Companies that keep their candidate databases engaged outperform their competitors in a talent-short market. With a recession looming, it’s more important than ever to make placements from the data you already hold.  Thankfully, tools like Candidly help hiring teams engage, nurture and hire top-level talent via automation technology.

In fact, supporting data released by Bullhorn showed that companies using automation have a 64% higher fill rate than those completing tasks manually.

Which poses the question: How are companies using automation to see such remarkable results?

We put together 5 ways companies can use automation to engage their talent community and keep them excited about their organisation.

1)    Engage W‍ith Your Talent Regularly

When we surveyed our talent database over their frustrations with the hiring process, the number one reason they gave for abandoning an application was poor communication from the company. With automation, businesses can trigger communications more effectively and keep candidates informed at every stage of the process.

While many firms already use automated emails, surveys, and text messaging when hiring, companies that send automated messages to new hires; employees who have been in their roles for a while; and those coming to the end of their contracts also stay top-of-mind for longer periods - which pays dividends once candidates start looking for new roles.

Furthermore, AI-based automation also significantly improves the recruitment process by intelligently recommending the top candidates for jobs. For example, Candidly’s AI technology sifts through applicants to provide a list of Best-Matched candidates for any given role.

Many companies only stay in contact with candidates for as long as they’re being considered for a job. They have large databases of potential candidates whom they don’t engage with regularly.  This is a big mistake. Using AI, businesses can keep in communication with passive candidates by giving them content, suggesting jobs and sending them articles and tips on relevant topics.

With regards to GDPR, automation is also a means to notify candidates that you want to hold their personal information. Remember, candidates have the “right to be forgotten”.

2)    Cleanse Your Database

Businesses will always have to collect, store, and analyse data to succeed with their hiring.  When this process is undergone manually, especially on a large scale, it can create just as many problems as coherent, clean data can solve.

With the right automation, companies can streamline compliance tasks and data management. This can include anonymizing candidate records and updating job, candidate and company information. Decluttering databases in this way also helps by identifying outdated records and candidates without engagement activity.

Internal reminders are also an essential component of data collection. Companies can remind their hiring teams to send messages to new starters to get feedback on their well-being and work conditions. Unlike traditional recruitment methods, automation simplifies mass communication with candidates.

3. Keep your data organised

When businesses automate little tasks within their hiring platforms like adding notes and setting alerts and prompts, they create more time to build candidate relationships and interview the best people for the role. When many candidates start competing for many vacancies, this solution becomes invaluable for staying organised.

It also helps hiring teams establish when to set interview reminders and let applicants know whether they’ve been accepted or not. Importantly, if an offer falls through for whatever reason, an up-to-date database will provide companies with other suitable job seekers to quickly fill the vacant position.

4. Streamline Your Onboarding

The ability to automate paperwork eases some of the pain associated with onboarding talent. This is especially relevant if companies work across different industries and countries, where there are different laws on taxes and compliance. Businesses also have varying policies on harassment, pay, company benefits, culture, and many other aspects they want additional documentation on.

A well-defined and automated onboarding system tailors processes and mitigates recruitment risks. Back-office mistakes distract from employee productivity and carry the potential risk of fines or penalties.

5. Scale Up Your Marketing

Automated marketing campaigns via channels like email, mobile and social media are extremely useful. So is the ability to automatically personalise content to better resonate with segmented groups and ensure everyone receives relevant and interesting communication.

Companies should segment whom they want to reach via their marketing workflows and create lists. This will help them to target specific contacts with relevant content.

Workflows should engage prospective candidates in the short term but more critically they should establish sustained interaction with them. As a result, an organisation can expect improved engagement scores (and time-to-hire ratios) from candidates who are actively being nurtured, instead of those who aren’t.

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