How to Build Efficiency With a CMS for Recruitment

Choosing a CMS is a big task for recruitment marketing managers, one that takes time and a lot of research. Kick-started by the phrase ‘We need a new website’, the search for a new web partner can be a daunting task.

CMS is short for, content management system. This refers to the software that supports your website, allowing you to build, edit and manage your site without the need for complex code.

With many options available, we wanted to talk more about CMSs built for recruitment and how they can help improve business processes, providing a more flexible website solution.

What is a recruitment CMS?

A recruitment CMS is a piece of recruitment software designed to drive efficiencies for a modern-day agency website. These platforms combine recruitment features and functionality such as seamless integrations with applicant tracking systems, content sharing and data and analytics.

Unlike brochure sites, a recruitment website requires a more technical approach particularly if it's hosting live jobs. Functionality, design and user experience are key drivers for a successful recruitment website. Therefore a custom, CMS is needed in order to unlock the full potential of the website, and optimise the experience for job seekers and clients.

What are the features & benefits of a CMS built for recruitment?

All content management systems allow you to edit and manage the content on your site. However, the ease with which users can edit their pages all relies on the flexibility of that specific platform. The best recruitment software will give you the tools to edit your website, optimise content easily and track results. 

The core features & benefits include:

Integrations.

For recruitment agencies and some in-house HR professionals, integrations with the external ATS and CRM is a must. This allows jobs to be pulled through and application and job applicant data to be shared for a smoother hiring process.

Flexibility.

Recruitment agencies are diverse and fast-changing, particularly in the current climate. With this in mind, you can benefit from a flexible website solution that allows for quick, easy editing and updates without the need for a developer. Unlike open-source options, a recruitment CMS like Vennture has been built for marketers. Without the need for code, you can build out new pages, clone an existing page, change page layouts and update the copy immediately.

Recruitment Functionality.

Candidate portals, job searches, consultant profiles and job alerts are just some of the recruitment specific functionality that come as standard with the best recruitment software. Open source platforms such as WordPress would not have this functionality built-in and instead would require costly bespoke design and developer time. In comparison, a recruitment website expert would most likely have a library of core industry functionality that can be used across multiple websites and brands, helping to build innovative recruitment websites. 

Designs for the industry.

Recruitment website experts understand what works and what doesn’t; what CTA’s perform best and how to optimise for the candidate experience. This all comes down to an understanding of the industry and user journeys. With a recruitment CMS, designers can create optimised page layouts, giving you a market-leading online experience. 

What should you look for in a recruitment website provider?

Choosing a website supplier with experience building recruitment websites is essential. Understanding the recruitment process, the marketplace and the many tools needed to operate efficiently is the difference between a website that just works and a website that delivers ROI. 

When choosing a website provider there are certain things you should consider:

• What resources do you have in the house to maintain, populate and optimise the website?
• What are your business objectives?
• What's your budget?
• What knowledge of the recruitment industry do the suppliers have?
• How do suppliers charge for the project, is it a one-off cost, or monthly payments?

These questions will help you determine the level of support you will need, whilst setting expectations for the price and expected results.

When comparing different providers the technology should be a key consideration. ‘How easy is it to use, will it integrate with my other tools and what are the associated costs?’

Choose a platform that gives you freedom.

Some CMSs take a template approach, giving users less flexibility to build and customise pages and content. Others, like our Vennture platform build websites in a modular way. This means each block can be individually edited, moved around the page, cloned or hidden from the live site.

Select SaaS for an ever-evolving website.

SaaS solutions are subscription-based models that allow the platform to be more flexible and innovative over time. Sometimes given a bad reputation of being rigid, SaaS actually offers more freedom for the user. At the same time, the supplier has more control, allowing them to roll out updates and evolve the tech with ease. 

With SaaS you will get a website that evolves with digital, meaning you’ll always have access to the market-leading designs and functionality.

Choose a provider that does it all.

Going with a freelancer, WordPress user or cheaper alternative may save money, to begin with. However, in the long run, can cause headaches and huge amounts of overspending and add ons from 3rd parties. With an agency like Venn, your designers, developers, strategists and project managers are all under one roof and included in the monthly cost of your website. Not to mention we have designed and built our own CMS and recruitment platform to ensure accountability for the success of your website. 

Don’t complicate things, choose a solution that incorporates website hosting, platform licensing and integrations in a transparent ongoing relationship. 

Looking for a new recruitment website platform? If you’d like to learn more about our recruitment CMS or speak to an expert for some honest advice on recruitment technology, contact our team today.