Vacancy Filler Reviews

Deployed in March 2014, I've used the solution to recruit over 20 UK roles now. I have found Vacancy Filler particularly well suited for recruiting IT and professional posts, saving time for the hiring managers whilst enhancing the candidate experience. Applicant communications are integrated into short-listing, testing and interviewing processes. Expired vacancies are removed automatically, which prevents application submissions after the closing date.

Costs have been reduced by using Vacancy Filler's integrated job board service, which has reduced agency fees and helped improve applicant calibre as well as quantity. Print advertising costs, postage, and stationary have also been reduced, whilst being able to centrally manage all applicant communications including scheduling of interviews is a great time saver.

Being cloud-based, new features are being added all the time. I've just deployed the customised application forms and have found their training and support services to be excellent.

I would like to be able to manage more of the recruitment process within the system. I'm now looking at early adoption of the request to recruit and new starter on-boarding workflow modules.

Work out the full cost of your existing recruitment process, then ask for a free trial of the software so you can see how it works for your organization and how much you'll save in time and money. Here's my tips for a successful rollout of any new recruitment software:

- Phase your roll-out: It is best to implement a system, particularly over multiple sites / departments, especially when other IT projects are not scheduled as they may divert resource and focus.

- Timing is important. When implementing any new system bear in mind the seasonality of how the organisation works as a whole. It may be better to roll out a system at recruitment a quieter time of year.

- Identify champions and lead users in each department. You might not want to rely solely on an IT lead to bring about organizational efficiencies, project-manage and technically implement a solution – this can create too many dual responsibilities! A better approach is a HR-led project with separate technical resources.

- Some roles need a different approach. Although online recruitment systems can be extremely effective, not all vacancies can be filled this way. Recruitment of manual workers who may not even have a CV, for example, may still require a traditional approach. Some candidates go online to look for jobs but need support to complete their applications. Vacancy Filler support can step in here, offering candidate assistance where needed, taking this burden from the in-house HR team.

The business aims of the solution were to:

- Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the recruitment process in quality and cost terms

- Enhance the reach of vacancy advertising, securing improved candidate calibre and response

- Streamline and automate the process of short-listing and communicating with candidates

- Enhance candidate experience and improve the professional image of the employer

- Free up time spent manually co-coordinating candidate communications, e.g. posting out packs

- Reduce unproductive time dealing with applicants, agencies and job boards.

- Eliminate applications being received after closing dates.

Benefits realized:

- Using the integrated job board service has dramatically increased the number of applicants.

- The online system permits the efficient handling of high volumes of applications.

- Good candidates are easier to identify; the short-listing panel having simultaneous review.

- Expired vacancies are removed on the given closing date.

- Replaced a previous paper based recruitment process with efficient on-line solution.

- Reduced long paper trails with shorter time too appoint achieved in some cases.

- Provision of an audit trail of recruitment decisions and all candidate communications.

- Lower costs associated with multiple search channels and simplify the advertising process, with the cost

- Reduced need for agency recruitment and contractors, with associated fee savings

- Achieved a full payback within 12 months of the initial deployment.*

*Metrics based on a detailed comparison of the 12 months before and after deployment:

- Average number of applicants per role increased from 18 to 34

- The average search & recruitment costs per post fell from GBP 1,817 to GBP 1,156

UK based support and an interface that allows me to work off of one app from advertising to hiring. A uniform approach from start to finish that means anyone that is involved in the hiring process, or is simply filling in, can log in, see where the last user left off and get the process moving again. Campaigns can be stored, shelved and picked up again at will.

The software is incredibly user friendly; I'm not specifically a recruiter, nor am I a big tech user, but I was able to create, upload and administer job advertisements with only basic experience.

One of the biggest benefits, however, was the ability to integrate several hiring sites into the software so that job openings can be posted to multiple sites at once.

It does feel somewhat like the company spend more time aiming their efforts towards larger clients. For the smaller players, the initial feel is that the relatively small companies looking to use Vacancyfiller might get knocked out of the way due to a focus on large companies; I wouldn't say that we dislike this per se, as this is to be expected, but it makes you feel somewhat like the B team. I also found that there wasn't much ability for me to download a working, live version on a demonstrator basis; one has to book a demo and then someone gets in touch to give what is ostensibly a sales pitch with a minimum of an hour duration.

Make full use of the fact you can integrate it with multiple job openings. This is where the software REALLY shines and its time (and thus money) saving capabilities show themselves.

The software has an easy interface that allows me to sign off and someone else to go in and pick up straight away. It makes candidates feel that they are the exclusive recipient of time and attention and everyone has felt that the hiring process is more streamlined. We are no longer using the software but this is not due to any problem with the software; we have simply wound down due to recent events. When we were using it, it was hard to imagine using any kind of alternative.

One of the other issues that this software solves was the time it takes to trawl job boards and post openings and have to proactively approach applicants. It saved literally hours; we sign into each job site, integrate the software and are able to post openings to every site immediately and in a way that makes the listing look unique to that site.

There is a clean interface and it is easy to navigate. It has lots of potential for growth and improvements.

Not everyone knows about this product yet, and it is 2-3 years from reaching a mainstream audience.

The ability to sort and easily visualize information is a wonderful benefit.