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Every recruitment leader I speak to wants stronger pipelines, speedier placements, accountable recruiters, and more sales!
But often at least one of these 4 elements is a struggle. Here are my thoughts to help recruitment leaders connect their tech, people, data, and process to drive revenue.
Running a Recruitment Business Is a Struggle?
I often see recruitment businesses suffering:
Too much data, not enough information.
Too many applicants, not enough candidates.
Too many jobs, not enough placements.
Too many systems, not enough process.
This creates unnecessary lag, enables your competitors to win, and limits sales.
Now is the time to seriously accelerate effective tech adoption and improve recruiter performance.
But with world events, economic frustrations, tech evolving at an accelerated rate, and "new normal" changing every day, how do you do this?
1. Recruitment Tech: All the Gear, No Idea?
Technology can and should free up your recruiters and drive your business, but perhaps due to:
Massively distracting market conditions and world events.
WFH, hybrid, remote working.
... you're investing in tech which delivers little ROI, and may even be seen by your team as sales-prevention technology? Adoption is poor, and if you have 20 staff, you have 20 different ways of delivery.
For example, as part of one of our Bullhorn ROI projects my team reviewed a 25-person recruitment business with a tech stack costing £150k+.) The business wanted to be more effective at attracting, sourcing, engaging, converting, and retaining. They had some great tech, lots of data, and passionate recruiters… but poor adoption and no "way".
Tech has a job to do. Be clear on what that is and work to realise your expectations. But be careful not to spite yourself by turning tech off that hasn't been adopted correctly.
2. People: The Problem in Between the Chair and the Keyboard?
Are you suffering from PIBKAC?
Are your recruiters engaging with tech, driving sales, consulting in their space, or simply administrating?
Is your culture geared up to get the best from your people? Or does it drive PIBCAK?
Ask yourself - Is your recruitment training:
Induction and "off you go" (high failure rate).
Designed for robots - "they've been told once and need to remember" (hope is not a strategy).
Continuous and part of your culture - they are only human and need constant development.
Hint - point 3 is the most successful antidote to PIBKAC. If you're struggling to adopt tech and drive sales, think about what you need to do to eradicate PIBCAK. Continuous training is way cheaper than very little training resulting in lots of missed opportunities and high attrition.
3. Data: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
What state is your data in?
Do you make money from it, or do you need to spend money finding it?
Do you have to advertise your jobs and waste cash on LinkedIn Recruiter to find candidates that you likely already have?
Are your recruiters data / community managers or just data collectors and hoarders? Is FOMO driving poor trust / data health / ROI?
Or is your Bullhorn system "1st" for sourcing and sales? Have you automated the administration and dirty data out of your business so your recruiters can thrive?
4. Process: Develop and Drive Your "Way"
What is your process? What is your "way"?
If you have 20 staff, do you have 20 ways?
If someone new joins do they find it easy to deliver your way, or is it not clear enough?
Does your tech and training drive your way, or contradict it?
Are you using automation to enable your way?
Is your process aligned with how tech has evolved and how the recruitment market has changed? Or is your recruitment and sales process reliant on the good will and skills of a few naturally gifted high performers?
Recruitment Leaders! Within a Year You Could...
Now's the time to review your tech, people, data, and process.
Perhaps take one workflow at a time and tighten it up, or even innovate it. (My team can help you do this via a Bullhorn ROI project.)
Take each workflow and spend a couple of months driving it. How much more could you bill if you are smarter with your sourcing, BD, account management, and candidate management?
Start now, and within a year you could have it nailed!
Imagine what your business would be like now if you'd started this a year ago.
Imagine how you'll feel in a year if you don't do anything...
Bullhorn ROI + Trained Happy Recruiters = More Sales
We help recruitment leaders achieve Bullhorn ROI. We create a Bullhorn1st vision, reduce the need for other tech, optimise Bullhorn, and train recruiters to trust it and use it.
Arrange a Free Consultation Now
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Rose Megson
Blog
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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Wayne Barclay
Blog
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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Rose Megson
Webinar
Recruiter Productivity Series: Optimise Bullhorn Part 1 ~ Engage, Nurture, Place, and Re-Place
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Wayne Barclay
Webinar
Automation RoI Webinar Series: Unlock Bullhorn Part 1 ~ Generate Leads and Revenue
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Wayne Barclay
Webinar
Automation ROI Webinar Series: Data = Clean and Monetised! Part 2
