Faced with explosive growth, one company recently used the Internet to attract job candidates, allowing them to quickly apply for jobs using the company's web site.

An established financial firm based in the United States planned a significant expansion of its Canadian operation, which included hiring 1,500 new recruits over an 18-month period. Successful candidates had to qualify by completing an extensive telephone screening process with a third party. The company asked for help to develop a plan to direct enough potential candidates to the third party screening firm to fill the positions in the time allotted for the expansion effort.

When the effort began, the company's web site was not automated to accept applications or even to describe the job opportunities or the application process. The web site had little to entice candidates to apply for jobs, and, if potential candidates were interested, they had to phone the company to ask how to apply.

After an initial review of its recruiting goals, a plan was devised with two main objectives:

1. identify ways to attract suitable candidates to the corporate web site; and
2. ensure that those candidates who visit the web site can apply for open positions in a convenient manner.

Attracting Candidates

* The company ensured that all jobs posted on the web on any home page were reported on a regular basis to Usenet (Newsgroup) job groups. The company posted a short notice on several important news group sites to capitalize on jobs already posted on the web site of the Globe and Mail, (Canada's national newspaper). The Usenet groups act as the job boards of many Canadian cities (e.g., tor.jobs for jobs in Toronto). Every newsgroup posting contained the web site of the newspaper or the company if the newspaper had not posted the job.

* Company staff became active on industry-related newsgroups and started using a signature block that hyperlinks to the company's web site. The objective of this step was to make the company's name and web address readily available in job seekers' searches of newsgroups. For example, a candidate using Deja News (www.dejanews.com) to search for "financial" under the "jobs" option would find the company's job postings. The candidate could then click on the company link, see the job opportunities and apply for a position.

These steps ensured that the company received the maximum benefit from existing web-related recruiting tools. However, several other steps drew candidates to the company's web site.

* Working with newspapers who offer free (or low cost) posting of job ads on their web site. The company considered this option for every newspaper that posts job listings.

* Ensuring that all printed company material had the web address on it. The web address already appeared in many of the company's job ads in newspapers and on promotional brochures. The company made sure all new materials and all new ads of any kind included this information.

* Ensuring that the company home page is registered with all the most popular search engines. This step ensured that job seekers and others looking for information in the company's areas of interest found the web page.

* Participating in industry ListServers. This step increased the exposure of the company's name. The company always included a signature block that contained the company's web address.

After taking these steps to increase traffic at the company web site, the company needed to formulate an easy way for candidates to submit applications or resumes electronically. An e-mail option existed at the bottom of every web page, including the Career Opportunities page. However, such e-mail was sent to the webmaster at a company office in the United States, and not to the Canadian recruitment center. Each note was eventually passed along, but often was stale by the time it arrived. As an interim measure, the company added a button to their Career Opportunities page that identified how to apply. The button was linked to a recruiting assistant who sent an information kit to the candidate.

The company reviewed the information contained in the information kit and determined that it was complete and, with a minimum of work, placed the kit on the web site so job seekers could review it as soon as they found the Career Opportunities page. The company used its human resource information system to collect details on applicants, similar to what this company collected on their application form.

The company was encouraged to review its current practice of using a third party to interview candidates, or to consider using the web to collect the information the third party needed to make a selection decision. The software that can automate this critical step in the process. For example, MedHunters (www.medhunters.com) recruits medical practitioners worldwide using specialized software to screen candidates by skills and experience.

The company's phased approach for establishing a system to process applications received via the Internet was a success. Although some steps could be taken right away at very low cost, others took longer and required some implementation work. The company now has a sufficient flow of candidates to their web site to meet their recruiting quotas.

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He may be reached at: aldoran@pmiHRM.com and his home page is http://www.pmihrm.com/

-Al Doran, CHRP
Copyright © 1998 Phenix Management Int'l

AlDoran@pmihrm.com
Phenix Management Int'l, Inc. 58 Penwick Cr., Richmond Hill, ON L4C 5B4
phone: 416/505-6204 fax: 905/883-8081
http://www.pmihrm.com