Stuck in a vicious cycle of “too busy” to implement recruitment/onboarding software while wasting thousands of dollars using inefficient manual processes?
Well, a try-before-you-buy and a 3-stage rollout approach can guarantee you own a recruitment system in no time… and with no setup cost!
When I think of my interactions with prospective clients, one of the key things that stands out for me is their fear factor. The fear of the unknown. The fear of taking on a massive project like system implementation on top of an already huge workload and many competing priorities. The fear of going through all that perceived hard work to find out the system doesn’t do what the vendor said it would and ultimately losing credibility with hiring managers that you have worked so hard to build.
This is a vicious circle. They desperately need a recruitment system that will change and improve their daily working lives, however, the fear of making the wrong purchasing decision and the potential wasted effort in rolling the system out, holds them back.
So what if there was a way to really try before you buy? By this I don’t mean the 30-day free trials you see many companies offering new clients, nor do I mean watching a demo of the system using made up data. What if you could access a recruitment system for free? What if this wasn’t a one-off and you got to keep all of the data you collected, forever?
Over the last decade, many online software companies have moved to the freemium business model, where new clients can access the basic features of the system for free. In some cases, many of the features of modern recruitment platforms are fully accessible to new clients with some limitations, for example, access may be limited to one vacancy at any time. A true option to ‘try before you buy’. Both strategies provide the user with a real-time experience that doesn’t have an end date. Best of all there’s no salesperson hounding you to sign a contract.
Now that you have an option to really try out a recruitment system and benefit from the various features available, how can you get over the implementation hurdle as the next step? This has become a much simpler process too in recent times. You no longer need to run a massive project to implement your new recruitment system. A three-stage rollout approach can have your system up and running in as little as 24 hours.
First, start with your HR or recruitment department. Allocate one or two resources to attend system training and build knowledge in the functionality available. Then start to use the system by simply posting your first job. Share candidate applications with managers via email. Create custom online application forms to draw out the key information from candidates you need for effective shortlisting. Gradually build your confidence in the system and what it can do to save time and money for your company.
With stage one under your belt, you can then begin to roll out the system to your hiring managers and have them using the system directly. This can be done gradually to ensure each manager is confident using the system and benefiting from the functionality available.
Other features such as online job requisitions and onboarding modules can be brought on later as part of stage three.
Fear can stop us doing many things. The key is to look for opportunities to overcome those fears and this real ‘try before you buy’ approach to implementing a recruitment system might well be the answer for you and your company.