Picking the right recruitment software

Picking recruitment software can be challenging. The range of software available can be overwhelming and it's hard to know what features you need, how much to spend and which recruitment software is best suited to your organisation and your staff.

After over 25 years of providing recruitment software to market leaders, FastTrack has acquired a wealth of specialist knowledge about picking the best recruitment software partner. FastTrack is built by market-leading agencies, for market-leading agencies - and so we have an in-depth understanding on how important the agency-software relationship is.

Want the ultimate guide to selecting the best recruitment software for your business? Get it for free here.

Why selecting the best recruitment software is crucial

When it comes to selecting recruitment software for your agency, there are a few things to keep in mind. It can be hard to know which features you need, how much to spend and which software is best suited to both your business, and your staff. As your company expands, a reliable system that grows with you and helps you take on more clients and candidates more efficiently, becomes increasingly critical to your business’ success.

After over 25 years of providing recruitment software to the market leaders in the staffing industry, FastTrack has acquired a wealth of specialist knowledge about the process staffing agencies go through when picking the best recruitment software partner. FastTrack360 software is built by market-leading agencies, for market-leading agencies – and so we have an in-depth understanding on how important the agency-software relationship is. The right recruitment software can be the difference between success and failure, so finding the right one is key.

What are my business goals when it comes to recruitment software?

It's tempting to get lost in all the shiny, new software that is available to you when selecting a new program. However, FastTrack has been through hundreds of software implementation processes, and we've learnt that it is critical you have a clear idea of your business goals before you start, otherwise you can end up selecting a shiny new software that doesn't do what you want.

Here's how to set clear business goals when selecting software. Keep the answers to the questions in this article in mind throughout the entire process to make sure you don't lose track of your goals. This way, your decision-making process is structured and regimented, rather than becoming long-winded.

Plus, to help you even further...

Download our free whitepaper on the 3 questions you should ask when completing your business review.

How you should select your provider

1. Find and Filter

Put together an extensive list of all suitable recruitment software providers that service your market, leveraging each resource you have available to you such as:

Internet search - Check out the websites people use to review software (such as Capterra) to get unbiased opinions.

Contact industry bodies - Often, people will have invaluable recommendations.

Tap into your network - What software do those around you use?

Speak to your employees - They are a great free resource, who can give you an honest or genuine insight into what the reality of using some of those providers at previous workplaces.

2. Short list

The fastest, and best, approach to short listing recruitment software providers is working out which ones that cannot supply functionality you have marked as critical. This can be done by submitting a Request For Information (or RFI) to the remaining providers outlining key functionality.

3. Scenario Mapping

Many software sales people will have a process they go through when demonstrating. This will most likely include promoting the capabilities of their company, showcasing the power of their system and then answering your questions. It is best to have three to five common scenarios your business would face on a regular basis and ask how the software would address this.

4. Scoring

This involves getting stakeholders together to mark each provider based on key criteria.

5. Review

It's now time to finalise and review scores for each provider. This is an important step that ensures you get the right software provider.

To get started:

Bring the key stakeholders together with their scores.
Create one spreadsheet per recruitment software provider and add the scores for each criteria and feature from each stakeholder.
Create a total score for each recruitment software provider.
Go through the areas that you have marked as critical.
Provide time for debate, then allocate a final score.

Why you need to choose software you can't outgrow

Growth should mean more revenue, more profit, a higher calibre of clients and a brighter future for your business and employees. However, growing a business often causes more difficulty than it’s worth if not managed and planned properly.

In fact, 41 per cent of businesses fail because of inadequate cash flow, and 42 per cent fail because of poor strategic management, according to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission. These are both problems that often plague growing organisations.

To grow your business intelligently, without the risk of cash flow shortages and business failure, you need the right tools from day one.

Question

What questions to ask before picking a potential recruitment software provider?

Self-assessment is crucial when it comes to picking a potential recruitment software provider. After having met with each vendor, you can ask yourself the following questions to ensure you're focusing on what really matters.

How well does the software and provider fit your business?
Can they meet the majority of your critical processes per the scoring process?
Were the people you dealt with professional and supportive?
Did they understand the staffing industry and your business?
Is the software used by businesses like yours?
Will the software and provider help you achieve your goals?
Has the software and provider helped similar businesses achieve their goals?
Will you get best-practice advice from the people involved to help you improve your processes as you upgrade?
Does the business case make sense?
Do you have a rough idea on how much time and money is spent on your current processes?

This way, you can ensure you've conducted a thorough review.

Want the full guide to selecting the best recruitment software for your business?

After over 25 years of providing recruitment software to the market leaders, FastTrack has acquired a wealth of specialist knowledge about the process staffing agencies go through when picking the best recruitment software partner. FastTrack is built by market-leading agencies, for market-leading agencies – and so we have an in-depth understanding on how important the agency-software relationship is.

To share the knowledge and help you, we've put together a free, downloadable and comprehensive guide on how to select the best recruitment software for your business.

What costs are involved with recruitment software?

cost Once you've reached this stage, you should have a clear idea on your goals for investing in software, have been through a level of due diligence to create a shortlist, reviewed the various solutions and scored each on their ability to meet your critical needs.

Now it's time to review pricing - how much the software will cost . Find out the key investments to upgrading your business.

What to expect when implementing recruitment software

cogs tools Implementing new software is a great opportunity to review your current business processes. Plus, good recruitment software partners can help with guidance on best-practice to streamline your business from working with the leading recruitment providers to help make your business more profitable, easier to grow or more appealing for acquisition. That's why it's important to select a vendor that has a team specializing in business transition to work closely with you.

Learn how to set yourself up for success with a good vendor:

Picking the Right Recruitment Software

Everything you need to know.

Why selecting the best recruitment software is crucial

What are the signs your agency needs new recruitment software

Are spreadsheets killing your business?