On Recruitment Tracker Spreadsheets and Why You Need an Alternative

Due to the availability of various tools and systems, recruiting has never been as efficient as it is today. Still, many employers aren’t aware of this fact, using outdated methods without considering upgrading. In G2’s State of Software Happiness Report, 95% of participants claim they’d be more satisfied if their company used better software. 

In this article, we’ll examine recruitment tracker spreadsheets and their alternatives. You’ll find out all the ways you can organize and manage your recruitment process—from the simplest solutions to systems that automate specific tasks. We’ll also touch on Workello, a recruiting software designed to streamline hiring for candidates and recruiters alike.

Check out an overview of the most common types of recruitment systems:

Recruitment Tracking Spreadsheets

Despite the existence of more advanced systems, Excel, Sheets, and other similar software are still quite popular. They’re used mostly by small, “out of garage” businesses with tight budgets. They’re simple to use and you can find many ready-made templates online. 

Candidate tracking spreadsheets allow you to:

• Store and organize data
• Track and change the applicants’ status
• Communicate with your team through notes
• Analyze data and generate reports

When your company starts booming and the hiring demands get more comprehensive, that’s when problems arise. Handling the data of hundreds of candidates via spreadsheets takes time and tedious manual work. As the system wasn’t designed with recruitment in mind, it lacks many functionalities. For instance, there are no advanced collaboration tools or automated responses. Exchanging hundreds of messages and emails is inevitable.

Besides being time-consuming, spreadsheets come with certain risks. Manual data entry is often accompanied by errors, leading to confusion and costly delays. Documents stored on local computers and shared drives can also pose a great security threat.

If your budget allows for it, it’s best to invest in a more effective solution right away. That’ll spare you the unnecessary labor. Thankfully, there are more advanced, online solutions to suit everyone’s budget and hiring needs.

Applicant Tracking Systems

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) come in many shapes and sizes. With so many options on the market, most businesses have managed to find systems that work for their budget and industry.

According to Recruit CRM, 95% of agencies with more than 10 recruiters use an ATS. Zippia also reports that 94% of professionals who use it claim that it has elevated their hiring process.

Source: Recruit CRM

Check out the 3 biggest advantages of applicant tracking systems over spreadsheets:

1. An ATS can automate many repetitive tasks. It can post many job ads on various job boards. It can also fetch candidate data, organize it in a uniform way, and scan it to bring you valuable insights. With all information in one place, you and your teammates can sort, filter, and search for anything you need 
2. These systems can also help curb bias. AI can analyze resumes for keywords and rank them based on selected criteria. It can filter out unsuitable candidates straight away. More importantly, it does so in an objective and consistent way, unlike humans.
3. Software like Workello can aid in communication. As candidates move down the recruitment funnel, their statuses change, triggering automated responses. By referring to their personalized job portal, they can find all information in one place, including the expected timeline and feedback.

Recruitment CRM Systems

Although ATS and CRM software share many features, such as candidate tracking and automated communication, their purpose is different.

With ATS, the goal is to streamline the hiring process. They’re created for and used by recruiters and other HR professionals. CRM systems help you keep track of and build relationships with potential candidates. They can be used outside the recruiting context and by a wide range of users, such as sales teams and customer support.

Check out some other ways CRM systems differ from ATS:

• They offer more tools related to candidate engagement, such as targeted email campaigns and talent communities
• Data in CRM is centered around engagement and typically includes candidate communication history, behavior patterns, and feedback
• ATSs usually integrate with HRIS, payroll systems, and job boards, while CRM systems integrate with sales and marketing automation software

Other Types of Software To Watch Out For

According to Yello’s report, the most time-consuming part of recruitment is screening. While you can’t automate the entire selection process, most steps can be optimized. 

Besides general candidate tracking and management, some software can help you manage specific stages of the recruitment process. It can usually integrate with other systems, allowing you to manage all information from a single dashboard. In turn, that can increase efficiency and accuracy, and lead to better decision-making.

Source: Yello

In the following part, we’ll examine tracking software that can aid in specific tasks and situations, particularly:

1. Background checks
2. Assessments
3. Interviews
4. DEI initiative progress tracking 

Background Check Software

Once candidates provide information and consent, the software can do background checks for verification purposes. It can look up criminal, credit, education, and other records. It can also search the candidates’ social media to find potential red flags. In the end, the software generates reports, indicating discrepancies between the candidates’ claims and reality.

The software can also do pre-hire reference checks. It can send automatic messages or emails to the candidates’ reference contacts and ask them to share their experiences.

Candidate Assessment Software

Research suggests that assessments are the best indicators of future job success. Experience and education are important, but they do not provide information about the candidate’s current skills and knowledge.

Every pre-employment assessment software has its own library of tests. They also typically let you monitor each candidate’s progress and review the results question by question. Some will even analyze the way they interact with the test to help you identify areas for improvement.

Some of the most common assessment areas include:

• Job-specific skills
• Soft skills 
• Cognitive aptitude
• Personality traits
• Culture fit

Workello’s assessments are crafted by top experts in their respective industries. They’re simple but effective, requiring minimal setup and learning. They simulate real-life tasks to paint the most accurate picture of the candidate’s skill profile.

Interview Scheduling and Management Software

According to Yello, recruiters spend an alarming amount of time scheduling interviews. Over half of companies have a dedicated person that does the scheduling. 

Source: Yello

Instead of having to exchange several emails and deal with another spreadsheet, you can simplify the process with technology. 

After the candidate moves on to the interview stage, the software sends an invitation with a calendar link. Once they select the time slot, both parties receive a confirmation and a reminder. Besides saving time, this function can prevent scheduling conflicts, accidental no-shows, and other related issues.

Some platforms also host calls and can even score the interview automatically. With AI, you can now automate the entire interview process, conducting one-way interviews via chat or video message.

DEI Recruiting Software

When it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, a data-driven approach is a must. By measuring progress throughout different funnel stages, you can pinpoint bottlenecks and revise your diversity recruiting strategy accordingly.

To deal with all the data, you can use tracking software. Although most ATS let you do that, there are also add-ons and dedicated programs for this specific purpose. 

Here’s how software can aid in your DEI efforts and ensure you abide by the best recruitment practices:

1. Metrics tracking and reporting—Examines the representation of diverse candidates during recruitment stages
2. Personalized dashboard—Displays all data in one place for easy reviewing and decision-making
3. Bias prevention—Detects bias and discrimination in job descriptions, screening, and other crucial processes

Why You Need An Effective Recruitment Tracking System 

Source: TalentLyft

Businesses that have proper recruitment tracking systems can enjoy the following advantages:

Conclusion

Tracking is an essential part of any recruitment strategy, allowing you to efficiently gather and manage candidate data and make informed decisions regarding your future employees. By leveraging the technologies available to you, you can take your recruitment process to the next level. 

While recruitment tracker spreadsheets can be a solid starting point for emerging businesses, they’re an unsustainable option. ATS and CRM systems are more comprehensive solutions. They can also be complemented by other, more specific software via integrations. 

Workello is a straightforward and effective recruitment system that can suit most budgets. With its expert-designed assessments, you can narrow down your talent pool to the best of the best. In the meantime, candidates can keep up to date with automated responses and personalized status pages.

Try Workello for free and experience seamless recruiting today.