Sourcing is one of the most technologically advanced disciplines within the recruitment and HR space. It is essential that a sourcing department does on-going technology evaluations to keep pace with new innovations in the industry. Nikki Kemp, a recruitment marketing and technology guru from Adventist Health System, explains why technology evaluation is important for building a high-performing sourcing team, “The rise of digital and social media as a major form of communication has made available vast opportunities to connect with potential candidates. It is very important for organizations to invest in the right software that provides a stellar candidate experience while illuminating their employee value proposition.” Below you will find the steps for evaluating sourcing technology.
Step 1– How to Learn About New Technological Innovations
The very first step in evaluating sourcing technology is to learn about technological innovations. A good place to start is right here on SourceCon, where many talented members of our community share news about innovative technology. Sourcing conventions like SourceCon are another great place to learn about new and exciting tools. At SourceCon, presenters; vendors; and attendees are all good sources for learning about new and innovative tools. One of my go-to strategies is to network with other sourcing thought leaders to compare new innovations. Finally, some hidden technological gems can be found through giving a new vendor a chance. Over the years, I have had success working with new vendors before they became big names. As a result, I was years ahead of my competitors in using new sourcing innovation. LinkedIn and Indeed are two examples of vendors I used in their infancy.
Step 2 – Do Your Own Research
After learning about a new technological innovation, you should do your own research on the technology. It is a good idea to do lots of digging online when researching a new tool. Look for any negative reviews that would make you think twice about moving forward with the tool. Try to find information about company financials or financial backers to see how stable a vendor might be. Another recommendation, when researching a new tool, is to ask your industry contacts their opinions. You can save a lot of time by getting the straight goods from one of your peers about the viability of a new technological innovation.
Step 3 – Contact Vendors
After you have done the preliminary research on a tool; you should contact the vendor to set up a demonstration. During the demonstration, do not be afraid to ask questions. Some fundamental questions include: What is the market penetration of the tool? Is it past Beta stage? Who is currently using the tool? Are your competitors using the tool? What is the price? Have as many internal sourcing experts on the call as possible to get multiple opinions about the product.
Step 4 – Testing Stage
If the new technology looks promising; I would highly recommend asking the vendor for a short trial of their product. Most vendors concede as they want to get their products into users’ hands. For the testing trial, gather as many users as possible to test the tool and evaluate its effectiveness. After the trial, do analytics to determine how many submissions, offers, interviews, and hires came from the tool. Finally, estimate what the ROI per hire would have been if there was no free trial.
Step 5 -Implementing the Tool into Your Sourcing Team
Once you decide to add the new technology; it is important to find ways of implementing it into the current toolbox of your team. Some sourcers are creatures of habit and prefer to stick to the tools they know best. That being the case; it is highly recommended to sell the tool internally to your sourcing team–highlighting the benefits associated with it. Training is always recommended to ensure that new users will be proficient and adapt well to the new technology.
This is the final edition of a six part series on how to build a high-performance sourcing department. Please see links to the series here.