Being in the HR industry, we get to see what exactly is going on in the talent managment software space. It is true…there are a lot of solutions! Generally speaking, they range from the basic standard recruitment database to full on candidate and employee management solutions. If you are looking for one of these solutions, it is important to keep some things in mind.

Is the functionality too basic/standard that there may be risk of undelivered candidates?

The simple solutions, such as an in-house email-based solution, may be limited by scalability and functionality. Should you grow out of your small business status, your solution may not be able to handle mid-market recruitment volume, leaving you, the end-user, forced to buy a new solution. Further, it could also impact the other end-user's experience: the candidate's. The lacking solution could transpose on to the clarity of the career site. This could in turn make the candidate feel a lack of confidence in the tool's ability to deliver their application and resume effectively, which unfortunately, may make them hesitant to even submit a resume in the first place. Many organizations do take the time to follow-up on submissions, but with the possibility of a resume being flagged as spam, there is a chance that a even the most diligent recruiter might miss the resume of a great candidate.
 
Your system should not deter the candidate from applying on your career site. The candidate should be able to easily identify a potential position and then, submit their resume and cover letter with confidence.

Are there too many bells and whistles to leverage the Talent Management System effectively?

With the more advanced options, the complexity of the platform can sometimes inhibit the end-user’s (candidate and recruiter!) experience as well. With a talent management system that is cumbersome and full of too many features and fields, candidates may find the application process difficult and confusing to navigate. The extra bells and whistles may also be difficult for you as a recruiter. Paying for unnecessary functionality that’s difficult to mine through…well, that’s just terrible.
 
These problems could extend into employee management as well. For example, if your employee management site is difficult to peruse and employees are finding that they are unable to easily access their performance stats, they may become disenchanted and not use the portal to its fullest potential.

Keeping the end-user in mind!

When looking for a talent management system, it’s important to find a solution that has both the recruiter and candidate in mind. If you are currently using a talent management system, how intuitive is it to you and the candidate??

When implementing a solution for employee and candidate management, sometimes you may be inclined to choose the tool that works best for the HR representative, but may not be so good for the candidate. But, I promise, there are tools that cover both! A great solution takes into consideration both the needs of the HR rep, as well as the employees and candidates.

Don’t forget: The solution should have an intuitive tracking tool, a layout that quickly displays candidate data, an easy yet comprehensive reporting tool, and an intuitive career/employee site.

Why go for the solution that’s easier for the end-users?

The benefits of such an implementation are numerous. HR representatives will gain greater access to more candidates and therefore, increase the possibilities of finding someone who is the perfect fit for a role. Candidates will have more confidence in their submission, and be more willing to apply. Employees will be able to easily access necessary forms and documents and be better prepared for their experience within your organization.

So what’s the moral of the story? Find a talent management solution that has the end-user in mind! You’ll be happy you did.

Over the holiday weekend, I offered to open a bottle of wine at my friend's BBQ. As I was shuffling through the drawer to get the cork screw, I noticed a fancy looking electronic toy sitting on the counter. I asked my friend when she had gotten the new gadget and what its purpose was: I found out it was a corkscrew. SWEET! A neat new gadget. Cylindrical in shape and attached to a charger, it was supposed to simplify the wine-opening process more so than electronic corkscrews of the past. With excitement bubbling over, I, of course, opted to use (the rather unnecessary) gadget. I placed the electronic corkscrew over the top of the bottle and pressed the start button. After about fifteen seconds the "hum" of the motor stopped and I pulled up to see my newly-opened bottle of wine. Except, all I saw was a quarter-of-a-cork. Fantastic! So I tried again. I placed it over the bottle of wine once more, only to come back with more bits of cork. Frustrated at the idea of getting any cork inside the bottle, I pulled open her drawer, got the good old fashioned metal corkscrew and had an opened bottle of wine in about 10 seconds.

Now the failure of the wine-opening operation could have been caused from a couple of different things: unqualified operator, flimsy gadget or just plain old coincidence. Who knows... But what I did conclude was that in this case: the easy-to-use technology got the job done, where the more advanced one did not.

People are frequently inundated with new occupational tasks as every year passes, and technology has come to our rescue for this. But how do you find the right solution? Whether it is a corkscrew, a phone, a computer model, or the latest software, finding the best one is always a challenge. Let’s take the HR department. HR professionals have become more and more overwhelmed with exceedingly draining tasks. Compliance, for example, is reliant on a company’s resolve to stay aware of the latest laws and acts and remain cognizant of past applicable legislature. Sounds like a job in and of itself. And, as you may know, there is technology to handle compliance; thus, leaving more time for one-on-one real interaction with your top talent candidate or recently-hired employee.

However, as technology advances so does the complex inter-workings of each tool. Finding the right solution becomes a greater challenge with every bell and whistle that is added. Soon, HR professionals are spending more time "simplifying their department" with overcomplicated technology.

Some software tends to overindulge by adding unnecessary technology when the software itself hasn’t been able to master the basics. Finding a happy-medium is the answer. As a user, I believe it is better to go with the reliable solution with the unwavering functionality you need, rather than the one with hundreds of bells and whistles that don’t even work that well.

Just my thoughts.

If you're into the newest tech gadgets or even if you turned on the TV this last week, you might be aware of a new tablet-based product that's supposed to remake the way we interact with the internet. Whether Apple's new creation will be a momentary trend in the evolution of the web, or a true game-changer, is yet to be seen; either way, as the role of the web gets larger, web applications are expected to cover more ground and look even prettier. This isn’t likely to change.

I'd like to pose a question in this post: Considering the above, how can Web 2.0 improve in the next few years? Like the certainty of death and taxes, graphic interfaces and performance will always be expected to improve. But in what way? iCIMS has always treated feedback as a cornerstone of its customer service. We work with both clients and non-users to keep improving the Talent Platform. In fact, iCIMS wouldn’t be celebrating its 10-year anniversary without some input and improvement along the way and we have no plans to stop. (If I’d stopped listening to advice when I was 10… well…)

Plenty of people have a grandstanding vision of what they see in the future of applicant tracking and software-as-a-service. I’ll start.

Personally, I would like to see SaaS grow alongside the same principles while retaining an openness that’s different for every user. Some systems might lock users in without the option to change or add to the software, but I think a healthy mixture of high-configurability and ease-of-use should be the de facto design choice. This configurability means that power users who would like to change their software a bit more can utilize a vast quantity of options while users with less tasks to perform in the system will have a much more defined set of tools for use – still powerful, but not confusing. All within one system.

We offer a configurable system in the Talent Platform, and that will only improve as the needs of the marketplace and our customers change. So what would you like to see? Where do you see Web 2.0, SaaS, or HR Software in the next few years? Please comment below!

iCIMS is kicking off 2010 with a celebration to shout about. Happy 10th anniversary, iCIMS!

Incorporated in 2000, iCIMS marks its 10th year in business with a tour around the nation starting April 8th in New York City. The celebration will give all attendees the opportunity to meet the iCIMS family and network with other HR professionals to learn the latest in HR technology solutions. The company will visit 8 cities in total. Click on the city name to register for an event near you or check out the iCIMS 10th Anniversary site!

So, why the party?

First, let’s take a little trip back in time…

Built from the ground up, iCIMS offered the world a new way to approach the HR function. Fast, flexible, web-based talent management software to facilitate human resource departments worldwide.

Within the first year, iCIMS was already experiencing rapid growth, but this was only a sliver of the success about to come.

• By 2001, iCIMS signed 50 clients.
• By 2003, iCIMS opened West Coast operations in order to assist the East Coast headquarters.
• By 2005, iCIMS landed on the “Fastest Growing Technology Company” list.
• By 2007, iCIMS signed 500 clients.
• By 2009, iCIMS adds UK division to North American and Asia-Pacific operations.
• By 2010, iCIMS celebrates 10 years of operation with all of its 800+ clients.

So again, why the celebration?

This anniversary tour celebrates iCIMS’ rise to excellence. Over the past ten years, iCIMS has gained unparalleled organic growth totaling to 963% and has experienced a corporate renewal rate of 97%. iCIMS has also shown an unwavering commitment to superior customer support and a continuous effort to improve the HR technology world. Recently, iCIMS was named the mid-market leader for business platforms. This tour reflects upon iCIMS’ dedication to offering the best software an HR representative could ask for. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, iCIMS is celebrating the ones who helped them achieve this phenomenal success: iCIMS’ 800+ clients! Thank you clients for your continued support of the iCIMS Talent Platform. iCIMS couldn’t have experienced such growth without you!

This event is just one of many to come in 2010.

Here’s a sneak peak at our next event: iCIMS will release the newest version of the Talent Platform, iCIMS 10. This new release provides clients with greater flexibility and configurability that revolutionizes the user experience. With an enhanced interface and quick-access links, recruiting candidates and managing employees just got easier. Keep up-to-date with the latest news from iCIMS at http://www.icims.com/article/.

This has been a momentous decade for iCIMS, full of growth and expansion. The iCIMS team expects even greater success to come in 2010 and beyond. Join us in celebrating ten years of excellence and register for an event near you!

So hey, let’s talk about slime molds. Sure it’s relevant, and besides, we’ll get to HR in a second.

According to research revealed this month, scientists in Japan grew a single-celled slime mold and placed it in a case that mimicked the layout of Tokyo. In order to monitor the mold’s behavior, these scientists took 36 pieces of oat flakes (to represent Tokyo and its surrounding towns) and placed them in the case. As the scientists expected, the mold grew long circular tubes to reach the pieces of food. A mere 26 hours later, not only had the mold developed an efficient network for getting all of the food, but the grid was starting to look very familiar. In fact, when transposed on a map of the current Japanese railway, the rail and the mold networks were extraordinarily similar. What people had taken years to develop, a mold had figured out in a little over a day.

Sometimes this happens. In a desire to remove inefficiencies, people test out their processes. And, when a solution needs to be implemented, oftentimes, the organically grown one is the best.

With quickly-developing technology, it’s sometimes easy to forget that the best solutions we use today are often those "basic" ones. When you’re looking at talent management, some providers host many bells and whistles, while others focus on their "basic" tools. Either way, each company must inevitably decide what kind of talent management system they want. Is it the old staples or the new-school features? The trick is to figure out what works for you (and what doesn’t): Networking events? Video job postings? Employee Referrals?

This is why we here at iCIMS like configurability in our applicant tracking software. We stress it. If you’re hiring candidates or managing your current employees, you’ve got to have the ability to test out different tools in the system in order to see which work. In the end, the talent management program should be very user-friendly.

For example, we let our clients take advantage of the Talent Platform’s configurability by doing some things for free that other providers usually charge for: we offer unlimited custom fields, workflow settings, screening questions, a robust searching tool and much more. This lets you use a piece of HRIS technology, that’s based on your needs, wants, and preferences, without having to manage your source code.

So keep experimenting and do what works; if a brainless slime can do it, so can you.

Well, I guess it’s more like an Emmy nod and a People’s Choice award nomination.  A finalist for two customer service and satisfaction awards, iCIMS is gearing up to walk the red carpet later this fall. 

In September, the NY Enterprise Report will recognize iCIMS for best practices in customer service.  “Who are you wearing!?” “Who’s your date!?”  iCIMS is prepared to answer all the hard-hitting questions from the paparazzi as we step out of the limo. 

Come October, Sift Media in the UK will announce who’s taking home the statue at the Software Satisfaction Awards in London.  Gathering customer feedback to come up with the shortlist of nominees, users and buyers are the actual voters. Rest assured we will remember to thank our moms, dogs, and our fans (err, clients) in our acceptance speeches if we make it to up the podium.  Serving over 750 companies worldwide, the on-stage music is sure to cut us off.

If I had a nickel for every time I came across someone talking about “the cloud” lately, I’d be a rich, rich woman.

If I had a nickel for every person who could accurately define what exactly it means to be “in the cloud,” I’d be broke.

In spite of what a hot topic the cloud is, especially in light of its implications as seen in the recent break-in of confidential Twitter accounts, it seems that there is little industry consensus on what exactly it means to be in the cloud. Pair that with some preexisting confusion over what is true Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), and you find us all in a hot mess.

I’m going to break down my opinion of what it truly means to be Software-as-a-Service and what it means to be “in the cloud.” And just for some perspective, I’ll throw in where iCIMS as a talent management solution falls. Feel free to correct me if you think I’m wrong.

Buzzwords

Cloud computing is the most recent buzzword, but this isn’t the first time an innovative method has had the industry buzzing. Back in the day, ASP (application service provider) was the hot topic. An ASP is a company that provides software in an on-demand SaaS method.

After ASP, the buzz turned to Software-as-a-Service, which is a method to deliver software (typically web-based software).

Thus, the progression went ASP --> SaaS --> cloud computing.

Where does iCIMS fall? We are an ASP and we offer a SaaS Talent Platform.

SaaS

I can’t speak for other organizations, but I can explain what it means that the iCIMS Talent Platform is SaaS. iCIMS owns a couple dozen servers on which we host our clients’ highly confidential or sensitive material, like EEO data, personal information, etc. These servers are very much a physical entity and they’re stored in AT&T data centers in NJ.

All other client information, such as their graphics, style sheets (aka static information) is hosted on the 15,000 servers we have access to through our partnership with Akamai Technologies. We do not own 15,000 servers, Akamai does, but we use them.

Therefore, highly private information is safely stored with us on those iCIMS' owned servers which is obviously a huge plus.  And because Akamai hosts all static information on their 15,000 servers that are all over the world, this ensures that those static elements of the Talent Platform will be as fast as possible.

The cloud

Instead of buying, maintaining, repairing and being in charge of those servers we own to store clients’ information, we could essentially rent the servers from a vendor; this is what it means to be in the cloud. 

Just as iCIMS clients don’t have to install or host their own Talent Platform, but we do that for them in the Software-as-a-Service model, these cloud vendors would be hardware-as-a-service. We’d no longer have to purchase dozens of expensive servers. Instead, we’d simply use a vendor’s hardware and put all data there, and we’d pay them a monthly fee to ensure that they had someone maintaining the servers. 

The advantage to this is that it would cure the problems experienced through the SaaS model. We wouldn’t have the physical responsibility of purchasing/maintaining/repairing servers.

The downside? Well, no one’s all that clear on the issue yet because this is unexplored territory. That is precisely why, as appealing and exciting as going to the cloud might seem, organizations must proceed with caution.

What do you think? Do you agree with my assessment of SaaS and the cloud or is your definition different? Let's get some dialogue going on this.

...that 33.3% of verifiable information on resumes is lies?  That fun little fact I learned in my HR class is something I’ll remember for a while.  I’m sure if you’re a recruiter or hiring manager reading this, you may not be as surprised as I was upon learning this.  But it does make you think – how much experience do candidates actually have?

In this economic climate, obviously times are tough.  The job market is looking pretty brutal and I, for one, am scared out of my mind since I’m still an undergrad.  (Hence, why I am here gaining experience at iCIMS as an intern!)  I read in a recent article that “job losses in the current recession have been more severe than expected as employers hold off on hiring and federal stimulus spending takes months to work its way through the economy.”  With that being said, it’s no surprise that people are starting to pad up their resumes in hopes of finding some kind of job.  I’ve even read about people putting blocks of keywords in white font on resumes so that applicant tracking systems rate them higher.  In my opinion, that just bumps the percentage of lies up quite a bit.  By padding your resume, you’re putting false hope in the employer that you’re a qualified candidate.  It only sets you up for one thing – failure.  Of course there is always more to a recruiting and hiring process than reviewing the resume, but that is almost always one of the first steps.  How good do you look in person compared to how good you look on paper?

For the economic time being, recruiters and hiring managers have their work cut out for them.  With more and more job-seekers and fewer positions, the competition is greater and the pool of applicants is ever growing.  So, for all those recruiters and hiring managers out there – be extra weary of falsehoods on those resumes.  Your job may have just gotten harder.

It's the middle of summer in iCIMS-land and most of us are longing for the beach: sitting under the cloudless sky, reading trashy novels and watching seagulls steal our sandwiches. Don’t be fooled though, there’s always staffing work to be done, and summer is a fantastic opportunity for any business seeking seasonal employees. Whether it's a law firm looking for summer interns, a tax preparation company getting income tax specialists during April, or a retailer looking for help on the floor during the holiday season, there’s always a need for seasonal hires. In fact, according to a CareerBuilder study, 34% of retail employees during the summer are seasonal hires.

While it’s always tempting just to get out of the office, there may not be enough time to sort through all of your incoming applications, emails, and paperwork as it is. But let’s step back: if you’ve done the right work, started your game early and have staffing plans in place, you deserve that cool drink by the shore. Now, while we’re not ashamed to toot our own horn here at iCIMS and say we’ve got a pretty comprehensive solution for seasonal and mass hiring needs, there are a couple of tricks that might even go beyond software.

For example, this AllBusiness article has some pretty good ideas for getting young talent. Since many college and high-school students have time-off during the summer, they’re usually a good start. Think of a plan to raid the local schools and universities, and do it early. While there are plenty of students willing to put in summer work, you need to give yourself enough time to evaluate your need across these applicants. Checking Social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace is also a good idea to find driven workers. You might also find plenty of retirees looking for work as well, so be sure you tap into these circles, as well.

Another valuable pieces of advice is to encourage referrals. If you have happy, dedicated employees already, why not let them help source your candidates? Referral programs are typically cheaper and more efficient than other means of sourcing, and they can boost morale across your organization. Many employees wouldn’t mind working along a friend or two, and if these are quality employees they’ll likely supply quality referrals. After all, your workers certainly want to look good within your company - and make a little bit of the referral bonus you’re offering. (You are offering one, aren’t you?)

Remember, your organization’s success depends on how it responds to industry trends and demands. And if you prepare with the right mix of workers at the right time, you can stand on solid footing as a recruiter, even wearing sandals and a pair of sunglasses. But don’t get too comfortable – the holiday shopping season is only 4 months away!

...has become synonymous with negativity and crisis.  From recruitment freezes to lay-offs, most mid-market business employees may be finding it difficult to see a light at the end of the office. 

But just when all hope was about to be lost, ITChannelPlanet.com released the aptly titled article, “Study: Mid-market Not Drastically Cutting IT Budgets”and stated that not every office budget is suffering, and one aspect is even seeing growth…

“A new study commissioned by IBM Corp. of nearly 2,000 mid-market companies worldwide revealed that despite the economic slowdown, most midsized businesses have not dramatically curtailed IT spending but instead are redirecting available resources to improve efficiencies, reduce costs and prop up relationships with customers.”

Either these IT directors are attempting to single-handedly stimulate the economy, or there's a different reason for this growth in software spending.  The author continues to explain that there is some money... somewhere... to be spent.  Mid-market companies are taking their budgets, investing in technology, and in turn, are seeing a nice ROI. 

“The study’s participants identified their top business priorities as improving efficiency and reducing costs, increasing employee productivity, upgrading customer service and pursuing new customers. More than 80 percent of midsized companies in the study said that improving efficiency, reducing costs and boosting productivity were highest on their list of business concerns.”

Funny, I thought better food in the cafeteria would be in there somewhere?  Probably next on the list. In any event, as technology continues its relentless march towards increased automation and power, companies are realizing that in order to stay ahead of the competition, they must continue to invest in IT.  To the short-sighted, plunking down dollars on software in the midst of a recession may seem a foolish thing to do, especially if a company is doing fine with the IT that it currently has.  But what company wants to do just fine?  Don't forget, if you're happy to continue doing fine, your competition is saving many more thousands of dollars by increasing efficiency, automating routine tasks, and eliminating needless processes and workflows.