HRMS for recruitment: everything you need to know

Recruitment has always been in the vanguard of HR technology, and remains the proving ground for new features (gamification, anyone?).

Unsurprisingly, there are many dedicated recruitment solutions out there on the market. But there’s also value to having your recruitment software integrated as part of an HRMS package, working with other HR functions as well as alongside them. If you’re looking at purchasing a new recruitment module, the following information looks at the key issues, including:

• Integrated or standalone recruitment software: the pros and cons
• What recruiting requirements can an HRMS with recruitment address?
• Which features should you look for in an HRMS recruitment module?
• Which HRMS solutions have strong recruitment features?

Integrated or standalone recruitment software: the pros and cons

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Covering the key issues faced by businesses selecting and implementing HRMS.

What recruiting requirements can an HRMS with recruitment address?

The chances are that most organisations will be looking for a core function set of posting vacancies, managing applications, and applicant tracking. The key is to decide what your priority requirements are in order not to be dazzled by shiny new features, e.g., building talent pools, CV parsing, automated assessments, simply because they are, well, shiny and new and subject to big talk from the vendors.

Consider whether you actually need these features:

Social media sourcing and employer branding

These days, almost everyone is on social media, and the biggest platforms, including LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and Facebook, are talent pools waiting to be trawled. Even before you have a vacancy, recruitment software can help you search for passive candidates, run referral programmes, and push vacancies to social channels so you can build your employer brand in advance.

Use this step-by-step selection checklist to gather and prioritize your recruitment requirements for new software

Analytics (predictive or otherwise)

As well as reviewing past recruitment results for future improvements, some systems will analyse your existing employees to identify the features of your best performers and then apply that data to a pool of candidates. Metrics that help you improve recruitment over time include:

• Source of hire: where your strongest hires come from
• Time to hire: the average amount of time it takes to fill an open position. 
• The time per stage: how long candidates spend in each stage of your hiring process.
• Turnover by hire source or role: which teams lose people fastest, and whether hiring patterns correlate with attrition.

Compliance:

Whichever territory you’re in, the legislation likely requires you to store and report on particular information connected to the hiring process. Look for software that makes that easier and provides auditable records.

If you operate in the US or EU, confirm the vendor supports region-specific legal requirements and data residency options. (Examples include interview records, consent for background checks, and non-discriminatory job templates.)

Which features should you look for in an HRMS recruitment module?

You may not need to ‘get fancy’ with gamification, but if you want to streamline your recruitment processes, the following is a list of the core basics:

Customizable processes:

Every organisation has unique processes, and hiring is no exception. The more varied your needs, the more adaptable your recruitment module needs to be.

From screening candidates and applications to managing assessment stages and full-blown assessment centres. Look for automation that is as flexible as your business needs.

Get more feature ideas with this guide to 52 features to look for in your next HRMS

Career-site and job posting integration:

A direct link to your recruitment page: your company's careers page is your hiring ‘store window’. You want advertised jobs to appear there first and automatic updates to save administration time.

Auto-publication to job boards and channels:

To reach out more widely, you almost certainly post vacant positions on job boards (Indeed, Glassdoor, etc.) and niche industry sites. Check how many boards the vendor integrates with and whether posting is automated.

Applicant tracking system (ATS):

Automatic applicant tracking is still likely to be your biggest potential time saver, updating you with a click on the progress of each recruitment campaign. Look for push notifications, action prompts, and process monitoring as standard.

Resume parsing and screening:

Software can read resumes and extract structured data to speed shortlisting. Check how accurate parsing is for your region/languages and whether the vendor provides tools to correct parsing errors.

Process management and scheduling:

Interview scheduling that links to interviewer calendars (including automated reminders and reschedules) reduces administrative overhead.

Collaborative recruiting:

Recruitment depends on input from hiring managers and team members. Look for permissions and collaboration features so stakeholders can review, comment, and score candidates.

Assessment and interviewing options:

Many vendors include or integrate with online assessments, coding tests, virtual interviewing tools, and structured interview guides to standardise evaluation and reduce bias. Video interview capability (synchronous and asynchronous) is now a common expectation.

Which HRMS solutions have strong recruitment features?

The vendor landscape changes quickly, but a mix of integrated HR suites and specialist providers dominates the market.

Download our free comparison guide featuring the top 10 HRMS solutions for recruitment.