News from the Social Sourcing front:
Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting with several clients and prospects. In three of these visits, discussions got around to the state of Candidate defection within the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
Now full disclosure, I am a data wonk. I have worked for some of the largest and most successful data companies in the world, so I know my way around metrics, data alignment and how to build better Candidate experiences using what data is telling you.
So it wouldn’t be a surprise for me to have asked what is your specific Candidate defection rate within several of your key ATS pages. For example, what is the defection rate on your ATS main apply page, your application completion page or your submit application page?
Does your ATS enable Candidates to directly apply using they’re mobile and tablet devices?
It was during these Q&A sessions that I got some interesting, but really not surprising, answers. Here are 4 of them.
ü I recently checked my ATS defection rates from my Career ATS home page and it was over 60% of the applicants. I then only had 10% of Candidates moving through Apply process submitting the Application. I know I need to do something about this, but I don’t know what to do?
ü I don’t have the in-house resources to devote the necessary time to reviewing the defection metrics. I am afraid if I did, I wouldn’t like the answers I would be seeing. I know this is really not an answer.
ü We have looked at our metrics and we are not happy with them at all. We also know if we could improve them, the recruiting dollars would drop right down to our bottom line or give us more budget dollars for our department. Worse, our vendor is not helping us fix or optimize the defection pain we are seeing within the ATS.
ü We know the trend of Candidate application is moving to mobile, but our current ATS is not enabling Candidates to directly apply on the ATS platform.
So where would you stand if I asked your Recruiting Team questions like the above?
Would your answers be similar or different?
I would welcome your answers and to learn how you are addressing the ATS defection issue. I will then, in a subsequent blog, share your comments. Please send me an email at Jeff@sourcemob.com or call me at 612-349-2740 and I will also offer some advice and ideas to perhaps help you think things through.
Best,
Jeffery
Jeffery Giesener
CEO/Founder
SourceMob.com
612-349-2740
Twitter: @sourcemob
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jefferyjeffgiesener