Candidates are 365% more likely to drop out of your application process if it takes more than 15 minutes to complete.

Depending on the size of your talent pool, that could mean a few dozen - or hundreds of applicants who are deterred from applying to your job. This poses a huge challenge for recruiting teams who are looking to fill multiple positions in a short period of time.

How do you get the information you need to move candidates along while keeping the application short, simple, and easy?

Chatbots have been growing in popularity, with 67% of worldwide consumers having interacted with chatbots over the past 12 months. As a matter of fact, 80% of businesses are projected to integrate some form of chatbot system by 2021.

Chatbots are a software solution used to facilitate online conversations in real-time, via text or text-to-speech, in lieu of having direct contact with a human. They can be used to alleviate repetitive tasks, such as answering FAQs. Chatbot technology can be used to assist in various business functions, such as customer support, eCommerce, social media, conversational marketing, and more.

The recruiting space is the perfect industry to leverage chatbots to improve talent acquisition strategies and reduce candidate drop-offs. Here’s how:

Chatbots can shorten the job application process.

If a job application takes longer than 5 minutes to complete, 50-75% of candidates will drop off. This usually includes account creation, resume uploads, and information completion - all of which are difficult to do unless the applicant has access to a computer and the time to go through all these steps. Assuming these are the minimum requirements, candidates will more than likely feel discouraged to proceed.

With the help of chatbots, recruiters can promote job openings via Text to Apply or QR Codes - enabling candidates to apply to jobs via mobile, from anywhere and at any time. Recruiting software like Text to Apply provides recruiters with an all-in-one platform where they can set up these codes, and promote them.

Candidates can easily text in the keyword, or scan the QR code to start their application. A chatbot will be there instantly to greet the applicant, collect their information, and create a candidate profile - ultimately saving both recruiters and candidates a ton of time.

Chatbots can automate screening.

Screening usually takes the form of a 15-minute phone call or an email. While these methods are acceptable, they aren’t necessarily as efficient as they could be. If teams are interested in high-volume recruiting, it can be exhausting on recruiters to constantly ask the same questions - and is extremely time-consuming.

Chatbots can be implemented at this stage to relieve recruiters of the burden of having to repeatedly screen multiple candidates, one by one. XOR Candidate Screening Software offers simplified automated screening, where recruiters can set up questions, weigh the answers, and leave the rest up to artificial intelligence to qualify candidates. This ensures that recruiters are only speaking to the most qualified candidates.

One of the key features of automated screening is that candidates can complete their screening process around the clock, from any location, and on any device. Recruiting software companies like XOR can integrate with various communication platforms such as SMS WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and more - giving recruiters and candidates the flexibility to connect over their favorite channel.

The convenience and flexibility of automated screening are unparalleled and make for a great candidate experience.

Chatbots can automate scheduling.

Like screening, chatbots can also be implemented during the interview scheduling stage. Once a candidate has been qualified via screening, they can immediately schedule an interview using a chatbot. This capability is supported on multiple channels including live chat, SMS, Facebook Messenger, and more.

The chatbot will draw from the recruiter’s calendar and generate a list of available time slots that candidates can then choose from. XOR Automated Interview Scheduling supports multiple interviewing workflows, such as One-on-One, Sequential, Panel, and Round Robin - allowing recruiters flexibility in the structure of their interviews while maintaining efficiency and speed.

Candidates can easily reschedule or cancel the interview by sending a quick text.

Learn more about automated interview scheduling here. 

Conclusion

Chatbots are extremely useful in providing a great user experience in recruiting. The use cases above are only a few of the many benefits and capabilities of chatbots; others include HR engagement, surveys, nurture campaigns, and much more.

With the help of chatbots, recruiting teams can meet their hiring goals, and create a positive candidate experience all around.

To learn more about the benefits of chatbots and how you can get your own chatbot platform, visit this page.