Professional recruiters and executive search consultants are like anybody else. They want to work more quickly and more efficiently so they can be more productive and make more money. Of course, for a professional recruiter, making more money is all about the placements. Placing candidates at their client companies is how they get paid. So it only makes sense that they want to make as many placements as they can in the shortest amount of time possible. (Without any fall-offs, of course.) This is where executive search software enters the picture.
After all, once upon a time, there was no Internet. I know . . . perish the thought. But it’s true. And without the Internet and even (gasp!) computers, professional recruiters—known as “headhunters” back in those days—used a rolodex and/or a filing cabinet for their contacts.
But of course, the Internet (and the invention of recruiting software) changed all of that.
What is executive search software?
There are different types of recruiters in the employment marketplace, and as a result, there are different types of recruiting software packages. Executive search software is for professional recruiters, also known as agency recruiters, search consultants, or executive search consultants. As a result . . .
Executive search software is an online recruitment system for professional recruiters that allows them to store very specific and sensitive information about both job candidates and clients, search that information based upon a number of targeted criteria, and use that information to streamline and optimize the placement process. Because of course, when you do that, you can make more placements. And when you make more placements, you make more money.
The main way that executive search software helps professional recruiters streamline the placement process is through the saving of time. That’s because recruiters can schedule and automate tasks within the software, freeing them up to focus on those tasks that will help them close more deals. Recruiting is definitely a “people profession.” After all, there are people on both ends of the sale.
Consequently, relationships are critically important. Professional recruiters and search consultants would rather be on the phone talking with job candidates and clients, rather than being “buried” in their software all day. The best executive search software packages are powerful yet simple to use, allowing recruiters to get more done in less time and spend more time building relationships and making placements.
ATS software for executive search
The true power of executive search software lies in its ability to track and management job candidates, making it an exceptional applicant tracking system (ATS). That’s because ATS software for executive search helps professional recruiters find the right candidates in the least amount of time. As mentioned above, the old days of using rolodexes and filing cabinets are over. Recruiting software provides a high degree of automation that not only helps search consultants find the right candidates, but also helps them to guide those candidates through the placement process.
The bottom line is that executive search software should no longer be considered a luxury. Far from it; it’s a necessity for professional recruiters and search consultants who want to thrive in this current market. Success in recruiting is all about building relationships with candidates and managing them, and this is where applicant tracking systems offer tremendous value. There are three main areas in which ATS software helps recruiters accomplish these objectives:
Adding job candidates to the database
You can’t place top candidates until you get their information into your applicant tracking system, and the best executive search software packages give you options for adding data. I mean, who wants to manually input data all day? Nobody, that’s who. Instead, you can use automated solutions for data entry which will save you time and energy on your recruiting desk. Win-win!
Searching for job candidates in the database
Getting candidates into your applicant tracking system is the first step. However, you’ll need to find their records when you need to . . . and you’ll need to find them quickly. ATS software for executive search allows you to filter effortlessly through your database to find candidates with the specific criteria for which you’re looking. In fact, you can search on a number of individualized criteria, including education, experience, skills, and geographic location to name just a few.
Managing the right candidates during the placement process
Adding candidates, searching for the right ones . . . we’re almost there. Where, you ask? To the point where you do something with those candidates for the purpose of placing them! For example, you need to know which stage of the placement process the candidate is in, so that you can make the most informed decision regarding your next course of action. Recruiting, as they say (whoever “they” are) is “a game of inches.) Speed is essential, and the right executive search software can help you work more quickly to beat the competition.
Executive search software features
However, if you want to make more placements and more money as a professional recruiter, then you need more than a basic ATS system. You need the best executive search software package, one that has upper-level features designed source top candidates, communicate with those candidates, and engage those candidates for the purpose of recruiting them for your clients’ job openings.
Below are software features for executive search that will help you do just that:
Automated data entry
As mentioned earlier, nobody likes to do manual data entry. The best executive search software provides better options in the form of robust features such as a Data Parser, an Email Parser, and even a Bulk Data Importer. If the software does not have these features, then the software is not for you.
Job posting capabilities
The best executive search systems also possess an integrated process by which you are able to post your premium employment opportunities to some of the biggest and most popular job boards. The advantage of this feature is obvious: your jobs will get more exposure. But wait, there’s more! When job candidates apply for those jobs, their information is automatically added to your database. It’s another win-win!
Scheduling activities
Automation is a critical part of any ATS software for executive search, because the more automation you have, the more time you can save. The goal is to effectively track candidates throughout the entire placement process, and scheduling activities helps you to do that more accurately, while at the same time building and maintaining those all-important candidate relationships.
Notes
The ability to add Notes and Comments to your executive search software database is beneficial to your agency’s entire team. That’s because every team member is able to see what has happened in the placement process, including the line of communication to that point. This reduces the chances of miscommunication, which reduces the chances that something will “slip through the cracks” and a placement opportunity will be wasted.
Email marketing
The ability to send emails is important for professional recruiters and executive search consultants. The best and most popular applicant tracking systems allow their users to email job candidates, both individually and in a mass format, to keep them apprised of premium employment opportunities.