You’ve invested in an automation platform like Sense or Herefish.
You’ve set up campaigns to engage candidates and eliminate repetitive admin tasks.
So…where are all those amazing results you were expecting?
Many staffing firms are discovering that although saying “yes” to automation is a no-brainer, utilizing platforms effectively requires deep thinking. How can you get the most bang for your buck? What will optimize your time and effort? How do you know if you’re doing it right? If you’re struggling to answer questions like these, you’re not alone. In fact…
Many staffing firms make similar mistakes with automation journeys.
Haley Marketing’s automation expert Jeff Staats audits numerous staffing automation works-in-progress and has an eagle eye for what’s working…and where opportunities lie to “spin up” automation efforts. So what gives, Jeff? Where do most staffing firms go wrong with their candidate automations?
There are 3 big journey-building missteps:
- Relying too much on one-off campaigns. A campaign that is only sent once is not a true automation. That means a newsletter is not an automation. A hot job is not an automation. A true automation is triggered by a certain touchpoint on a candidate’s journey. It’s a “set it and forget it” task. (Actually, it’s a set it and then analyze, tweak, and optimize it later task, but you know what I mean.) You define the trigger, the timing, and the message and the software does the rest. Over and over, with every candidate who fits that audience rule in your ATS, until you change something in the filter. Now that is an automation.
- Not covering the entire candidate journey. Staats recommends beginning with ten core automation journeys. Know where your candidates are in their employment process and reach out to them at numerous points along their journey, from application through re-deployment. Repeated, well-timed messaging improves the candidate’s experience and keeps your firm top-of-mind.
- Robotic messaging. Sounding like a human when you’re writing an automation is a challenge. But no one knows your candidates like you do. Think about their experiences and pain points, and then engage them with personalized, relevant messages that speak to where they are on their journey. Think about factors like age and experience to help customize your messaging.
Once you have results, the real work begins.
Here are the most common post journey trip-ups:
Not enough time spent on review and results. A successful automation strategy takes time, patience, and dogged determination. First, you build out the journey. Then you wait to see how it performs. Perhaps you squint a little and scratch your head, but you must persevere. Automation is a process. There are a lot of variables to take into consideration, and few get it right the first time. As good old Jeff says, “Build it. Test it. Fix it.” Stay the course. Sometimes it takes six months—or more—to reap the benefits of an automation strategy.
Resource constraints. It’s difficult to “step in and out of an automation platform” and know where you left off. You must have the time and willingness to be in the platform almost daily! Many staffing firms underestimate the amount of time it takes to build journeys. It’s best to have someone who can own the project, at least until it’s off the ground.
Do you wish there was a magic wand for automation?
Until there is, our staffing industry automation experts can audit your platform, help you write a roadmap, and even build journeys for you. Let us know how we can help!
Want more ideas for how to engage candidates?
Using SENSE, Herefish or Hubspot? 3 Tips to Optimize Your Candidate Automations
Watch our FREE on-demand webinar: Sense, Herefish, and Automation, Oh My!
