional intelligence, and personality traits relevant to the role.
      AI Technology: HireVue uses AI technology to analyze candidates’ video interviews and game assessments and provide insights and recommendations on their skills, fit, and potential. Recruiters can also customize the AI to meet their specific needs.
      Text Recruiting: Recruiters can communicate with candidates via text messages or WhatsApp and engage them with conversational AI. They can also use text recruiting to invite candidates to interviews or assessments, send reminders and confirmations, answer questions, and provide feedback.
      Virtual Hiring Events: HireVue allows recruiters to host virtual hiring events to attract, screen, and hire candidates in one day. Recruiters can use HireVue’s platform to create branded landing pages, promote the event, schedule interviews, and track metrics.

      Pros: 

      It provides customizable rating guides to evaluate candidates based on specific job requirements and company culture.
      With the ability to pre-record and review interviews, HireVue helps you save time in the hiring process and quickly move through a large pool of candidates.
      HireVue’s structured interview feature allows you to create consistent questions for all candidates, ensuring fairness.

      Cons: 

      HireVue’s pricing is higher than other video interview platforms, which may make it less accessible for small businesses or organizations with limited budgets.
      Some users have reported that HireVue’s pre-built templates can be limiting and lack customization options.
      Like any software, HireVue isn’t immune to technical glitches and bugs. Some online reviews talk about experiencing video and audio quality issues.

      Pricing: 
      HireVue offers two pricing plans, including: 

      Corporate Pricing (Starts at $35,000): For companies with 2500-5000 employees. 
      Enterprise (Custom plans): For companies with over 5000 employees. 

      5. Spark Hire
      Spark Hire is a video interviewing platform that lets you accept one-way interviews, open one-way interviews, and live interviews. The one-way video interview is one of its standout features, which allows candidates to record video answers to interview questions at their convenience.
      It also allows recruiters and hiring managers to screen candidates more efficiently, connect with them remotely, and foster collaboration with team members.
      Spark Hire also has several unique features that differentiate it from other video interview platforms. 
      Additionally, recruiters can create personalized and branded videos using the video messaging feature to engage candidates at any stage of the hiring process. 
      Then you have the interview evaluation feature that allows recruiters to evaluate candidates by rating, commenting, tagging, and rejecting them. This feature speeds up the recruitment process and ensures recruiters can make informed decisions.
      Some of Spark Hire’s key features include: 

      One-way Video Interview: This feature allows candidates to self-record video answers to interview questions on their own time. Recruiters can create text or video-based questions, limit think time, control the number of allotted takes, and restrict max answer length.
      Interview Evaluation: This feature allows recruiters to rate, comment, tag, and reject candidates easily. Recruiters can document rejection reasons, send rejection emails, and organize their shortlists.
      Question Library: This feature allows recruiters to access a library of pre-made interview questions that cover various topics such as behavioral, technical, situational, etc. Recruiters can also create their custom questions and save them for future use.

      Pros: 

      Extensive integrations with various applicant tracking systems (ATS) and other recruitment tools.
      The interview evaluation feature simplifies the candidate evaluation process and allows for easy collaboration. 
      The video messaging feature allows for personalized and branded communication with candidates.

      Cons: 

      Limited language support compared to other platforms – a downside for organizations with diverse candidate pools.
      Some users have reported occasional technical glitches or issues with customer support.

      Pricing: 
      Spark Hire offers four pricing plans: 

      Lite ($149/month or $119/month annually): 1 job, 3 users, unlimited interviews, branding, video questions, evaluation tools, scheduling, video messages, integrations, and support.
      Pro ($299/month or $239/month annually): 5 jobs, 5 users, everything in the Lite plan + advanced sharing, analytics, bulk invite, SMS text invitations. Advanced questionnaire add-on.
      Growth ($499/month or $399/month annually): 10 jobs, custom users, everything in the Pro plan + Advanced questionnaire and single sign-on add-ons.
      Enterprise (Contact Spark Hire for pricing): Unlimited jobs. Everything in the Growth plan + SMS text invitations. Multiple add-ons for security and contracts.

      6. Harver
      Harver is a video interviewing solution that helps recruiters screen candidates using asynchronous video interviews. This means that candidates can self-record video answers to pre-defined questions on their own time, and recruiters can review and evaluate them whenever they want.
      Harver also stands out with its ability to incorporate promotional and team videos in your hiring process. Plus, Harver’s collaborative interview scoring feature lets you bring multiple evaluators on board to rate and comment on candidate responses using a consistent rating scale. This feature streamlines the evaluation process, ensuring recruiters can make informed hiring decisions.
      They also provide a team of IO psychologists to identify the ideal candidate profile and optimize the customized matching framework using performance feedback loops. This also helps minimize bias in the hiring process.
      Pros: 

      Harver allows you to incorporate promotional and team videos that showcase your company’s brand and culture, creating a more engaging and memorable candidate experience.
      Harver’s interview scoring feature allows multiple evaluators to rate and comment on candidate responses using a consistent rating scale, making it easier to assess candidates and make data-driven hiring decisions.

      Cons: 

      It may be unsuitable for organizations that prefer live or synchronous video interviews.
      Like most other virtual interviewing platforms, Harver also provides a standardized experience, which may not be suitable for companies with more specific needs or preferences.

      Benefits of Using Video Interview Platforms 
      There are many benefits to using video interview platforms for hiring. Here are some of them:
      Time and Cost Savings: 
      One of the biggest advantages of using video interview platforms is the ability to save time and money. Recruiters can conduct video interviews with candidates from anywhere worldwide, eliminating the need for travel and in-person meetings. This can save companies thousands of dollars in travel and accommodation expenses. 
      Improved Candidate Experience: 
      Video interview platforms offer a more flexible and convenient experience for candidates who can complete interviews from their homes. This can lead to higher levels of candidate engagement and satisfaction. 
      For example, Unilever managed to hire half of the candidates it screened using a video interview platform for the hiring process.
      Better Hiring Decisions: 
      Video interview platforms provide a complete overview of each candidate. And when recruiters have a complete picture of the candidate, they naturally make better hiring decisions. 
      Plus, features like video messaging and collaborative interview scoring can help recruiters evaluate candidates more accurately.
      Increased Diversity and Inclusion: 
      Video interview platforms can also help companies increase diversity and inclusion in their hiring processes. By enabling candidates to complete interviews remotely, companies can reduce barriers to entry for underrepresented groups. 
      Additionally, features like structured interview questions and blind reviews can help reduce unconscious bias in the hiring process.  
      Evaluate body language:
      Video interviews also allow recruiters to evaluate body language and nonverbal cues, such as eye contact, hand gestures, and overall confidence level while answering questions. 
      This is especially helpful if hiring for a customer service or sales position. In that case, you can evaluate how candidates interact with others, express themselves, and handle difficult situations.
      Key Features That Your Video Interview Platform Should Have 
      Here are some key features that your video interview platform should have:

      One-way and two-way video interviews: The best video interview platforms let you set up one-way interviews where candidates answer pre-written questions that you can review later. At the same time, they should let you conduct live or two-way interviews where you can chat with candidates in real time.
      Collaboration features: Collaboration features, like the ability to share feedback and ratings on candidates, can help streamline the hiring process. For example, Harver’s collaborative interview scoring feature allows multiple evaluators to rate and comment on candidate responses.
      Video Quality: It’s no good to have a great interview platform if the quality is poor. The video should be clear and crisp, allowing both parties to see each other clearly and understand what is being said. It should also be recorded in high definition so that there won’t be any playback issues later on down the line.
      Integration with your existing Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Integration with your ATS can help you easily transfer candidate data and streamline your hiring workflow.
      AI-powered interview analysis: Artificial intelligence (AI) can help you quickly and accurately analyze candidate responses and identify top candidates. For example, many tools use AI to analyze the facial expressions, tone of voice, and word choice of candidates during the interview.

      Questions to Ask Vendors on Demos 
      With so many options, how do you know which one is right for you? Here are some questions to ask vendors on demos related to video interviewing platforms:

      Can you walk me through the process of setting up and conducting a video interview on your platform?
      How do you ensure the security and privacy of candidate data during the interview process?
      Does your platform support both live and pre-recorded video interviews? If so, how do they differ?
      What level of customization is possible on your platform, such as branding, interview question templates, and evaluation criteria? Can we customize the platform with our company logo, colors, and branding to provide a consistent candidate experience?
      How does your platform address potential bias in the interview process, and what tools or features are available to promote diversity and inclusion? For example, does the platform provide structured interview questions and evaluation criteria to help standardize the interview process?
      Talking of diversity, does your platform handle accessibility for candidates with disabilities? For instance, does the platform support closed captioning or sign language interpretation for hearing-impaired candidates?
      What kind of support and training do you provide to users of your platform, and is there an additional cost for these services? Are there tutorials or online training materials available?
      How does your platform measure the effectiveness of the video interview process, and what kind of analytics and reporting are available?
      What is your platform’s video recording and storage capacity? Can the platform support HD video, and how long are the videos stored?
      Can you provide references or case studies of organizations in our industry or of similar size who have successfully used your platform?
      How does your pricing model work, and what factors determine the cost for our organization?
      Can your platform integrate with our existing applicant tracking system (ATS) or other HR tools?

      Common FAQs
      What is a video interview platform?
      A video interview platform is a tool that allows companies to conduct interviews with candidates in a remote setting. It provides an easy-to-use interface for both the interviewer and the candidate and stores all information gathered during the interview process.
      How does it work?
      Candidates sign up for an account, which allows them to record their videos through their mobile devices or computers. They upload those video recordings to the platform, where recruiters can access and review them to screen them immediately or schedule them to be viewed at another time.
      What are the benefits of using a video interview platform?
      Using a video interview platform can save time and money, eliminate geographical barriers, and help reduce bias in the hiring process. It also provides more flexibility for both the interviewer and the candidate, as interviews can be conducted from anywhere with an internet connection.
      What are the different types of video interview platforms?
      There are generally two types of video interview platforms – one that allows live interviews and the other with pre-recorded (asynchronous) interviews. Recruiters can conduct live interviews in real time, while pre-recorded interviews allow candidates to record their answers to pre-set questions at their convenience. However, some tools offer both types of interviews under a single umbrella. 
      How do I choose the right video interview platform for my organization?
      When choosing a video interview platform, consider factors like ease of use, pricing, customer support, features, and integrations with other tools. It’s also important to assess your organization’s specific needs and goals and choose a platform that aligns with them.
      How does the platform ensure fairness and minimize bias in the hiring process?
      Video interview platforms should have features that support structured interviews, such as standardized questions and rating scales. Additionally, some platforms use artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze candidate responses and weed out biased hiring. 
      Pitfalls to Avoid When Buying Video Interview Software
      When searching for video interview software, there are a couple of pitfalls to avoid. Here are some of the most common ones: 

      Thinking it’s only about the technology: Video interviewing should be about more than just the technology itself. You want to be sure it’s easy for both candidates and hiring managers alike to use and feels natural with minimal training. If this isn’t possible, perhaps another screening method would be more suitable for you.
      Not testing the software before purchase: It’s essential to test the software before making a purchase. This includes taking advantage of free trials or demos offered by the vendor. This will allow you to better understand the software’s user interface, features, and capabilities.
      Overlooking integration capabilities: If you already use other HR software in your organization, it’s important to ensure the video interview software can integrate with these existing systems. Overlooking integration capabilities can result in time-consuming and expensive workarounds.
      Ignoring security and privacy features: Video interview software will likely contain sensitive candidate data, including video recordings and personal information. Therefore, ensuring the software has robust security and privacy features, including data encryption and secure storage, is important.
      Not considering scalability: As your organization grows, so will your hiring needs. It’s important to consider the scalability of the software to ensure it can handle increased usage and meet future hiring demands.

      Time to Hit Record and Find the Best Candidates!
      Online video interview platforms are essential for modern recruiting and hiring processes. They allow companies to conduct virtual interviews and save time and resources while increasing candidate engagement and the accuracy of evaluations. 
      We explored the top 6 video interview platforms in 2023, each with unique features and functionalities catering to different hiring needs. Spark Hire’s one-way video interview feature allows for asynchronous candidate responses, while HireVue’s AI-powered assessments provide technical talent evaluations. VidCruiter streamlines international and remote hiring processes, while Harver’s candidate experience and team evaluation tools ensure a comprehensive assessment. 
      When choosing a video interview platform, it’s essential to consider key features like collaboration tools, customization options, and candidate experience. With the right tool and approach, these platforms can revolutionize your recruitment process and help you find the right candidate for the job.

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      8 Ways Talent Professionals Can Drive Business Impact Despite a Hiring Freeze

      by

      Pausing hiring efforts may be necessary for a variety of reasons but talent professionals can still drive business impact. Whether due to missed projections, shifts in funding or shareholder priorities, or even a global pandemic, a hiring freeze sometimes means cuts to recruiting and TA teams.

      This doesn’t have to be the case. This hiring freeze may be a golden opportunity for TA and recruiting teams to pivot to other projects, assist other internal teams, or focus on new initiatives.

      Related: How to Improve Job Security During an Economic Downturn: Career Advice for Recruiters

      There are ways to use this time to start strategic projects that positively impact business with your insight and skill set, even when you are not hiring. Here are the top 8 things you can do to drive business impact and set yourself up for success after a hiring freeze is lifted.

      1. Keep your existing pipeline warm

      If a hiring freeze was unexpected, you might have candidates in your interviewing pipeline you need to notify. Sharing your hiring status (and the status of their application and candidacy) will require a balance of transparency and empathy. Let candidates in your pipeline know a hiring freeze is taking place. Offer a tentative timeline of when your team foresees hiring to pick up again. Assure them that you or your team will follow up with updates. Those are the best ways to retain your candidate pipeline while keeping the conversation and their interest warm.

      2. Engage internal employees

      During a hiring freeze, recruiters can work closely with the People Team to engage internal employees. Turnover is an aspect of people management that HR teams work to estimate, prevent, or lower. HR partners with talent acquisition teams to incorporate turnover into recruiting goals. Despite a hiring pause, turnover typically continues as expected or might even increase depending on the state of the business and company morale.

      By partnering with the larger People Ops Team, recruiting can support at-risk employees the team identifies and engage different populations to help retain and re-spark their passion for the company. In addition, working closely with company executives to be transparent about business strategy moving forward is especially crucial during this time as a means of supporting your team.

      3. Get involved with other business initiatives

      Lend your time and expertise to more teams and get creative with how to advocate for the company in new ways. Need some inspo?

      Hired’s Senior Internal Recruiter, Jules Grondin, pivoted to immerse herself in launching new initiatives. To support fellow recruiters and individuals in Talent Acquisition, Jules helped establish Hired’s Tech Recruitment Collective. Recognizing that Talent Acquisition is at the heart of building great teams, the collective connects these professionals with Hired’s extensive network of companies actively hiring TA talent.

      Another recent initiative is Hired’s Candidate Credit Program. To address a candidate supply and demand imbalance, Hired offered companies the opportunity to refer candidates in their ATS to Hired in exchange for credits to use on future Hired services and solutions.

      Brainstorm new ways to involve yourself in other aspects of the business. Reach out to other teams or colleagues to collaborate!

      4. Focus on employer branding

      A hiring freeze might create a negative perception of how the business is doing. To remain proactive, consider refreshing your employer brand strategy as a lever toward getting ahead of any negative misconceptions and attracting top talent when you open roles and resume interviewing. A company’s brand can be aspirational. Positioning your employer brand through thought leadership, company initiatives, and values helps build a relatable narrative that your company should be known for.

      Despite a hiring freeze, don’t hit the brakes on sharing your company’s forward momentum. For distributed teams, a great example would be to amplify ways your team creatively adapted to remote work, approached collaboration, and remained diligent about fostering company culture to maintain a healthy work-life balance.  

      Also, consider encouraging happy and engaged employees on your team to become promoters of the business. This supports a spirit of pride, ownership, and advocacy for the great work your company is doing! Aligning your employees with company and employer branding can turn your team into brand ambassadors to their network. This offers interested candidates a view of your company that goes beyond corporate branding and marketing but a more personal look into the employee experience from a peer.

      5. Optimize recruiting process

      Taking a step back from the ins and outs of your recruiting process will help you see areas to revise and make more efficient. Recruiting teams can take the time to evaluate many areas of their process from application to offer acceptance. This goes not just for efficiency but to assure the process promotes an excellent candidate experience. For instance, going through the application for an open role from a candidate’s perspective could flag hurdles in the process that candidates would experience. This includes complications with your ATS, resume upload issues, or LinkedIn profile integration errors.

      Beyond this, there are various areas of the recruiting process that teams can evaluate, including:

      Streamlining processes in your ATS to increase data cleanliness

      Evaluating your application to improve completion rates

      Updating the careers page and job descriptions to align with talent branding

      Evaluating the recruiting funnel for biases and exclusive language

      Diving into recruiting metrics, including outreach to lead conversion rates, rejection reasons, time to offer, time to hire, etc.

      Evaluating recruiting or sourcing tools

      Related: How to Secure Approval for New Tech Tools (Free Template)

      6. Invest in training hiring team members

      Having downtime from sourcing and interviewing offers the opportunity to evaluate your process and train your interviewers. For recruiting and talent acquisition team members, training or taking certification courses can advance the team’s recruiting strategy and overall professional development. In addition, training hiring managers (and other team members who participate in interviews) around efficiencies your team has made in your recruiting process aligns everyone to best represent the company when conducting interviews.

      7. Ensure your recruiting process is inclusive 

      Now more than ever, companies are being examined for their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion beyond public statements and surface-level efforts. The public and their workforce evaluate them based on their executive leadership team and how they conduct business day-to-day. As it relates to hiring, take the time to ensure your recruiting process is inclusive to all candidates who may apply and interview in the future. Consider everything from the verbiage in job descriptions to the logistics of how to best conduct an interview.

      This is also a great opportunity for teams to undergo unconscious bias training. This ensures recruiters and interviewers accurately represent company values during interviews and champion an inclusive hiring process.

      Related: Diversity features on Hired

      Unconscious biases may present themselves at any point, even with something as simple as seeing the full name of a candidate on their resume. For example, a person’s name can implicate their sex, ethnicity, and fluency and literacy in English. This can lead to a member of the interviewing team building stereotypes around the candidate without having met or spoken with them. Evaluate your recruitment and interview processes from beginning to end with potential biases in mind. It can help eliminate additional and unnecessary barriers to entry for qualified talent.

      8. Develop a recruiting plan

      As your team anticipates when a hiring freeze could lift, having a recruiting plan will ensure the team is ready to begin sourcing and interviewing again. Connect with your hiring managers to identify and prioritize roles that are an immediate need post-freeze. As the time gets closer, preliminary sourcing and pipelining quality candidates is a proactive way to get a preview into the active candidate market for these high-priority positions.

      In addition, you can begin to review organic applicants and put your feelers out to your existing pipeline to reignite that interest. Lastly, consider working closely with leadership. Establish a tentative timeline so the team can effectively plan their work and OKRs for the coming months. 

      Regardless of the hiring pace, skilled talent professionals drive impact throughout the organization

      Hiring freezes illicit thoughts of uncertainty for many people within a company and for those who are applying. Despite that, a freeze in hiring doesn’t mean that business strategy and talent teams are on a freeze too. Recruiting and talent acquisition teams offer value to the business beyond sourcing and interviewing. When times call for their main priorities to pause, it offers an opportunity to grow together and invest in team members. Talent professionals are incredible partners to drive impact while building a strong company. More