If you’re a regular reader of our blog, you may have noticed what we call our “pro tip” section. These are product specific tips about how our tool can help achieve something we’re talking about in an article.
And while we typically like to reserve our blog for industry trends rather than product exploration, we thought rounding up our top tips might help people who are in the process of evaluating a staffing platform as a service provider.
Here are some game changers you should be thinking about:
1. App store optimization is a must for lead generation
Pro tip:
Having a privately labelled app in the App Store is a must in order to reap the benefits of app store optimization (ASO). If using a mobile app as a lead generation tool is important to you, make sure your chosen provider publishes apps in the store.
This tip first appeared in Candidate Acquisition Strategies: How To Use Mobile Staffing Apps As An Acquisition Channel
2. Algorithmic job matching is a huge time saver
Pro tip:
Algorithmic job matching is a game changer for ActivateStaff clients. Candidates enter their own preferences when they sign up (a < 3 minute process that captures their skills, availability, location and preferences). This information is then used to surface a personalized feed of jobs on their app, saving agencies hours in their matching process.
This tip first appeared in A Conversation About AI And The Future Of Staffing
3. Instant messaging will get you the best worker engagement
Pro tip:
There are a lot of different communication avenues available to engage candidates: email, texting, etc. And while different people have different preferences and there are occasions for all types, an overwhelming majority respond more favourably to branded instant messages.
This tip first appeared in 11 KPIs That Temporary Staffing Agencies Should Be Leveraging
4. Beware of prototypes
Pro tip:
Make sure any provider you are considering has a live, functioning app. This may seem straightforward, but ensure that what you are being shown is not a prototype. There are a few ways to test this:
- When looking at the demo, keep an eye out for a translucent circle clicking through the app. This is indicative of a Figma prototype (a common software for designing product UI)
- Ask them for a demo app you can download from the App Store and play around with on your own time
This tip first appeared in What To Look For When Evaluating Staffing Apps
5. Drop shift capabilities help reduce ghosting
Pro tip:
In addition to being able to view jobs easily before applying, the ability to drop or change shifts easily is of equal importance to candidates. Our “drop shift” notification system has helped our agency partners reduce ghosting, backfill roles faster and also gather critical data on why candidates are dropping shifts.
This tip first appeared in Mobile Staffing Apps And The Modern Candidate
6. Use your platform to diversify your placement types
Pro tip:
Having one system that allows you to place both longer term placements and shorter shifts is a game changer. Several of Activate’s clients have been able to supplement their travel nursing business with per diem shifts all within one platform.
This tip first appeared in Healthcare Staffing Platforms: Navigating A Changing Market
7. Automation can help solve the candidate black hole
Pro tip:
ActivateStaff’s automated welcome message helps engage candidates without a recruiter needing to be involved.
Whenever a candidate downloads the app, they are sent a list of instructions (completely customizable by the agency) so they know what to expect and can see value from the app right away.
This tip first appeared in The Dangers Of Deploying “Checkbox” Technology In Your Staffing Agency
8. Provide distinct onboarding for new vs existing candidates
Pro tip:
A system we call two-track onboarding has helped ActivateStaff clients keep their data clean. There is a different process for candidates depending on whether they exist in your ATS already or are a net new candidate coming to your app. This helps to eliminate duplicate records.
This tip first appeared in Best Practices For Cleaning Data Before A Tech Rollout
9. Use real-time notifications to target your warmest leads
Pro tip:
You can use your real-time notification data to create a “warmest leads” approach. If you focus your outreach efforts on candidates that you know are active in the app you’re more likely to get engagement.
Activate clients have found this approach helps save their recruiters hours each day.
This tip first appeared in 11 Benefits Of Native Apps
10. Try and rank for job titles in the app store
Pro tip:
The existence of gig work apps has led to an interesting trend in worker behaviour. People have started to go to the app store to search for jobs by title and type, so keep this in mind when selecting your keywords.
ActivateStaff’s healthcare clients, for example, rank for terms like “RN jobs”, “nursing shifts”, “LPN jobs”, “travel nursing jobs” etc.
This tip first appeared in App Store Optimization: What It Is, And How To Do It Well
11. Have candidates help you keep your data clean
Pro tip:
Enabling candidate self service is a game changer for database cleanliness and relevance of information. If you give your candidates the ability to update their own location, availability, skills and preferences through a mobile app, you’ll be able to filter, target and ultimately redeploy people much more effectively.
This tip first appeared in 6 Ways To Increase Candidate Redeployment Rates
12. Don’t be afraid to include your clients in the platform
Pro tip:
Allowing your clients to create their own shifts through the platform (and even select their own workers) can be a game changing part of staffing platform technology. Not only does it off load tasks from your team, but it allows clients more control and transparency (and often, lower operating costs with your team).
Note: This may not be the right strategy for all your clients. Also, many staffing platforms have limited client portal functionality so be sure to check closely if it’s important to you.
This tip first appeared in Staffing Platforms: A Deep Dive into the Features and Benefits
