Becoming a More Data-Driven Recruiter
Have you ever gone mute during a team meeting because you said in passing that you have a “good response rate” to your messaging just to have a hiring manager ask “what is your response rate?” In a perfect world, you’ve got that number handy, but sometimes, you just don’t. How embarrassing, right?
I don’t think I’m the only one this has ever happened to. But, after the first time it happened to me, I started to develop more of a strategy around data and how to share that data with hiring teams. I used to shy away from data conversations with hiring managers thinking they wouldn't understand, or they wouldn’t really care. What I’ve learned over the years is that hiring managers care just as much as I do and I can use data to inform them, influence them, and really embrace my role as a Talent Advisor.
Here are some of my thoughts on, and tips for, becoming a more data-driven recruiter.
Why is data important?
Data helps tell stories. It provides the facts behind what you are doing, and it often helps us prove what we already feel in our gut. It creates a more full and accurate picture of what is going on in the recruiting process and helps us more effectively determine the cause of problems. When we better understand the problems, we’re more equipped to recommend process improvements and find the best solution possible.
Great data also helps organizations to visualize relationships between what is happening in different locations, departments, and systems. This level of insight makes planning and expectation-setting so much easier in the future.
Data makes you more strategic!
Ultimately, data makes you more strategic! And who doesn’t want to be more strategic?
How do I get data?
First, data unfortunately doesn’t come out of anywhere. You have to do your part to track your work. You should always record your information in the tools your organization has provided you. It’s exciting to work for organizations that support employees by providing them with the tools they need to do their job. We can do our part by fully leveraging those tools.
If you have an ATS, use it! If you don’t, grab a spreadsheet. No matter the format, you must track your data somewhere before you can start to make sense of it.
Second, I recommend you make tracking data a daily part of your job. As they say “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Or in this case, 10 minutes of data tracking every day is better than an hour on Friday afternoon when you’re ready to unplug and unwind for the weekend.
I personally do everything the day that I receive data. Keep your tool/system open in a tab every day and enter your data as you go while it is fresh in your mind.
What do I do with my data once I’ve got it?
Once you have it all tracked, you’ll want to start visualizing and making sense of it. Many systems like Greenhouse and Gem have reporting built in and you can get a lot out of that. Other times, you’ll have to build things out on your own. Google Sheets and Excel are very powerful for making charts and tables to visualize what is happening.
When you have your data visualized, start sharing it! But don’t just share everything. You can use a slide deck or written report to curate the tables, charts, and other visuals to be specific to your challenge or the story you’re trying to tell. This also gives you additional space to provide context to your reader about what is happening and what can be done about it.
[P]rovide context to your reader about what is happening and what can be done about it.
Ideally, you’ve already got some time scheduled with your hiring managers and other stakeholders. If not, schedule some time to walk them through the data and how things can be improved. You can use this opportunity to answer questions and build more credibility and rapport with your hiring managers.
Conclusion
Good, clean data will save you time, drive you to be more strategic, and make your job easier!
All in all, data is an incredibly powerful tool that all recruiters should be leveraging on a daily basis. To be successful in making the most of data, you have to make it a priority and a part of your everyday job. Good, clean data will save you time, drive you to be more strategic, and make your job easier!