Recruiters: Struggling with Your Online Job Application System?

A Salesforce Solution Streamlines the Job Application Process and Helps Recruiters Track Their Goals  

Problem & Background

Prospective realtors were finding the correct office and recruiter for a major American real estate company. Although the online application system had been adequate in the department’s early days with a limited number of offices and recruiters, it had become inefficient as the team grew substantially and needed to support more offices. With over 600 offices across the country and thousands of applicants looking to find the right one, the existing platform limited their choices and wasn’t always accurate. In some cases, candidates were routed to offices over an hour away. Applicants  as if there were no personal connection to the company.

Part of the problem was that the system’s geography originally had been set up in terms of “district hubs” as opposed to cities or towns. Unbeknownst to applicants, a hub could have several cities within it and be serviced by multiple recruiters. When applicants selected the wrong district hub, a recruiter for the incorrect  be prompted to contact them, which muddled the process. Plus, the system couldn’t filter out unqualified applicants, so when recruiters reached out, they could be spending time on someone who shouldn’t have been considered in the first place.

Even the term “district hub” didn’t convey the desired tone. Potential agents didn’t want to feel like they were applying to a giant service center. They wanted to work as realtors from a hometown office. Changing the terminology was also in order to better reflect the culture of the genial work environment.

The recruiting department for the real estate brokerage realized they needed to update their approach to improve the application experience. They also were hoping to add extra functionality that would allow recruiters to track their goals.

The Vertex Solution

Vertex recognized that with so many offices for candidates to apply to, the client needed an intuitive, simple display that could pinpoint the exact location an applicant intended. The solution was an interactive map that allowed potential agents to enter their zip codes. This Salesforce functionality completely changed the user experience. By quickly selecting the correct office and indicating their legitimacy as a realtor, candidates initiated a series of protocols that put the right recruiter in touch with a qualified applicant. The system eliminated missteps by dismissing unqualified candidates and routing good leads to the right office and recruiter. That was a big win, saving significant time.Now, when the application comes through, the recruiters know exactly which office and manager the candidate needs to be in touch with. This allows for efficient calls and a streamlined process.

Delivering Value Beyond Basic Expectations

Although Vertex specializes in custom IT solutions, the company’s ability to understand broader business perspectives allows for enhancements beyond the original project scope. In this case, the map and zip code functions were the starting point. Another welcome benefit was a cost reduction to a job board. Indeed, Monster, ZipRecruiter, and other job boards, often charge by the click. Because the new Salesforce form integrated how it was fed to these boards, our client slashed fees to one agency by nearly half.

An additional enhancement is a tracking tool on recruiters’ dashboards. Recruiters set goals over periods of time, and they want to know how well they are tracking against those goals. Vertex’s system displays individual goals and progress toward them. Plus, recruiters can see how they’re tracking against the rest of the team.

On a final note, the system was installed much faster than expected. The job was expected to take between 3-4 months, but Vertex completed the project in about four weeks.

Benefits and Results

• Intuitive online map and zip code functionality allows candidates to quickly select the right office to apply to.
• Only qualified applicants are routed to a recruiter (unqualified candidates are dismissed).
• Quality leads have nearly doubled in the first six months of use. Consequently, rate of affiliations of qualified applicants have gone up significantly.
• Job board fees have been significantly reduced.
• All applicant information is stored in one place.
• Recruiters’ dashboards show their goals and how they are tracking toward them.
• The easy-to-use system has been embraced by the organization.