A Case Study

Paul Jones, an ApplicantAdvantage user and Human Resources manager at a multi-national bank, must hire 100 call center Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) within the next 2 weeks: 50 for Omaha, 25 for Toronto, and 25 for Dallas.

Two days ago, the bank ran advertisements in the local papers in each market and posted the jobs on their corporate recruiting site. In the past 2 days, 1,200 applicants responded by accessing their web site and filling out a preliminary application.

From the results of the web-based application form, 800 candidates were automatically eliminated because they did not meet the minimum requirements.

The remaining 400 candidates were e-mailed back, inviting them to participate in a telephone interview as the next step in the hiring process. The e-mail contained a toll-free telephone number and an individual PIN number.

When they called this number, the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) program asked a number of pre-determined questions which were responded to by either using the telephone key pad or by answering questions verbally.

Without the candidates being aware of it, the questions not only targeted the specific qualities that Paul and his associates know produce superior CSRs, but also validated and reinforced the responses they provided to the Internet-based application. Scoring was done automatically using ApplicantAdvantage software, and the top scorers were identified.

So far, Paul had spent minimal time in this hiring process, since ApplicantAdvantage had done everything to this point.

At this point his regional recruiters in Omaha, Toronto, and Dallas keyed into the reporting site, reviewed the top candidates' work history and backgrounds and listened to how they answered certain questions. Of the 400, 125 applicants who did not handle the questions very well, or their mastery of the English language was not up to acceptable standards were eliminated.

The remaining 275 applicants did much better and were placed on the short list for the national hire. The regional directors listened to parts of each interview recording, and from the 275 names selected 200 for personal interviews.

To this point his regional recruiters had collectively spent approximately 5 hours. They then arranged interviews with the selected candidates, and had the computer send a form letter to the applicants who did not make the grade.

Within 48 hours of the advertisement appearing, Paul's recruiters were interviewing top candidates. They also completed this hiring process within 14 working days.