An effective recruitment management system (RMS) is a must for agencies in 2024.
In a tough recruitment landscape, it’s more important than ever to deliver the very best fit for the job — and to keep top talent engaged.
The tools that make up an RMS save agencies time and money, while also increasing the quality of hires and smoothing the candidate journey.
Read on to find out more about what an RMS does, the features to look out for, and how to find the best fit for your agency.
Recruitment Management Systems: Overview
Simply put, a recruitment management system is a set of tools used to streamline an agency’s entire recruitment process.
With the multitude of tasks, data sets and documents involved in recruiting, a recruiting management system provides one source of truth.
It acts as a centralised platform from which to efficiently manage, organise, standardise, and automate your hiring processes.
Which empowers you to optimise these processes.
You can think of it as a one-stop digital hub for recruiters, with a vast range of functionalities and tools that help them to elevate their hiring process.
An online recruitment management system assists recruiters in tasks including sourcing, screening and tracking candidates, organising application materials, sending out job alerts, communicating with candidates, keeping track of information, and data analysis.
Why does your agency need a recruitment management system?
Here’s the big win: it will save you a significant amount of time and money.
Agencies are dealing with multiple clients, myriad job openings, and a vast number of applicants and candidates on a daily basis.
Keeping track of all that is a massive time sink.
So why not let software do the heavy lifting, freeing up your recruiters to do what they do best — bring in commission?
Management recruitment systems also significantly improve the candidate experience by streamlining the journey and making communication much easier.
This helps to keep top talent engaged with the process.
And as new tech comes to market, recruiting management systems — and the tools within their ecosystems — are only becoming more sophisticated and better at what they do.
The Core Components of Recruitment Management Systems
Recruitment management systems are made up of a broad spectrum of capabilities and tools.
But there are three core components that are vital for any effective recruitment management system.
1. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
An applicant tracking system is a software that tracks candidates for the duration of the recruitment and hiring process.
This software sources and collates CVs, assists in screening these documents, and then tracks successful candidates throughout their journey.
After information about a new vacancy is entered into the ATS, the software generates an ideal candidate profile.
As applications and CVs are submitted, the ATS sorts and ranks candidates based on how well they match the profile.
Hiring managers are then able to quickly identify the best talent for the role.
2. Candidate Relationship Management (CRM)
A candidate relationship management system is used by recruiters to nurture and engage their talent pool.
Through the use of a CRM, recruiters are better able to manage the candidate experience across all the touchpoints on the journey from job ad to hire and beyond.
A good CRM can help you maintain relationships with former candidates who closely missed out on a hire — but may be great in another position — and freelance and gig workers, as well as active and passive candidates.
The system will also retain the information of everyone who has previously applied for a role.
Ultimately, it's a sophisticated talent hub.
In addition to cultivating your talent pipeline, benefits of a robust CRM include the ability to contact great potential candidates, strengthening your brand and that of your client, and demonstrating you value good talent and are willing to invest in nurturing it.
There are data-related advantages too, such as the ability to identify where talent might be dropping out of your recruitment funnel, and analysing candidate demographics to promote diversity and inclusion.
3. Data and Analysis Tools
Every modern recruitment management system should include powerful, user-friendly data and analysis tools.
In 2024, recruiters and leaders need a comprehensive overview of their recruitment pipeline in real-time.
This enables them to identify and rectify any issues before they become bigger problems.
Real-time data on recruiter performance is also instrumental to success.
It allows managers to focus reps in on key targets, identify and reward their strongest performers, and provide support for those who are struggling.
Meanwhile, access to clear data visualisations should motivate reps to smash their goals and outperform their colleagues.
However, many existing ATS and CRM tools simply do not have great data or analysis capabilities.
So recruitment leaders need to look elsewhere.
A strong data tool will:
- Pull data from across the tech stack into one centralised location
- Offer real-time performance insights
- Include individual custom dashboards for every rep
- Offer analysis tools that help leaders to forecast and understand performance better
- Encompass gamification elements that empower leaders to motivate their team via data
Benefits of Implementing an RMS
Installing strong recruitment management software makes your whole operation much smoother and more efficient, while boosting performance.
Here’s how that happens.
Decreased recruitment costs
With so much of the recruitment process supercharged with AI, an RMS can deliver a significantly lower cost per hire.
Think about it — your recruiters no longer need to spend endless hours sorting through CVs, emailing applicants, or scheduling interviews.
And, as the old adage goes, time is money.
Increased hire quality
As costs decrease, the quality of your hires should rise.
Why?
AI tools use data to build the ideal candidate profile before sorting through CVs to find the best fits for the role.
This process is now data-driven rather than based on hit-and-miss gut instinct.
With AI’s colossal data capabilities, there’s no limit on the number of CVs it can sort through — widening your talent pool — and it will ensure no documents slip through the net.
What’s more, with a strong candidate relationship management system nurturing your talent pool and keeping applicants engaged, you should see fewer people dropping out of the process.
And when they do, your RMS’ data analysis capabilities mean you can rapidly identify and fix the leak in the candidate journey.
Automated recruitment
RMS enables automated recruitment — saving you time, money, and stress.
When automation is unleashed on repetitive, menial tasks, they are completed more rapidly and efficiently with little to no human intervention.
Your recruiters will be happier: they’re free to get on with the human-centric parts of their job they love instead of getting bogged down in admin.
Better candidate experience
In a challenging recruitment landscape, the importance of a seamless, engaging candidate experience cannot be underestimated.
In fact, it’s the best way to gain a great reputation as a recruitment agency.
A RMS takes a lot of the admin and stress out of delivering an excellent candidate journey.
First up, with all candidate information available in one centralised system, recruiters are always up-to-date with the latest progress in any candidate journey.
Switched-on recruiters make the candidate experience much smoother, and applicants feel more valued.
And with automated notifications, emails, and a chatbot for FAQs, candidates’ basic needs are taken care of, leaving reps to contact them for more in-depth conversations about their career.
Improved communication
No more emails going unanswered, no more reps mixing up interview times, no more qualified candidates slipping through the net.
With AI-powered communication capabilities baked into your RMS, nothing is missed.
From automated notifications when they move to the next stage of the candidate journey and instantaneous chatbot responses to AI-powered recruiter reminders — candidates are given all the information they need for a successful journey.
Better candidate sourcing
Sourcing is both easier and more effective when recruiters are supported with a recruitment management system.
With all your candidate and former applicant information in one place, recruiters are able to search the database by categories including skills, experience, location, and education.
It’s then simple to engage this high-potential talent.
Furthermore, a good RMS will make gathering new applications much easier, through automated posts to job sites, generating candidate outsourcing reports, and reaching out to existing employees for referrals.
Easy candidate management
Candidate management is another area where RMS does much of the heavy lifting, freeing your team from tedious tasks.
In addition to tracking candidates throughout their journey, an RMS will notify them when they are moved to the next stage in the funnel.
It will also automate the process of arranging interview slots, and send out automated invitations.
With the communication admin care of, your recruiters can focus on the important job of actually getting to know candidates.
Reporting and analytics
Real-time, customisable reporting and analytics are a key feature of any modern RMS.
Whereas once recruiters had to make important decisions based on little more than gut feeling, your RMS should deliver you the crucial information you need to move forward in the best direction.
This could be anything from a clear visualisation of your recruitment funnel so you can identify and resolve any leaks or blockages, to forecasting time to hire for a specific role.
Centralised database
This is a simple concept — but it makes a huge difference to the working lives of recruiters and agency leaders.
All your information will be centralised with recruitment management software, making it super searchable.
This makes day-to-day tasks significantly more efficient, and it's easy to keep both candidates and clients happy as you can access all the relevant information at the touch of a button.
It also means you don’t misplace old information, such as the contact details for a former candidate who missed out on one role but would be perfect for the vacancy you’re currently hiring into.
Choosing the Right Recruitment Management System
Look out for these key recruitment management system features:
- Sourcing functionality
- Applicant tracking
- Communication automation
- Automated posting on multiple job boards
- Integrated gamified assessments
- Interview scheduling
- Offer management
- Real-time data visibility
- Custom dashboards
- Integrations with your current or future tech stack
When evaluating RMS providers, first consider your agency’s needs.
Where are your current pain points in your recruiting strategy?
Which RMS features could resolve these?
Then move onto the features that you believe could help your agency grow and future-proof your business.
Consider also the size of your operation. How often are you making placements? Which employees would benefit from access to the RMS?
This will help you to identify the complexity of the system you need.
Other important factors include the user-friendliness of the system — will it engage your recruiters or deter them from using it? — as well as the level of customer service support from the provider.
Here are some great examples of Recruitment CRMs on the market now.
Mercury
Mercury is a platform that provides CRM, automation, sourcing, and analytics all in one place.
Powered by Microsoft Power Platform, this tool is targeted at medium and large businesses, and promises to improve collaboration, strengthen and automate processes, and provide actionable business insights.
Mercury is scalable and accessible from anywhere.
JobAdder
JobAdder aims to simplify recruitment for agencies who would benefit from operating from one platform.
It facilitates permanent and temporary recruitment, as well as employer brand promotion.
Capabilities include recruitment CRM, recruitment marketing, applicant tracking, placement management, and recruitment operations.
Vincere
An all-in-one software designed with recruitment agencies in mind, Vincere is a powerful CRM software at its core.
This platform offers a 360 degree view of all recruitment activities, empowering you to manage every stage, interaction, and opportunity from one centralised place.
Features include advanced search, CRM, ATS, email and calendar sync, activity tracking, a LiveList client portal for candidate submissions, and a native mobile app.
Bullhorn
Recruiting agency software Bullhorn promises to facilitate better decisions, improve sales, and boost recruiter performance.
It claims to be 40% faster than comparable systems, and to help recruiters generate up to 43% more placements.
How?
Within the platform, recruiters can manage the whole hiring process from a single, easy-to-use interface.
Bullhorn enables reps to streamline their workflows and connect with candidates anywhere and anytime thanks to its mobile capabilities.
There are also handy integrations with Gmail, Outlook, and LinkedIn Recruiter.
Loxo
Loxo hands recruiters the ability to manage the entire recruiting lifecycle on one talent intelligence platform.
This AI-powered platform combines CRM, ATS, outbound recruitment, data, and sourcing tools.
It also gives reps access to a 1.2 billion-strong candidate database, complete with AI sorting, as well as quick access to applicants’ verified social media profiles.
According to the Loxo team, its automated outbound recruiting tool can help recruiters become up to five times more efficient, while real-time reporting means no more revenue surprises.
Tracker
Tracker ATS and CRM aims to help businesses build better relationships, workflows, and ROI.
Features include a fully-integrated ATS, a sales and CRM tool that provide handy visualisations of your entire pipeline, and real-time customisable reporting dashboards.
The AI-powered system also incorporates jobs boards integration, marketing mechanisms, and administrative capabilities, as well as scheduling, onboarding and collaboration tools.
It also boasts handy vendor management and VMS tech.
Final Thoughts
The importance of equipping your recruitment agency with a strong RMS cannot be understated.
From slashing your costs and increasing the quality of your hires to automating tedious repetitive tasks and boosting the candidate experience — you can’t afford not to invest in this game-changing software.
Select the right CRM and ATS for your agency, and you’ll ultimately end up with a more efficient, effective recruitment process.
Of course, many CRM and ATS softwares do have limitations.
These can include:
- Poor visualisations for reporting
- A lack of real-time data functionality
- A low number of integrations, making it hard to match data with the rest of your tech stack
- A lack of automations meaning much analysis must take place outside the system
This means, it could be time to elevate your operation with some handy recruitment software integrations that supplement your existing functionalities.
OneUp, for instance, is recruiting analytics software with a focus on improving recruiters’ productivity and performance.
It uses custom dashboards, reports, leaderboards, and real-time data to empower recruitment leaders to improve their team’s performance and focus them on the tasks that matter most.
When integrating OneUp into your RMS ecosystem, you can build custom dashboards populated with data from all your existing systems.
You can refresh and view this data from across your stack on OneUp in real-time, and automate recurring reports.
It’s also easy to match and compare data from your CRM, VoiP Enablement, and Timesheets software.
Ready to level up your recruitment team’s performance? Book your OneUp demo here.
