Tips to get the right recruitment tech stack for your business

In recruitment, you often hear the term 'tech stack,' which is really just a fancy way of describing your end-to-end technology. Today, there are so many options out there that can automate just about every process, but the trick to getting your tech stack right is making smart investments that will make your life easier. Here is our guide to getting it right.

#1 Invest in a solid backbone

Your CRM, or ATS, as we often call it in recruitment, is the backbone of your tech stack. It’s where all your client data lives; as we often say – if it’s not in the CRM, it didn’t happen. It’s where everything starts, so it’s important to make sure you have the right one in place.

There are some great CRM/ATS platforms out there, and today, many of them have so many bells and whistles that it can be hard to determine which features you need and which will get in the way. One area to look at is how well the CRM/ATS integrates with other best-in-breed platforms.

Savvy software companies are realising that they don’t need to build all the functionality under the sun – they simply need to build a winning CRM solution that integrates with the right partners. It saves them from investing in areas outside classic CRM functions, and it allows you to build upon your CRM to create the stack you need.

#2 Keep an eye on rec tech trends

You don’t need to jump on every new piece of technology; however, keeping an eye on what’s emerging is essential for forward-thinking recruiters. Here are a few recruitment tech trends that I think will continue to grow in 2021, including:

· Chatbots – these have been around for some time, but they are just coming into their own. I’ve seen some great examples of this tech asking candidates intelligent pre-screening questions and even changing their questions in response to a candidate's answers. If you want to explore best-in-breed, take a look at Curious Thing.

· Predictive skill assessments – these can be a great way to take your hiring to another level, ensuring the candidate can do what they say they can. More than task assessments, the best tech can create simulated tasks specific to your role, compare candidates, and even give you intelligent insights into a candidate's performance. One to look at here is Vervoe.

· Online reference-checking – Ok, so of course I’d mention this one, but it’s with good reason! We created Referoo because, as recruiters, we could see what a pain in the proverbial traditional reference-checking is. It’s time-consuming, costly, and if you get a referee on the phone when they don’t have time to give it their attention, it can be a waste of your time and theirs. And something that doesn’t often get talked about – it’s open to fraud. That’s why Referoo, as a best-in-breed reference checking solution, has security in place to make sure the referee is who they say they are. You might be surprised by how many times our system catches references that aren't genuine.

#3 Look for tech partners

When we evaluate new tech, we often seek recommendations from our networks on the product, but we rarely ask about service and support – yet it’s one of the most critical parts.
You don’t want a tech provider who sells you on a product and, once you’ve stumped up the cash, never calls again. You want a partner who is going to support your business needs now and into the future.

You also want someone who is going to support you during the roll-out. When you are implementing new tech, it’s rarely going to occur without a few minor bumps along the way as it is adapted for your environment. You want a partner who will be there with you, anticipating and responding to any issues as they arise.

It’s something we are really passionate about at Referoo, and we're always proud when our clients comment on our partnership approach. Next time you ask for a tech recommendation – remember to make service and support part of the discussion too.

#4 Make the best possible use of free trials

Almost all software-as-a-service (SAAS) businesses offer free trials, and they are an excellent opportunity to get your people to use the product and give you feedback. It doesn’t matter how great you think a piece of tech could be for your business, if your consultants don't like it, they won't use it, and so it's not the right investment for you.

And on that note, remember that the best tech in your stack is likely the one you don’t hear about because it simply works, and your consultants, clients, and candidates are happy – that should be the end goal.

If you are looking at your tech stack in 2021, drop us a line to find out how Referoo could make your reference checking faster, easier, and more cost-effective. We have integrations with leading CRM/ATS platforms, and we are always adding to our stable of partners – so if you're interested in Referoo, but we don’t work with your CRM/ATS yet, talk to us, and we'll see what we can do to make it happen.