What to look for when choosing your recruitment software 2013

Everything changes

The recruitment industry changes every day. New ways of recruiting pop up and different apps and technology appear out of nowhere to help you find thousands of candidates you can only dream about and you can recruit for just about everything.

And yet through all the changes and newness something has remained the same – the use of recruitment software. Be it a small agency in a small town or a huge corporation working across the globe, recruitment software is a must have in the recruitment cycle. But as much as it can be a huge help it can also be a huge hindrance.

But some things stay the same

Over my 15 years in the recruitment industry I’ve faced so many problems and issues with software that added so much unnecessary stress to day-to-day life. Members of staff were often frustrated and demotivated and I became fed up with software after software creating the same problems, that it got me thinking, surely there’s a solution to all of this?

What to look for

So, what makes truly great recruitment software? After years of trying and testing, I’ve come up with what I think every recruitment agency should look for when choosing recruitment software.

Speed- good recruitment software needs to be fast and be able to keep up with the busy demands that your business brings.

Easy to use- you need software that everyone can use instantly, training should be straightforward and uncomplicated.

Compatible- your software needs to be compatible with the type of equipment you use and as we all use a wide variety of devices these days, ideally it should be cross-plaform and cross-browser.

Accessible- your software needs to be able to be accessed by all of your team wherever they are.
Up to date with technology- with all the different ways to recruit, your software should be able to incorporate these new channels and opportunities i.e. connect with LinkedIn, post to social media sites etc.

Enhances your workflow- your choice of software should allow you to do everything you need to do without leaving the application, be it sending emails to candidates or clients to searching and sending CV’s.

Customised to your needs- if you need something specific within your software, your software should be able to be changed and customised to your needs.

So that’s my must-haves for recruitment software, you may agree or you may have others that you think should be up there but one thing I think everyone will agree on, when looking for or choosing your software it needs to fit in with your business. If it isn’t exactly what you’re looking for don’t go for it. Take your time and really look into and research what it is your business needs. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you want when looking, this will all help in the search and elimination of software choices that aren’t for you.

Your recommendations?

Let me know what you think of the list above and your recommendations for what makes great recruitment software.