Trust Your Candidate Database

You may not be aware, but there’s a good chance that you’re starting your recruiting process all wrong. When a new requisition comes across your desk – impulsively – the first thing you do is purchase job postings and then head on over to paid job boards to scour for talent. Once satisfied, you import the new batch of candidates into your recruiting database, fill out their profile, then contact them about your opportunity. But why not begin where you ended?

Start in your database.

You have tens – if not hundreds – of thousands of resumes already residing inside your CRM, so why not start the candidate search in your own backyard? When a new req opens, quickly run a detailed internal database search to see who you come across. After a quick assessment of the results, if quality choices are not found, you then can go to external job boards and source for new contacts.

Why backwards is better.

Cost savings. Don’t pay for job postings before you’ve vetted your talent pool first. The cost to post open jobs ranges anywhere from $25 all the way up to $500. The exact candidate you hope to find may already be living in your system, so why not start there… for free?

Beat others to the punch. Maybe a prospect is passively thinking about new opportunities but not to the point where they post their resume. Since no other recruiter knows they’re looking, you can be the first – and only – recruiter presenting them with new opportunities.

Faster. You won’t need to import their information, check for duplicates, and update your CRM before you contact your prospect because, you already have their information neatly organized in your database. Their information is ready to go. You just need to pick up the phone and give them a call.

Familiarity. Since they already reside in your system, there’s a high probability that they have been in touch with someone from your organization. By referencing the contact activity, you are given the tremendous advantage of being able to start the conversation with personal knowledge. This familiarity of their past will resonate greatly.

Next time a new opportunity needs to be filled, give it a shot and start your search with your own candidate database. After all, you have a wealth of viable talent under your nose. What do you have to lose?