Recruiters know only too well the pain of scheduling interviews. A position becomes available, applications come in, and the most suitable candidates are chosen. So far, so simple.

Then the time comes to find interview slots that work for everyone. That’s when things get messy.

  • I can do 3-5pm on the 14th.
  • I’m out all day on the 14th, how’s the 12th?
  • I’m busy in the afternoon on the 12th, but could maybe do the morning if I move some things around?
  • Morning of the 12th isn’t great for me, actually. Did we discuss the 14th?

And on and on it goes.

Email tag: A drain on time and resources

Welcome to the world of email tag, a game recruiters play often but never seem to win. It’s the endless back-and-forth that comes with trying to nail down a time to conduct interviews.

It can be a hassle two colleagues are trying to get on the same page. That’s before taking into account the availability of candidates, hiring managers, and anyone else involved.

Scheduling interviews involves a lot of moving parts. It takes time to align them. Apply that time across an entire organization and you’re left with worrying amounts of wasted energy, resources, and productivity.

Top recruiters’ time is precious. They would like to spend as much of it as possible sourcing the best candidates and matching them to the most exciting positions.

The reality? 56% of recruiters spend more than a full working day scheduling interviews for a single vacancy.

Keeping up with an evolving workforce

To be successful in recruitment, as with any business today, companies need to stay agile, be open to change, and adapt to advances in technology and new trends in the job market.

Nearly 80% of job seekers now find positions using online resources. For most people on the job hunt, the internet is the first port of call, especially for younger generations who have grown up with technology.

Given millennials already represent 50% of the workplace – and will account for 75% by 2030 – allowing applicants to book interviews through applications or on social media is becoming less of an option for recruitment agencies, and more of an essential.

Thankfully, the process of digitizing your interview scheduling is easier than you might think. Introducing online booking software for recruitment. 

Online booking software for recruitment: Seamless scheduling for candidates and recruiters

Many recruitment agencies are turning to online booking systems to take the pain out of the interview scheduling process.

Booking systems automatically sync with the calendars of anyone involved in the interview process, and online booking tools can be embedded into any web-enabled platform, allowing recruiters to share their live availability with candidates via a job portal, social media page, or a simple hyperlink in an email.

Candidates are empowered to choose the interview time that suits them, and can do so on any device, anywhere. Custom questions can be added to the booking flow, helping recruiters to pre-screen candidates.

Once the interview is scheduled, recruiters can even trigger automated multi-channel reminder and follow-up messages, via email and SMS, to encourage candidates to attend their interview and decrease the likelihood of a no-show.

Best of all, online booking systems help everyone involved in the interview process – recruiters, candidates, hiring managers – get on the same page, ending the dreaded email tag before it begins.

You’re it.

Published on 20 December 2019