7 Proven Time Management Techniques for Recruiters

Tried and tested time management tips for recruiters to speed up recruitment and boost productivity.

Author:
Anam Javed
Reviewed by:
Javeria Khan
Update:
September 24, 2024
0 min read time
Anam Javed
Marketing Operations Manager
Marketing Operations Manager
Anam Javed
September 24, 2024
0 min read time
Key take aways

Recruitment is one of the most important and time-consuming aspects of a recruiter or employer’s work life. An average employer/recruiter spends a 3rd of their work week, approximately 14 hours, following the recruitment process and its various steps for a single job role. But as they say, “work smarter, not harder,” recruiters and employers are exploring ways to leverage the latest technologies to minimize their effort and time spent on recruiting. There are several ways in which recruiters can manage their time effectively, prioritize important tasks, and speed up the recruitment process! 

Let’s dive deeper into some of the most effective techniques for better time management for recruiters.

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Time Management Tips To Speed up the Recruitment Process

1. Prioritize 

Recruiters and employers can often feel overloaded with tasks and need help identifying tasks that must be prioritized. By a simple rule of thumb, employers can prioritize each task's impact on business growth. However, if it's more complex and there are several interlinked recruitment tasks, employers can leverage various prioritization strategies to plan what needs to be done first. 

Here’s a different prioritization strategy for you to explore; 

  • The Eisenhower Matrix: 

The Eisenhower prioritization matrix allows you to divide your tasks into four categories based on urgency and importance. You can prioritize urgent and important tasks on top of the prioritization matrix, descend to tasks with less urgency, and finally to less important and less urgent tasks.

  • The ABCDE technique: 

The ABCDE technique helps recruiters assign a letter to each task based on its priority. The letters are A (must do), B (should do), C (nice to do), D (delegate), and E (eliminate.)

  • The Pareto Principle: 

The Pareto Principle is a simple technique that follows an 80-20 rule, which means 80% of your impact comes from 20% of your activities. Hence, recruiters can identify the 20% of their tasks that will enable recruiters to focus 20% of their efforts. Therefore, you should focus on the 20% of the tasks that impact your goals most.

Also Read: Important HR Terms to Remember!

2. Make lists your new best friends

Planning is an effective time management strategy. Employers and recruiters can create a monthly plan and then further break it down into smaller weekly plans and, eventually, into daily schedules. A to-do list is a great way to manage your time effectively and boost your productivity. The goal is to get the most daunting tasks done on a priority. 

Here are some effective ways to plan your daily schedule:

  • Manage your calendar:

Managing your calendar can be an effective way to manage your time better. Consider blocking time for tasks that you’ve planned out for the day. This will allow you to segment your day better and utilize your time mindfully. 

  • Leverage time-management tools:

Time management tools are crucial to better time management, especially with the massive number of distractions that surround recruiters in today’s age. As tempting as scrolling through your Instagram feed may be, tools like ClickuUp and todoist will track the time you spend on every task. 

  • Task management tools:

Task management tools like Asana and Monday are great ways to manage your tasks, offer visibility to the team, take ownership of your responsibilities, and boost your productivity! The best daily planner app can also be essential for planning your day. It helps you prioritize tasks, set clear goals, and allocate time effectively, ensuring that you stay focused and productive.

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3. Let Teamwork Do its Magic

Recruiters often have to deal with high volumes of applications, CVs, and interview calls and manage job postings on various platforms. To prioritize significant tasks, it is crucial to know who you should be delegating “other tasks” to. For example, contact the marketing team for visuals for a job posting or the content team for copy-related requests. This will allow you to ask for necessary help and help you focus on your expertise. Moreover, hiring an intern in the recruitment department can be beneficial for clearing up tasks such as data entry, managing databases, scheduling meetings, etc. 

Also Read: Social Media Recruitment Stats to Remember

4. Keep The Best Past-Applicants Close

Managing an applicant database is an effective recruitment and sourcing strategy for employers, and it also helps you save time! Engaging with top applicants who are not direct hires is a great way to keep them hooked to your company until a more relevant position comes up. This way, you can save time in the excruciating search for the right candidate for a position and look through your existing database of past applicants. 

Also Read: Tips to Reduce Employee Turnover

5. Keep An Eye On The Data

Keeping an eye on the data is a great way to save time by learning how to prioritize job-posing channels and get maximum applications. You can create logs, timesheets, reports, etc., to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your recruitment process and explore opportunities for improvement. 

Also Read: Tips to Improve Candidate Experience

6. Use The Right Tools To Do The Work For You

Recruiters spend a massive chunk of their time doing tasks that can be automated, such as writing job descriptions, messaging, tracking applications, and more. However, with technological advancements, you can leverage various tools to speed up these processes and manage time effectively. 

  • Application Tracking

Application tracking software allows recruiters to map the recruitment process automatically. An ATS is a great way to post jobs, gather applications, review applications, shortlist candidates, and generate reports. Iris is a great ATS for recruiters to manage job postings, candidate screening, messaging, and shortlisting the best talent for a role. Iris helps recruiters speed up the recruitment process by taking care of various recruitment tasks and allowing recruiters to focus their time and attention on other aspects of HR. Additionally, CIPD courses can provide valuable training for recruiters to effectively utilize these tools.

  • JD Generator 

Job descriptions are crucial to attracting the right candidates as they tell a job seeker all the need to know about a job posting. A JD can make or break the talent pipeline and must be carefully curated to give all the necessary information about the role, company, employer expectations, and compensation. The JD generator by Qureos is a great tool that can help employers and recruiters create the perfect job descriptions to attract the best talent, all within a few seconds! 

Also Read: Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
  • Candidate Sourcing 

Several ways to speed up the sourcing process include posting jobs on multiple platforms, social media sourcing to contact passive job seekers, etc. The lead generation page by Qureos is an effective way to gain immediate access to a vetted list of top candidates for specific roles. Employers can explore these lead generation pages to review the best candidates, contact them, and save ample time on sourcing and headhunting. 

Also Read: Important Job Statistics to Remember

Summary

Time management is one of the most in-demand soft skills in today’s fast-paced world. Recruiters who can leverage the latest tools and technology to effectively meet stringent recruitment deadlines without compromising talent quality surely stand out. Tips like eliminating distractions, streamlining and allocating tasks to relevant team members, and working with thorough schedules help recruiters boost their productivity. Moreover, recruitment technology such as Iris helps recruiters automate important tasks of the recruitment process and focus on other tasks that require human intelligence, empathy, and expertise.