Most recruiters waste up to a third of their week sourcing without a structured process only to miss out on great candidates and potential fees. In this competitive candidate market, you need to have an effective approach to candidate sourcing.
How can you engage more with your recruitment tech, data, systems, so you can nail candidate sourcing and improve your pipeline?
3 Ways to Improve Candidate Sourcing for Recruiters
I spoke with Ayla Tapper from Broadbean. They specialise in helping recruiters turbo boost the way they source, attract, and engage candidates and clients. I asked Ayla 3 questions about how recruiters can dramatically improve their candidate sourcing strategy to drive results.
1. What are your thoughts on the stat, recruiters spend 13 hours a week sourcing candidates?
I’d probably ask what admin they are wasting the rest of their time on if just under two days is being spent on sourcing candidates. While there will be time focussing on client relationships, spending just 13 hours a week sourcing candidates does suggest that recruiters are still spending a lot of time on administrative tasks including CV sifting and job posting.
With recruitment technology and software available to automate most of the mundane, repetitive tasks, recruiters should be able to invest more of their valuable time building meaningful relationships with candidates. With the UK in a recession while competition for talent remains high, freeing up some of this time is going to become more important.
2. 50% of candidate applications are a poor fit. Why is this the case?
There are a number of elements to this statistic that need to be addressed. In the first instance, the fact that there’s a mismatch between the job applications that are coming through and the job spec suggests the recruitment technologyor software that’s being used to promote the roles isn’t working as it should. Jobs need to be written in a way that appeal to the right audience. If the wrong people are applying – particularly at a time when there is still a skills shortage despite the slowdown in hiring – then it’s likely that the job advertisements themselves need a rethink.
It also indicates that any lead generation activity isn’t being optimised for the right keywords or target audiences. Today, recruitment requires an individual, tailored and targeted approach. The ‘spray and pray’ tactic of plastering a job advert everywhere won’t have the desired impact. Success isn’t getting more job applications. Instead, it’s defined by getting fewer, more relevant candidates to apply. With the right recruitment tech these ads can be pushed out in a more targeted manner and if half of the applications recruiters are receiving are a poor fit, then there’s a mis-alignment somewhere in this process.
It is important to add, though, that with skills shortages still rife, there is an increasing need to identify candidates with soft or transferable skills. It’s increasingly becoming apparent that the perfect candidate doesn’t always exist for very specific job specs, meaning that recruiters are having to look for applicants that meet some of the requirements in order to fill job roles. This could be influencing some of the results of the stat of 50%.
3. How can Broadbean help improve this stat - 73% of recruiters are suffering a candidate shortage?
It’s really not a surprise to see that the majority of recruiters are suffering from a candidate shortage given the pressure we’ve seen on the labour market in the last year. There’s no easy fix to the dearth of talent, but there are ways for recruiters to improve recruitment processes and use recruitment technology to free up a recruitment consultant’s time so they can focus on developing those all-important human relationships.
Broadbean’s technology can save recruiters between one to two hours a day by automating a significant part of the hiring process. The intelligent software is also designed to ensure jobs are being posted in real-time or at optimised times to ensure you’re getting the best results based on user experience candidate data.
Broadbean also provides the analysis and data recruiters need to ensure they are making truly informed decisions around the channels that are delivering the best ROI. As it is agile, it also allows activity to be re-adjusted or shifted in line with the latest real-time data.
Talking of Recruiters Improving Sourcing...
Our recruitment training platform - Recruitment HIIT - helps recruiters source quicker. We have a wealth of speedy recruiting tips designed to help recruiters reduce their sourcing time, including CRM sourcing and LinkedIn sourcing so you can source less and place more!
Plus, our Broadbean HIIT has cute tips on candidate sourcing, advertising your jobs and speedily managing your candidate pools so you can increase your placements and fees!
TRY RECRUITMENT HIIT FREE
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Recruiter Productivity Series: Optimise Bullhorn Part 1 ~ Engage, Nurture, Place, and Re-Place
Recruiters! I know that recruitment has never been so competitive— even your own clients are competing with you to place candidates!We're launching a new series of recruiter productivity webinars focussed on optimising your use of Bullhorn and driving speedier sourcing, recruitment, leads, sales, and commission! Part 1 is focussed on managing candidates.Let's show you some tips to engage with candidates effortlessly. Let's build stronger relationships using Bullhorn’s nurturing features: communicate, optimise, protect, PLACE! (And repeat!)REGISTER NOWBullhorn MythsIn today’s fast-paced recruitment world, having a powerful ATS/CRM is essential. It saves time, improves efficiency, and drives a profitable desk. But often, we hear:I use Bullhorn when I get a minute.Bullhorn is just a database, not a business growth tool.We have Bullhorn, but we’re not seeing a return on investment.The data is a mess, so I need to advertise and use LinkedIn too.These statements couldn't be more wrong…Bullhorn:💓 Can be your recruitment Buddy if you let it!😱 Reduces admin workload.💪 Keeps you organised.🕒Helps you source, sell, and place quickly!…and so much more when used effectively!Register Now for Our "Candidate Engagement" Bullhorn WebinarRecruitment leaders! Don’t invest in Bullhorn only to underutilise it and then wonder why you’re not getting results.Recruiters! Don’t create unnecessary "busyness" with messy data, inefficient workflows, and poor adoption, leading to a lack of return on effort (RoE).What You’ll Learn in Our Upcoming Bullhorn Optimisation Webinars:📌 23 April 2025: Engage with candidates effortlessly. Build stronger relationships using Bullhorn’s nurturing features: communicate, optimise, protect, PLACE! (And re-place!) Register Now📌 Date TBC: Leverage Bullhorn to source and track qualified candidates faster with less effort.📌 Date TBC: Maximise lead generation and improve conversion rates with smart Bullhorn strategies.📌 Date TBC: Optimise recruitment workflows for maximum efficiency and profitability.Whether you're new to Bullhorn or looking to refine your ATS/CRM strategy, this webinar series will provide you with actionable tips and real-world insights to immediately benefit your recruitment team.By the end of our 4 Bullhorn Optimisation sessions, you’ll have the tools and knowledge to:⏳ Save time (and sanity) and be more productive.🤝 Engage more candidates effectively.💸 Place candidates faster and increase your sales and commission.Don’t miss out! Register now to secure your spot in this free, must-attend event.We look forward to showing you how Bullhorn ATS/CRM can elevate your recruitment ROI (return on investment) and ROE (return on effort) and drive business growth!REGISTER NOWRecruitment and Bullhorn TrainingWe deliver the best live Bullhorn ROI webinar training, and you'll find other tips and tricks in Recruitment HIIT, our online recruitment training platform.Plus, through our Bullhorn Vision service we help generate serious ROI from your Bullhorn, data, and people.TRY HIIT FREE HERECONTACT US ABOUT BULLHORN ROI
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Protect Your Pipeline with this Antidote to Backdoor Placements
Backdoor placements are often an "invisible" pipeline killer. Yet they are also a great opportunity to recover lost revenue. Silver linings! Are you missing out on smashing target by not actively managing backdoor placements? 20 Years Ago, in a Land Far Away...In Lisa and my younger days (20 years ago), we created a report to track theoretical backdoors, and had a team calling candidates at the employer they'd recently had an interview with. If they answered, they were put through to the recruiter to begin recouping the lost fee.Surely time has moved on and there are more effective and tech-driven ways of doing this? Plus, surely recruiters are better at sales admin and relationship management now, so back doors are less common? I'm not so sure... If anything more data and tech has actually created a less robust process in many firms.Let’s explore why tracking backdoor placements is critical and how to implement best practices and technology for spotting and reducing them.The Financial Impact of Backdoor PlacementsWhen a candidate you’ve introduced to a client is hired without your knowledge or agreement on fees, you lose the fee. This often happens when terms of business aren’t adhered to, or when a client chooses to go behind your back. Consider this: one recruiter we’ve worked with reported uncovering at least one lost fee per consultant annually. For a team of 30 recruiters, that’s a staggering £150,000 in potential net revenue. In one instance, a single backdoor placement resulted in a recovered fee of £32,000. These numbers are too significant to ignore.Additionally, recruiters often spend resources sourcing candidates from external platforms instead of leveraging their databases. Tracking and addressing backdoor placements encourages better use of internal resources while ensuring you recapture fees rightfully owed to your business.Building Trust and Strengthening Your Recruitment ProcessClients: Actively managing backdoor placements helps you optimise your client relationships. Clients who circumvent your terms of business do not value your partnership. Using Bullhorn to flag these incidents creates transparency and helps you spend time on clients who value you.Candidates: Additionally, having a proactive backdoor placement management process complements your silver medalist strategy. Silver medalists are candidates who reached advanced stages of the recruitment process but were not placed. By regularly engaging these high-potential candidates through your tracking systems, you keep them warm for future opportunities while minimising your reliance on external sourcing.Best Practices for Managing Backdoor PlacementsTrack Every Interaction: Ensure your CRM system captures interview stages and outcomes, even for candidates rejected at early stages. Use detailed note types like “Rejected at Interview” or “Rejected at CV Send” to maintain a clear record.Standardise Your Terms: Attach your terms and conditions to every client communication. This ensures clients can’t dispute fees later and provides you with a reliable audit trail.Monitor Data Ownership: Many lost placements are tied to inactive users or former consultants. Assign ownership of these candidates to managers to maintain visibility and accountability.Automate to Remove Human Error: Implement automation to consistently track candidate progress and flag potential backdoor placements. This minimises manual errors and improves data integrity.Automation - The Antidote to Backdoor PlacementsDuring a recent Bullhorn Automation User Group, I was asked about my top 3 ways to use automation. Backdoor placement management is one of those 3 ways. These 2 automations are a must of you are set on prevention and pipeline maximisation:Interview Confirmation automation: If you already use these automations, add a notification step, x months after the interview date. Choose a timeframe which suits your sector the best.Check Past Interviews (Backdoor): If you don't use Interview Confirmation automation, create a stand alone automation that tracks the interview date and does not have placement. Add a wait step x months later to send a notification to your recruiter to check-in with the candidate and check they don't have a new job. You could even do what Lisa and I set up in a previous life and call the employer and ask to speak to the candidate. If they answer... bingo!Process and Tech Is KeyUse tech to prevent them.Use tech to spot them.The bottom line is that backdoor placements aren’t just about recovering lost revenue; they’re an opportunity to refine your recruitment strategy, strengthen client and candidate relationships, and ensure your systems are robust enough to thrive in a competitive market. Take control, and turn these challenges into wins for your recruitment / staffing agency.And if you need help on your processes, your data, and your Bullhorn adoption / ROI - call us - we can help.Automation and Bullhorn1stWe are Automation Buddies and Bullhorn Experts set on helping ambitious recruitment businesses who want to increase speed and sales.Automation: We coach to inspire, and build your automations so you can recruit and sell!Bullhorn: We optimise, train, and improve RoI from your key recruitment system.READ ABOUT OUR AUTOMATION BUDDY SERVICERead about our Bullhorn 1st Service
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