Talent Management Strategies

Purpose of Process:

Applicants are a valuable resource for the company. The applicant tracking process should manage that resource and ensure a quick retrieval of the applicant's resume/application when needed, and an accurate match against current job openings. Also, Affirmative Action regulations require an applicant tracking system.

Recommended Steps in the Process - Without Automation - See Automated Process Below:

1. Route all resumes and applications to a central location in the company for review, logging and distribution.
   
   
2. Review the resumes and applications and determine which ones are potential fits for current job openings.
   
   
3. If the resume/application does not match a current open position, but may in the future:
   • File the resume/application by skill category.
   • Send a thank you card to the candidate, acknowledging receipt of the resume/application (see sample).
     
     
4. If the resume/application does not match a current open position, and will not in the future:
   • Place the resume/application in a "no interest" file for six months.
   • Send a thank you card to the candidate, acknowledging receipt of the resume/application (see sample).
     
     
5. If the resume/application matches a current job opening, record the job opening number and the name of the hiring manager on the resume or application, enter it in the applicant log, and send the resume or application to the hiring manager for review. The applicant log should contain:
   • Name of candidate,
   • Recruitment source,
   • Position applied for,
   • Name of the hiring manager to whom the resume/application is being sent,
   • Date sent to manager,
   • Date the resume/application is returned from department, and
   • Action taken.
     
     
6. Upon receiving the resume/application back from the hiring manager, take appropriate action, as requested by the hiring manager:
   • File the resume/application by skill category and
   • Send a thank you card to the candidate, acknowledging receipt of the resume/application, or
   • Invite the candidate to the company for an interview (see the Interviewing Applicants process).
   • Note the action taken in the applicant log
     
     
7. After interviewing a candidate, complete an applicant tracking form, as required by the Affirmative Action Plan.
   
   
8. Create an "applicant file folder," on the candidate. Include the following:
   • Resume,
   • Application form,
   • Interview notes (from the Interview Evaluation form),
   • Applicant tracking form.
     
     
9. Decide on extending an offer (see Offer Process).
   
   
10. If an offer is not extended:
    • Send a "thank you" letter to the candidate (see sample). For better public relations, the hiring manager should personally telephone all interviewed applicants thanking them for their time and informing them that another candidate was selected.
    • Note the action taken in the applicant log.
    • File the resume/application by skill category.
      
      
11. Once a position has been filled, send the applicant tracking forms on all the candidates interviewed for this position to the individual responsible for the Affirmative Action Plan.
    
    
12. If the candidate is hired, transfer the material in the applicant file folder to the employee's personnel file (see Maintaining Personnel Files process).

Automate your Recruiting and Applicant Tracking:

1. With the Online Employment Application Module™, application data flows into HRSource™ automatically for review and distribution. 
   
   
2. Review the applications inside HRSource™ and determine which ones are potential fits for current job openings.
   
   
3. If the application does not match a current open position, but may in the future:
   • Indicate future interest in the company decision field.
   • Enter skill codes on the Skills tab, enter key words in the Notes field (which can be searched in the future), and/or rely on the Position Applied For in order to retrieve the applicant for future openings.
     
   • Generate a standard HRSource™ thank you response letter for the candidate, acknowledging receipt of the resume/application (see sample).
     
     
4. If the application does not match a current open position, and will not in the future:
   • Indicate no interest in the company decision field.
   • Generate a standard HRSource™ thank you response letter for the candidate, acknowledging receipt of the resume/application (see sample).
     
     
5. If the application matches a current job opening, indicate "invite for interview" in the company decision field.  All applications indicated "invite for interview" can be emailed to the manager in a single command.
   
   
6. Upon receiving feedback from the hiring manager on the applications that the manager received, take appropriate action, as requested by the hiring manager:
   • Update the company decision field and
   • Generate a standard HRSource™ thank you response letter for the candidate, acknowledging receipt of the resume/application, or
   • Invite the candidate to the company for an interview (see the Interviewing Applicants process).
     
     
7. After interviewing a candidate, complete the EEO tab (for U.S. federal contractors and subcontractors), as required by the Affirmative Action Plan.
   
   
8. Track all interviewer feedback/notes on the Applicant Process Status tab.
   
   
9. Decide on extending an offer (see Offer Process).   If yes, use HRSource to generate the offer letter.
   
   
10. If an offer is not extended:
    • Generate a standard thank-you response letter for the candidate (see sample). For better public relations, the hiring manager should personally telephone all interviewed applicants thanking them for their time and informing them that another candidate was selected.
    • Note the action taken on the company decision field.
      

Process Tips:

As the process illustrates, using an applicant tracking system such as HRnetSource™ can significantly streamline the process and eliminate paper, which is especially valuable when working with a high volume of applications.