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At the recent IQPC Exchange online recruitment event, Enhance Media carried out a research project with the attending delegates. A short questionnaire was distributed on the morning of the first day, over fifty were completed, collected and analysed. The results of the research had several important implications for the online recruitment industry.
Backend technology is the most important issue for recruiters
When asked what the most important issue for online recruitment was, 50% of those surveyed felt it was integrating backend technologies into the recruitment process. The importance of technology that can sort applications, arrange interviews and track candidates through the recruitment process should not be over emphasised. Without such a system many recruiters are unable to enjoy the full benefits of online recruitment. Electronic applications are often printed out and distributed to line managers and one of the core benefits of online recruitment, efficiency, is negated.
The survey also asked how easy it had been to buy or use such backend systems. 41% of respondents said that it had been difficult and a further 47% said that although they were interested in using such a system that had not been able to purchase one. This has clear implications for the suppliers of backend technology, they must make technology easier to understand, buy and integrate and must demystify what is a potentially complex area for recruitment professionals.
The typical online recruiter and measurement of return on investment
The survey established that the average online recruiter was currently advertising on 2.5 job boards and had spent over £21,000 on online recruitment in the last 12 months. Despite this level of spend there was uncertainty as to the return on investment. 42% of those surveyed said that they were not sure whether or not they had received a good return on their investment and 45% said that their Financial or Managing Director was also unsure.
This emphasises the need to accurately measure online recruitment activities in order to develop an effective online recruitment strategy. Response from all job boards should be closely monitored and unsuccessful boards removed from advertising schedules in favour of those offering quality response. Measurement principles should also be applied to corporate recruitment sites. By analysing activity on corporate sites, recruiters can ascertain if candidates are visiting the key areas of the site, if online application forms are of the right length and if the cultural values of the organisation are being effectively communicated.
The importance of the corporate recruitment site and the changing role of job boards?
Respondents were asked which type of site was providing them with the best quality of candidate. 41% said that their own corporate website offered the best response, 19% found that sector specific boards offered the best response with generic job boards giving the best response for 14% and 27% being unsure.
Effective corporate recruitment sites are key to a successful online recruitment strategy. The corporate site enables recruiters to communicate the benefits of working at their organisation without any constraints on content. The corporate site also offers a safe environment where candidates are not exposed to competitor’s jobs and the recruiter can develop a relationship with potential applicants.
Given the importance of corporate sites it is possible that the role of job boards will change. Currently job boards offer recruiters response to specific vacancies usually through their own online application forms or via email links. In the future job boards may become more like web portals, showcasing employers, rather than specific vacancies and offering links to corporate sites where the recruiter can gain full control of the recruitment process.
The future is bright
Despite uncertainty over the return on investment, 89% of those surveyed said that their online recruitment activities would increase in the next 12 months. 11% said that their level of activity would not change while no respondents thought their level of activity would decrease. Internet based solutions are clearly the answer to the recruitment challenges faced by the modern recruiter. In the ideal situation; advertising on job boards should drive traffic to an effective corporate recruitment site which should then in turn direct applications into a backend candidate management system.
In order for recruiters to achieve this ideal situation all involved in the industry should take action; technology suppliers should make it easier for recruiters to purchase and use backend systems, job boards should offer flexible packages that allow recruiters to direct candidates to their corporate websites and recruiters should accurately measure and refine their online recruitment activities.
The IQPC Exchange / Enhance Media Benchmarking Survey
For a full copy of the IQPC Exchange / Enhance Media Benchmarking Survey results please email results@enhancemedia.co.uk