Do you want to take your recruiting to the next level? Then it is time to start operating an effective recruiting pipeline. Find out how to manage a recruiting pipeline now!

How to Manage a Recruiting Pipeline?

A recruitment pipeline keeps track of candidates throughout the hiring stages and gives recruiters information about each particular candidate. Using a pipeline has numerous benefits to your efficiency, daily tasks, and overall recruitment success. In this article, we will explore what a recruitment pipeline is, its benefits and how you can start managing one today!

What is a Recruitment Pipeline?

A recruitment pipeline is an organizational method that enhances the recruiting and hiring process. Each stage of the recruiting process is divided from application to initial screening, to interviewing, and finally to offering the candidate a role. Throughout the stages, recruiters can add or remove candidates, update their profiles, and include detailed information about the candidate and their performance during the process. Recruiters can turn the pipeline into a visual chart that will reveal what actions they need to take and the list of candidates in each stage of the recruiting process.

Why Use a Recruitment Pipeline?

Here are some of the key benefits that a recruitment pipeline can provide to an organization:

Enhanced Efficiency

When a recruiter contacts hundreds of different candidates, it can quickly become overwhelming. A pipeline helps recruiters keep track of every single candidate they are in touch with. Recruiters also have vital information about the candidates saved in the pipeline, which they easily access to inform their decisions.

Better Quality of Candidates

A recruitment pipeline helps recruiters quickly identify which candidates are suitable for a particular role based on the company’s goals and then dedicate resources to recruiting these individuals. A pipeline can also speed up the recruiting process because if an opening arises, recruiters can quickly search through the pipeline and find recruits who possess the exact experience and skills that a company is looking for.

How to Develop and Operate a Recruitment Pipeline?

Creating and operating a recruitment pipeline is easier than you think. Just follow these simple steps and start improving your recruiting process today! If you are looking for a specific example using software, check out recruiting pipelines at SignalHire.

1. Create Hiring Goals

The first step to setting up an effective pipeline is figuring out what the company is hoping to achieve in terms of recruitment. Is the company in desperate need of senior management? Do they need junior tech people, or do they want to completely build out an in-house customer support team? Before a company can establish a pipeline, they need to write down its specific recruiting goals.

2. Start Finding Candidates

A pipeline is useless if it is empty! To find viable candidates, you should leverage a number of different strategies. Here are some common places where you can find great candidates:

● Social media: You should be posting job openings on all of your company’s social media pages, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Remember to encourage your employees to share your new job openings on their social media profiles.
● Online job boards: Millions of users are trawling online job boards every single day. To tap into this talent pool, you should post a job ad that clearly explains the nature of the role and what your company is looking for. Make sure your ad is engaging to attract lots of applicants.
● Referrals: Referrals involve leveraging your current employees’ network to find new candidates. To incentivize your employees to make recommendations, you can offer bonuses to employees who refer candidates that accept roles.
● Networking events: Industry events are an effective way to meet recent graduates who are looking to build a career in the industry and also to find candidates for senior roles who are currently employed and not looking for new roles but can be persuaded.
● Recruitment databases: A great way to find candidates is to keep a list of every single candidate who has applied for a job at your company. When roles become available, you can pull up this database and quickly find candidates who have the relevant skills and experience.

3. Review Applications

After effectively sourcing candidates and getting them to apply for a role, it is time to view their resumes and cover letters. During this initial stage, you are just looking for candidates who tick the minimum boxes based on experience, education, and cultural fit. You want to progress a decent pool of candidates to the next round.

As for candidates who don’t meet your initial requirements, you can keep their profiles in your pipeline. You never know, in a few years’ time, you could re-engage them, or they might reapply and now be the perfect recruit for your role after gaining some relevant experience or undergoing additional training.

4. Reach Out To Candidates

Once you have progressed candidates to the next round, it is time to contact candidates. Typically companies will start with a screening call where the recruiter can have a brief chat with the candidate about their resume and goals and explain more about the role. If the screening call goes well, the recruiter can invite the candidate to a formal interview. Alternatively, the recruiter may not use a screening call and instead invite the candidate to sit an online test or have a pre-recorded video interview.

The goal of this stage is to establish if the candidate aligns with their resume and really meets the company’s minimum criteria. It is also important to start forming a relationship with the candidate during this stage. Recruiters need to realize that numerous companies are likely courting top candidates and recruiters need to go above and beyond to hire top performers.

5. Maintain Relationships

Once a recruiter is satisfied with candidates’ qualifications and they continue to move through the different stages of interviews and assessment centers, the relationship building should be turned up. For example, throughout the interview stages, you should appear open to candidates and invite them to ask you questions and offer your assistance. Your goal should be to make candidates feel welcomed and create a positive atmosphere where they could see themselves working.

Relationship building doesn’t stop if a candidate is rejected or does not take up your company’s offer. You should keep candidates in your pipeline and periodically check in with them. You never know when another role opens up; they may be the perfect candidate to take on the challenge!

Companies that effectively use recruitment pipelines have a major advantage over their competitors. They are able to identify high-quality candidates quickly and leverage new talent to achieve their organizational goals. If you are looking to streamline your hiring process, then implementing or enhancing your recruitment pipeline is a good place to start.