The process of deciding to switch recruiting technologies can be daunting.  First, you spend several months determining the functionality you need and want for your recruiting organization.  You research solutions that fit this functionality and write up a feature list that you want (and probably a RFP).  Set up several demos with different vendors.  Schedule multiple demos with your top choices and make sure to get all the stakeholders on at least one of the demos.  And finally after all this, you make your choice and pick a solution.

But what next?

Choosing a solution is only the first step of the process.  The second and just as important is making sure make it a part of your recruitment marketing process and get buy-in from your recruiting team.  Because no matter how good the solution, if it does not have buy-in from the recruiters / sourcers that use it on a daily basis, you won't be able to receive the true value of the solution.

When switching technologies, most likely you are making your team change their behaviors and tasks.  People in general don't like change (I know I resist on occasion) and it will take time for them to get used to the new interface and new tasks that will be required to them.  Obviously, training early on is extremely important to getting recruiters up to speed with what has changed and how to use the new technology.  A good vendor will understand this and provide training on the core basics of the solution while understanding that they need to offer continuous training and self-service help as well.

But training by itself, won't get everyone on board with the new solution or make sure the new solution is utilized correctly in the organization.  In order to ensure this happens you need to solicit buy-in from your recruiting team.

Here are a few ways that you can help get your team on board:

Share the "Why":  When conducting a search of new technologies, your management team more than likely knows the problems that need to be solved.  This is important and needs to also be communicated to the recruiters that will be using the product.

Mainly what big picture goals does this technology help the organization achieve?  Is it getting better recruitment metrics?  Better employment branding?  Whatever it is, you should know it and be able to communicate it.

Also give recruiters some ownership over the decision making process.  Include them on demo calls to solicit their opinions on solutions.  Use this time to understand their concerns and pain points so that you can get the best solution that they will use.

Designate technology experts:  When starting training calls with your vendor on the solution, many organizations create buy-in by designating technology experts on their recruiting teams.  These handpicked personnel are meant to be the internal experts on the new technology.

Not only does this provide a way to give a hard worker on your team more responsibility but it enables your team to have someone to go to that understands the ins and outs of and has ownership over the technology.

Show Value:  For most recruiting professionals, they are solely focused on filling job requisitions (and rightly so) so any added complication to their process and day (like learning a new technology) can be met with some reluctance.

The key to selling a new recruiting technology internally is to understand this and show how the new solution can help them with these every day responsibilities.  How can the technology get them more applicants?  Help them find more qualified candidates?  Save them time?  Create their own Talent Network?

Identify the value that a solution provides in the day-to-day activities of your recruiters and make sure to communicate this value proposition.

Leveraging the "right" recruitment technology can have a tremendous impact on your recruiting results.  However, implemented technology can't be successful unless it is utilized properly by its users.  Make sure that your users understand why you went with a technology and show them how it can help them do their job.  Once buy-in happens, training shouldn't be a problem.