The intelligent future of applicant management

"Are you tired of digging through hundreds of applications and losing valuable time? Would you like to make the recruiting process more efficient and transparent? Would you like to improve the candidate experience and fill vacancies more quickly with the right candidates?

The Württemberg-based HR software producer Persis has been consistently on the trail of solving these and other HR management issues since 1987 and is now one of the market leaders in German-speaking countries with its integrated overall solution. Phillip Krieger, noventum Business Development Manager in the area of HR digitisation, presents the Persis module "Applicant Management" in this article.

Human resource management must be digitally mapped as a holistic process

Many companies have not yet found the best application management software for them and are therefore not exploiting the potential of digitalisation. The application documents are often still forwarded in an unstructured way by e-mail or made available to the specialist departments and managers via the in-house mail. Since there is no clearly defined and standardised workflow because the right e-recruiting tool is missing, these processes increase the processing time. Thus, the time-to-hire increases and positions remain unfilled for longer. When comparing candidate management software, make sure that the system can map the entire recruitment process if possible.

With Persis recruiting software, you can work more efficiently and in a more structured way. Thanks to your digital desk, you maintain an overview and can concentrate on the really qualified applicants.

The applicant management software can be used independently of other modules and is the ideal entry point for digitising the entire personnel life cycle. The complete application process, from advertising the job to scheduling interviews and contract management, can be mapped efficiently and transparently with this software solution. In addition, company-specific requirements, such as the involvement of a works council or employee representatives in the decision-making process, can be taken into account.

• All important steps on the digital desk.
• Module "Applicant Management" can be used individually.
• Applicant management as an entry into fully digital HR work.
• All key players are involved in the digital process.

How can job advertisements be managed centrally so that you can keep track of them and reduce the administrative workload?

With the applicant management software from Persis, you can control your job advertisements & publications from one tool. All common job portals, such as StepStone, meinestadt.de and Indeed, can be connected to the software via XML interfaces. At the same time, integration into your homepage and publication in the internal job market is possible.

With the applicant management dashboard, you always have an overview of upcoming, currently placed and expiring publications. You can adjust the situation with a few clicks from the view and save yourself the manual administration effort with Excel tables. In addition, the advertisements can be published in your corporate design on your career page and interested applicants can use the search and filter function to find suitable positions as quickly as possible.

• Control job postings on external and internal platforms with one tool.
• One-click touch-ups on all platforms.
• Search and filter function for applicants

E-Recruiting Award for persis applicant management software

In 2022, the IT market analysis company techconsult asked more than 3,000 user companies for the 4th time to evaluate the HR software they use. HR software company Persis was named one of the best providers for its E-Recruiting module. More than 80 manufacturers offering software solutions for the digitization and optimization of processeson the German-speaking market focused on the services offered by HR departments.

In the "E-Recruiting" category, software solutions were evaluated that map the entire recruitment and selection process using electronic tools. The aim is to support HR managers and recruiters and to create transparent and time-saving processes in recruitment.

Record data comprehensively and effortlessly - the parser makes the work of applicants and personnel managers easier

The first pre-selection of applicants takes place when the written applications are received. Qualifications, experience and other personal data must be compared, CVs, references and salary expectations are juxtaposed for a first critical pre-selection. In order for the recruiting team as well as the specialists and managers of your company to be able to compare the applicants and make a well-founded decision, as much information about the candidate as possible should be available digitally. But what is the most efficient way to get this data into the applicant management system?

In practice, HR staff usually lack the time to completely transfer the data from the CVs into a personnel software. The e-Recruiting solution from Persis offers the possibility of storing different applicant forms (e.g. for managers or trainees) on your career site. This means that candidates only have to fill in the fields that are relevant to you for an initial contact, thus keeping the hurdle low.

To save applicants the trouble of filling in the form manually, the parsing function can also be made available. By reading out the CV, the fields are filled in automatically. This function can also be used from a smartphone, as the page is responsive and thus adapts to mobile devices. In addition to the CV, profiles from social networks such as LinkedIn and Xing can also be read out. With these functions, you come very close to the one-click application and your company also looks modern to the outside world.

By additionally integrating central e-mail addresses, you offer potential new employees another possibility to apply in addition to the applicant portal. The applicant file can be created directly from the mailbox integrated in Persis (time saving, no system breaks etc.).

At this point, the HR employee can also use CV parsing. This provides a preview function that allows the HR employee to add or correct information. Thus, the entire content of the CV, from the address to the educational background to the skills & qualifications, can be added to the database with just a few clicks. This also streamlines the process of email applications, and mass actions with letter & email templates, which can also be triggered with a time delay, save additional effort for the recruiting teams of large companies.

Regardless of whether applications are received by e-mail, homepage or by post, the parser saves you manual data entry and takes your digital applicant management to the next level. The system also detects possible duplicate applications and suggests solutions on how to deal with them.

• Different applicant forms for targeted data retrieval.
• Parsing function for reading out CVs and career networks.
• Create the applicant file from the Persis mailbox.

How can the specialist departments and managers be involved in the evaluation and selection process?

Persis applicant management is a browser-based tool. The specialists and managers involved can be integrated decentrally without the software having to be installed locally on their premises. The applicant file can be made available to the decision-makers for a limited period of time by means of digital file circulation. The time limit for viewing, comparing and evaluating the documents can be defined individually. In addition to the standard functions for assessing candidates, individual assessment sheets can also be stored in order to make the assessment as objective and comparable as possible.

Speed of response can be crucial in the application process to attract talent. Our experience has shown that by switching from physical in-house mail to digital file circulation and the resulting increased transparency including deadline monitoring, the HR department gets the feedback it needs faster. Since department heads do not normally log into the HR software on a daily basis, they can be reminded of their open to-dos by automated e-mail reminders. These emails also contain a direct link to the respective task.

• Integration of managers in the applicant selection process through browser-based input options.
• Automated reminder functions and appointment allocation to professional and managerial staff.

Create interview appointments directly from the applicant management software

The scheduling of initial online interviews through to face-to-face interviews can also be mapped via e-Recruiting. In addition to inviting candidates by means of correspondence templates, internal participants can also be included. The system takes into account the appointments stored in the Persis employee calendar. In addition, the entries from the calendar can be automatically transferred to Outlook or Google Calendar. This means that the job interviews are also stored there without any additional effort.

After the interview, the participants can leave their assessment of the candidates in the system. Depending on the results, the HR department can then use templates or workflows to carry out further steps. For example, in companies with a works council or employee representation, the approval of these bodies must be obtained prior to recruitment. To avoid delays due to media disruptions, this process can also be mapped in the software.

• Automated appointment management for professionals and managers with integration of company calendars.
• Mapping of ideal process steps (step-by-step involvement of shareholders) in Persis.

How does the system turn an applicant into an employee? The path from contract management to the digital personnel file.

Once you have found suitable candidates, you can use the recruiting software to create the employment contract for your future employees. The software automatically checks whether all relevant documents and data are stored for the creation of the contract.

After sending the employment contract to the future employee and returning the signed document, you can transfer the information from the applicant management, such as CV, contract, etc., as well as other necessary documents into the personnel manager and the Persis digital file.

Now the onboarding workflow can start. With the deadline monitoring including reminder function, the task lists, the process-related preparation and the aggregated presentation of the most important information in the applicant management dashboard, you always keep an overview of your recruiting process.  

• Creation of employment contracts in Persis.
• Transfer of all relevant data from the application process into the digital personnel file.

The special quality of the integrated Persis personnel software is its depth in detail and its well thought-out structure in individual modules. Whether during the gradual introduction of the software or during operation: the Persis software grows with the requirements of the users and also has a well thought-out solution for special requirements or framework conditions.

FAQ

Does the software have to be installed for each user?

No, as Persis is a browser-based web application, your employees only need a common browser (e.g. Edge, Safari, Chrome or Firefox) to access the system.

Is Persis a cloud-based software?

You can purchase Persis as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and do not have to worry about the operation of the servers, maintenance, fallback scenario, etc. However, if your IT has the required capacities and would like to retain sovereignty over the servers, you are free to buy the licences and operate the servers yourself.

Are the servers in the cloud variant operated in a certified data centre in Germany?

Yes, the server location is Germany. Another German location is also used in a fallback scenario. In addition, the data centres meet the requirements of ISO/IEC 27001:2013 on the basis of the Statement of Applicability (SoA version 3.0).

Is the software DSGVO-compliant?

Yes, all data is protected against unauthorised access and changes in accordance with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO) and is transmitted in encrypted form. Since the privacy policy in the applicant portal is individual for each company, each company is responsible for keeping it up to date. In addition, it must be mentioned at this point that despite all security measures, the greatest vulnerability is the person himself. Even with software that complies with the GDPR, the organisations themselves must ensure that the employees comply with the requirements.

Does the applicant management tool also support the decision-making process?

By storing individual requirement profiles, the matching algorithm can show you which knowledge and qualifications the respective candidate lacks. In this way, you can quickly see who best meets the requirements for your recruiting.

Do applicant data remain after a rejection?

In order to include an applicant in an applicant pool, the applicant's consent is required pursuant to Section 26 (2) BDSG. In addition to the data protection declaration, the consent for inclusion in the applicant pool can also be requested in the applicant form. This way, you retain these applicant files so that you can access this talent pool for future vacancies. In addition, a rule for the automated anonymisation of personal data can be stored. This ensures that the deadlines set by the legislator are adhered to.

Is there a special security concept regarding the applicant portal?

Yes, as files are uploaded from outside at this point, we recommend that you have a second environment set up for this. By separating applicant data from employee data, the greatest possible security is ensured.

Can individual workflows be created?

We would be happy to train you and your HR staff to create and manage workflows independently and to adapt them to your needs. A wide variety of triggers can be used for the workflows, such as reaching a certain date.

How does the role and authorisation concept work?

HR staff and employees only have access to the data they are allowed to see or edit.  The role and authorisation concept can be adapted to your individual needs according to your specifications. In addition, substitute regulations and responsibilities can be stored at team level so that no task is left undone.