High Volume Recruiting Advice Needed
Hey everyone,
I’m a recruiter who started a new job a month and a half ago, and I truly love my company and my role. However, I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed with some of my requisitions and I’m curious if it’s typical to take a few months to adapt to high-volume recruiting.
A bit about my background: I have 2 years of agency experience focused on sourcing candidates, followed by 1.5 years in corporate talent acquisition, where I encountered a very limited candidate pool.
Currently, I’m back in internal recruiting, managing 12 job postings across 5 different cities, which translates to 18 positions overall. While it may not seem like a vast number, I’m dealing with constant turnover in some locations, leading to prolonged open positions. Each job posting attracts an average of 50-150 applicants, primarily for entry-level roles, which is quite different from my previous experience.
I’m doing my best to manage the applicant pool without letting it overflow, but even at its lowest, it’s still the largest number of warm applicants I’ve ever dealt with. I’m finding it challenging to keep up with two of my cities, and I’m struggling with time management. My days often blend into early mornings and late evenings, leaving me with insufficient time to connect with all the candidates.
On a positive note, I have fantastic leadership support, which makes a big difference. But is it normal to feel this way during the transition to high-volume recruiting? I’d appreciate any advice or insights! Thanks!
RCadmin
It’s great to hear that you love your new company and role! Transitioning into high-volume recruiting can definitely come with a steep learning curve, especially when you’re used to smaller candidate pools. It’s completely normal to feel a bit overwhelmed in the beginning, and it sounds like you’re doing your best to manage the workload.
Here are a few tips that might help you adjust:
Prioritize Your Requisitions: Identify which roles are the most critical or have the highest turnover and focus your efforts there. This can help reduce your immediate workload.
Use Technology: If you aren’t already, leverage applicant tracking systems (ATS) and recruitment software tools that can help streamline your process. Automating tasks like resume screening and scheduling calls can free up a lot of your time.
Set Daily Goals: Break your day into manageable tasks with specific goals. For example, aim to screen a certain number of applications or make a particular number of candidate calls per day.
Create a Candidate Pipeline: Instead of trying to contact every applicant right away, you could create a tiered system where you categorize candidates based on their fit for the role and follow up with them in waves. This way, you can focus on the highest priority candidates first.
Communicate with Your Team: Don’t hesitate to share your challenges with your leadership or colleagues. They may have resources or strategies that have worked for them in similar situations.
Take Breaks and Manage Stress: High-volume recruiting can be draining, so make sure to take breaks and manage stress. It’s important to maintain your well-being while you navigate this adjustment period.
Remember, it’s all about finding the right balance and process that works for you. With time, you’ll likely find your rhythm. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your network for additional support or ideas – you’re not alone in facing these challenges! Good luck!