Unlocking Efficiency: How SMBs Can Use Recruiting Tools

Growing companies today don’t have time to waste. So for business owners, HR professionals, CEOs, or other hiring decision makers, it’s essential to unlock efficiencies where they can. Leveraging foundational recruiting tools to do this is a critical way to streamline hiring and get back time to run the business.  

From enhancing recruitment operations to opting for tools with automatic features, we’ve gathered 10 insights from HR and business leaders that reveal how different tools have brought specific benefits to their organizations.

• Cloud-Based ATS Optimizes Recruitment Operations
• Video Interviews Streamline National Hiring
• ATS Automates Candidate Screening
• Resume Parsing Accelerates Candidate Selection
• Applicant Tracking Platform Boosts Constant Recruitment
• ATS Halves Time-to-Hire
• Toggl Hire Offers Flexible Video Screening
• AI-Powered Resume Analysis Removes Unconscious Bias
• Skill Assessment Tools Improve Hire Quality
• Opt For Tools with Automatic Features

Cloud-Based ATS Optimizes Recruitment Operations

In my capacity as CHRO for a small- to medium-sized business, one standout example of effectively using a recruiting tool to streamline our hiring process involved the implementation of a cloud-based Applicant Tracking System (ATS). This tool significantly optimized our recruitment operations by automating several key tasks, such as job posting distribution across multiple platforms, resume filtering based on specific keywords and criteria, and candidate communication management.

The specific benefits were multifold. First, the ATS reduced the administrative burden on our HR team, allowing them to focus more on engaging with potential candidates rather than managing paperwork. This led to a more personalized recruitment experience, which is crucial in a competitive job market. Secondly, it improved our hiring speed, enabling us to fill positions faster and reduce the costs associated with prolonged vacancies. Lastly, it enhanced our ability to track and analyze recruitment metrics, helping us continuously refine our hiring strategies and improve overall recruitment effectiveness.

Steven Mostyn, Chief Human Resources Officer, Management.org

Video Interviews Streamline National Hiring

One tool we use that has been a huge help in streamlining our hiring process is a video-interview platform, which allows for both one-way and two-way interviews. We’re a national organization that has multiple offices across Canada, and this often means that our key leaders aren’t all in the same office at the same time.

In the past, this made it very challenging to schedule interviews for roles where multiple members of the leadership team were involved in the decision-making process. Often, we would solve this by having multiple interview rounds, which made the hiring process longer than it needed to be and was more time-consuming for the candidates.

Using this software allows us to conduct interviews more efficiently. If the entire team can’t be present, the interview can be recorded so everyone can still evaluate the candidate from the same information.

The option of one-way interviews also allows us to integrate an interview earlier in the hiring process, giving us more insight into candidates’ communication style and personality when we’re making our decisions about whom to move forward through the process. Overall, this software has helped us to make better hiring decisions more quickly than in the past.

Matt Erhard, Managing Partner, Summit Search Group

ATS Automates Candidate Screening

As a growing marketing agency, we felt overwhelmed sifting through resumes for open positions. Our applicant tracking system (ATS) saved the day. By automatically screening candidates based on set criteria, it weeds out unqualified applicants and streamlines communication.

This allows us to focus on high-potential candidates and has dramatically reduced our time spent on initial screening — a huge win for our small-business hiring. Now, we can dedicate more time to in-depth interviews and building a strong company culture.

Manobal Jain, Founder, Trainerfu

Resume Parsing Accelerates Candidate Selection

At our company, we found resume parsing to be a game-changer. A while back, we struggled to quickly sift through a growing pile of applications. Once we implemented resume parsing into our recruiting tool, everything changed.

The software swiftly scanned and categorized resumes, highlighting key skills and qualifications. This sped up our hiring process significantly. In one instance, we filled a crucial marketing role in under two weeks — a position that would have taken over a month before.

The efficiency not only saved us time, but also ensured we didn’t miss out on top talent. Our team was able to focus on interviews rather than manual screening, boosting overall productivity.

Lucas Botzen, Founder, Rivermate

Applicant Tracking Platform Boosts Constant Recruitment

I have learned from many of my home service clients in the HVAC, plumbing, etc., world that in order to succeed in home services, you need to be constantly recruiting. As part of the A Place At Home franchise, they offer us an applicant tracking system that streamlines our hiring. 

It offers several benefits, from having the job descriptions integrated on our websites to constantly updating and redistributing our job listings to multiple websites like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and others.

They also offer the ability to send automated processes to move people along the hiring process, including moving from application to initial screen, secondary screen, and interviews. I especially love the ability to ask candidates to respond to an interview question via video.

Bryan Eisenberg, Co-Owner, A Place At Home – North Austin

ATS Halves Time-to-Hire

In my experience, I’ve learned that investing in the right recruiting tools is crucial for scaling up hiring efficiently. In my experience, leveraging a streamlined applicant tracking system (ATS) brought tremendous benefits to our organization.

When we implemented our ATS, it allowed us to manage the entire hiring workflow in one centralized platform. The structured pipelines helped us keep candidate profiles organized and move them smoothly through the process. With customizable scorecards and structured interviews, we could evaluate applicants consistently across all roles. Integrations with our calendar tools also automated scheduling to keep things moving quickly.

Overall, the ATS cut our time-to-hire nearly in half. It gave us the infrastructure to scale up rapidly while maintaining a structured, metrics-driven approach. The right ATS brings speed, consistency, and organization to the hiring process — invaluable assets for a growing SMB.

Sunaree Komolchomalee, Head of HR, Cupid PR

Toggl Hire Offers Flexible Video Screening

I’m deeply involved in the design and use of our own tools, which we leverage extensively to streamline our hiring processes. Here is a distinct way we’ve successfully used our recruiting tool to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in hiring.

We use video interviewing capabilities to conduct initial screening interviews. This feature allows candidates to record answers to preset questions on their own time. Our hiring managers can review these video submissions at their convenience, which is not only more efficient, but also allows for a more flexible scheduling approach that respects both the candidates’ and the hiring managers’ time.

Using video interviewing has broadened our access to a wider talent pool, especially in remote locations, by removing geographical barriers. This capability has not only expanded our reach, but also helped us to include more diverse candidates, which has enriched our team dynamics and brought in fresh perspectives crucial for innovative thinking.

Alari Aho, CEO and Founder, Toggl Inc

AI-Powered Resume Analysis Removes Unconscious Bias

We use software that helps us analyze resumes with the help of AI as a recruitment tool in our hiring process. It has proved to be very beneficial in saving time on reading resumes and comparing them to find the best candidates. Even if there are hundreds of resumes, it does it perfectly by matching the criteria and keywords.

The best part is that it is accurate and doesn’t overlook any candidates. This ensures we don’t miss out on talented potential candidates. Also, there is no unconscious bias involved, so whatever results it gives are fair and match our expectations.

This way, we don’t have to focus on checking resumes, and the first step gets done easily. Our hiring team focuses more on conducting interviews and analyzing the assessment tests to ensure that any candidate we hire suits our preferences.

David Weisselberger, Founding Partner, Erase The Case

Skill Assessment Tools Improve Hire Quality

At Tech Advisors, we implemented a skills assessment tool to enhance our hiring process. This tool offers a wide range of pre-employment screening tests, including aptitude, personality, skills, and emotional intelligence assessments. By integrating it with our applicant tracking system, we streamlined our candidate evaluation process, ensuring a better match between applicants and job profiles.

The solution allowed us to predict job performance more accurately and improve hire quality. For example, we noticed a 25% reduction in employee turnover within the first year of using the tool. This was largely due to the better alignment of candidate capabilities with job requirements, leading to more satisfied and well-performing employees.

The customizable job profiles and comprehensive suite of assessments provided enabled us to tailor our recruitment process to our specific needs.

Konrad Martin, CEO, Tech Advisors

Opt For Tools with Automatic Features

Ling recently switched our ATS for hiring purposes to a new solution that is automated and seamless. Preivously, we had no option to automate things, requiring lots of redundant copying and pasting.

Our new tool has allowed all stakeholders in the hiring process to streamline where the candidate is in the hiring process and categorize them accordingly. It’s also more transparent and easy to find pertinent information related to each hire.

Jarir Mallah, Human Resources Manager, Ling