Using more data points in the recruitment process is considered to increase the effectiveness of the recruitment process, help employers hit diversity quotas and increase the quality of candidates hired. Moreover, the data analytics collected from each round of recruitment can be used to improve the recruitment process for when the next vacancy comes around. And naturally, the more employers’ bring in high quality staff, the better the skills shared in the workplace. So, how should recruiters use data to create this desired cycle of employee improvement?

Pre – Hire Data

Unless you have previous recruitment information to work from, this is purely a data collection phase. If it is the first round of recruitment which makes use of the data-driven recruitment strategy, the employer may be going in blind. At the very least, the following three datasets should be set up before beginning the process:

1. Pre-Employment Assessment Test Results

Applicant Tracking Systems, like those provided here at Rounded People, are the perfect way to eliminate those candidates that do not fulfil job specification criteria from any size of applicant group. If the recruitment service provides a breakdown of candidate results, the data will also be helpful post – recruitment when the employer and employee want to identify areas for improvement and career development.

2. Recorded Interview Responses

Recorded video interviews are now become more common in recruitment processes because they provide a way to get to know a candidate before even meeting them. Typically, these systems provide candidates with a list of questions and then provides them an allotted time to respond in a recording. Of course, there is no substitute for a face-to-face interview and we wouldn’t suggest replacing these, but the initial video responses help to filter out the weaker candidates immediately. By tailoring the questions to the job criteria, the employer is given instant data on which candidates may have the necessary skills and experience.

3. Marketing Touch Points

Employers should be considering their job advertisements as part of a larger marketing campaign. Tracking systems can be used to show data such as the amount of people who landed on the advertisement webpage and the click-through rate after seeing the advert. This should help to drive the job advertisement campaign and tweaked in real time to obtain the best results. Employers can also keep a record of the touch points (i.e. the places you posted the advertisement) and how effective these were. So if the advert is posted on a company website as well as on social media, there will be clear statistics on which advert gained most traction.

Post-Hire Data

1. Applicant to Hire Ratio

Now is the time to record and review the amount of application you received for this role, as well as the number of candidates you hired. If you record this for each job role type, you will begin to get a sense of the popularity of your job specifications / advertisements and the availability of the required skillsets in the current job market. If, for instance, your data showed there is a lack of highly experienced Web Development professionals in your area, you might want to think about investing in a training programme in the future. If on the other hand there is huge competition for a role in one skillset area, you might think about increasing the filtration systems in your recruitment process for that role to save the time and money of sorting through huge number of candidates. A filtration system might include something such as an online test for a computer platform used at your company, or it might mean adding psychometric reasoning tests before interview stage.

2. Post Interview Surveys

Asking hired candidates to fill out a short questionnaire on their experience of the interview process is a valuable way to evaluate success. There are now many websites popping up which enable job hunters to anonymously share stories of their experience applying to companies which can impact the reputation of your organisation.

3. Assessment of Hired Employees’ Capabilities

One final point for this article, keep track of how well a recruitment process has been by keeping a record of the new employees’ capability on the job. Track their process. Ensure they had all the skills discussed in interview. If they didn’t fulfil their role as much as hoped, perhaps it is time for a change in approach. More importantly, identify those traits which were displayed by the top-performing employees and adapt these into your recruitment process!

All in all, recruitment should be looked on as a means for company development whether you are an SME or a large recruitment organisation. It is clear data records are a crucial part of developing a quality organisation and team.