Understanding Candidate Relationship Management

The professional world is built on relationships. Maintaining the strength of these relationships is just as important between employers and job seekers as it is between coworkers or business partners. This is what candidate relationship management is about, and the right tools can help.

The Core Concept

One particularly hot topic in recruitment today is the candidate experience. The better the experience you create for the talent you’re seeking, the better your efforts will pan out. We can think of candidate relationship management as a major practical application of candidate experience as a concept. In essence, CRM is the process of maximizing the quality of the connection between you and the job seekers you may ultimately recruit. When conducted effectively, CRM practices allow you to communicate consistently with candidates, keep them engaged with your brand, and cultivate a sterling image for yourself as their potential employer.

CRM Software

There’s a wealth of platforms out there that serve as sophisticated CRM toolboxes, such as Smashfly, Yello, Avature, and Talemetry. Some CRM tools are centered around the inbound marketing-adjacent aspects of candidate experience such as employer branding, while others operate as suites for scheduling, video interviewing, email campaigns, and more. In order to maximize efficiency, you’ll find that automation, custom workflows, and segmentation functions will play key roles in many forms of CRM software. As one might expect, they frequently double as applicant tracking systems for keeping tabs on and re-engaging past applicants.

Why It Matters

When you look at things from the perspective of the job seeker, it’s easy to see why CRM is such an important part of maintaining a candidate experience that will secure the right talent. As Officevibe has indicated, 66% of potential hires want direct interaction with employees in order to gain better insight into a company, and candidates are twice as likely to engage with cold emails if they have a preexisting relationship with the brand reaching out to them. Combine this with the fact that over 75% are passive candidates and it becomes clear: All employers should take an active role in creating quality relationships with the professionals they hope to hire.

By connecting talented job seekers to truly great businesses and helping entrepreneurs build stronger teams, Summit Search Group has become one of the leading employment agencies across Canada. Contact us today to find out how we can help you attain your recruitment goals.

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