All posts by Pereless

Paul Barnwell is a High School English teacher who wrote an article for The Atlantic titled, “My Students Don’t Know How To Hold a Conversation.”  Barnwell wrote about a class project testing his students’ ability to exchange ideas and hold conversations.  In the form of a podcast, students worked in small groups to study topics and discuss them in real time.  To Barnwell’s dismay, the students struggled to effectively carry out the task.

Even with plenty of practice, the task proved daunting to students. I watched trial runs of their podcasts frequently fall silent. Unless the student facilitator asked a question, most kids were unable to converse effectively. Instead of chiming in or following up on comments, they conducted rigid interviews. They shuffled papers and looked down at their hands. Some even reached for their phones—an automatic impulse and the last thing they should be doing.

Barnwell blames much of the students’ failure on addiction to technology and teachers overlooking an important fundamental:

…Conversational competence might be the single-most overlooked skill we fail to teach students.  Kids spend hours each day engaging with ideas and each other through screens – but rarely do they have an opportunity to hone their interpersonal communication skills.  Students’ reliance on screens for communication is detracting—and distracting—from their engagement in real-time talk.

Many students will exit high school and attend college while others will begin searching for jobs immediately.  If young people are rarely taught the importance of communication (in high school or university), how likely is it that they will be successful in job interviews?  Employers routinely ask questions to discover a candidate’s ability to address issues and handle difficult people.  They also pay close attention to nonverbal expressions, levels of confidence, articulation, and the candidate’s ability to listen.  These are qualities often built through practice and experience, yet if technology serves as a hindrance to learning these attributes, young people searching for a career are less likely to land the job they want and grow towards their true potential.  With instructors like Paul Barnwell highlighting the shift in how young people learn and think, teachers can begin focusing on exercises that strengthen communication, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills that are too often weakened by a tech-dominant society.

When students apply for colleges and jobs, they won’t conduct interviews through their smart phones. When they negotiate pay raises and discuss projects with employers, they should exude a thoughtful presence and demonstrate the ability to think on their feet (or at least without Google).

Read the full article here.

A new survey conducted by reThinkData revealed that a majority of applicant tracking system (ATS) vendors are beginning to focus on improving reports and analytics for 2017 (based on customer feedback).  For years, Pereless Systems has worked closely with our clients to build an ATS platform that delivers exactly what they need.  Reports and data tracking have always been key functionalities for our system to which our clients directly helped us customize and build.  Take a look at a running list of the most commonly used reports within our system:

Build Your Own Report – Custom build a report for any and all tracked fields at the candidate, job, recruiter, or EEO level.

Agency Summary – Returns a list of candidates that were sent through the ATS agency portal.
Job Approval – Provides real-time data of job(s) currently within approval status or that have already been approved.
Individual Approval Level – Export job approval history for free and unlimited recruit team members (learn more about recruit team members here).
Offer Approval – History of offer approvals from start to finish – pull data based on customized date ranges and custom fields.

Total Candidates/Jobs Summary – Current recruitflow status of candidates and/or jobs displayed by recruitflow.
Prescreening Question – Candidate responses to custom prescreening questions.
Daily Activity – Overview of active jobs and the number of candidates that applied during selected dates.
Conversion Rate – Status of candidates in a specific recruitflow based on the date they applied plus the percentage of applicants within a specific flow.

Resource Return On Investment (ROI) – Return on investment for each job posting resource.
Candidates/Jobs Activity (Logged history) – Activity and disposition history of candidates within each recruitflow.
Candidates/Jobs Activity (Current) – Current recruitflow status and other vital information of candidates/jobs by recruitflow.
Candidate Source – Track source of incoming candidates, where they heard about the position, and other helpful analytics.
Candidate Referral – Track candidates who were referred by employees.

EEO Applicant – Activity for EEO reporting purposes (internal and external).  Displays gender, ethnicity, and other related data reported by the candidate.
EEO-1 – Information for hired candidates in the standard required format for specified dates.
Custom EEO-1 – EEO information for all candidates in the standard required format for specified dates.

Job Status/Recruitment Activity – Track activity including job resource information, number of hires/openings to single application, and number of days a job has been open.
Cost Per Hire – Tracks new hire information including the costs recorded within the hired screen.
Time to Fill – Tracks activity ranging from job creation to hire – the job timeline or time to fill calculations for an individual job or group of jobs.

Pereless Systems – Candidate Report

Pereless Systems is unique because we customize our platform based on customer suggestions.  Innovation is our primary goal, and we are always updating our interface and modules to keep up to speed with modern technology.  Request a demo to learn more about what our system can do for you!

Employers on the verge of sending job offers to candidates want to be sure they make the right hiring decisions. Often times, employers will contact the applicant’s references to confirm qualifications in work, education, and other important aspects of their experience before making that final decision.  Pereless Systems applicant tracking system makes it easy and convenient for recruiters to connect with candidate references and manage their data with one platform. Here’s how it works:

1) Employers send an email to candidates with a secure login link and pass-code.  

2) Candidates then add, remove, and confirm their references personal information.

3) Candidates can then write a personalized message and send an email to their references requesting they review and confirm recommendations.

4) Once references receive the email, they have the ability to review, accept, or reject endorsements plus write custom responses which are sent and recorded into the applicant tracking system.  

This email method makes it easy for busy recruiters to gather the information they need quickly into one system while not having to worry about playing phone tag with busy references.  If you are in the market for an innovative applicant tracking system that does it all (without killing your budget) request a demo with us today!

Do you think it’s logical that applicant tracking system (ATS) vendors charge companies based on the total amount of employees they have versus how many users actually use the system? We don’t think so, which is why our clients save tons of money without sacrificing quality.   We charge clients per user and depending on the user level access they choose per user.  Best of all, we have a free and unlimited user option!

• Power users (Also known as system administrators, these are the “see all, do all” users of the ATS)
• Hiring Managers (Users with a restricted login portal who are assigned jobs, candidates, and other accessibility by power users)
• Recruit Team Members (Free and unlimited users that do not log in to the ATS but are sent emails to participate in the candidate review and hiring process)

We also make it easy for power users to activate or deactivate ATS users as needed and replace them with new users. For instance, let’s say you have a hiring manager who is going on maternity leave for 3 months. Instead of purchasing a new user seat for an additional fee, you can inactivate her license temporarily and replace her with another employee without cost. The absent employee’s activity is saved while the new user’s activity is completely separate and reportable. When your hiring manager returns, power users can reactivate her in a matter of seconds! Power users have full control of their team and the access they have to the ATS!

Want to learn more about pricing?  Let’s talk!

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Tired of playing phone tag with job candidates?  Switch up your strategy by using an applicant tracking system (ATS) to contact them via text message.  An estimated 77% of Americans own a smart device and use it to text twice as much as calling someone.  65% of them are using their mobile phone to search for jobs online.  Job recruiters tasked with reviewing applications and contacting candidates for interviews have a main goal of hiring the best talent in the shortest amount of time.  Making communication easy and convenient for both recruiters and candidates is an effective way to get things done quicker while creating a positive and innovative experience.  Using an applicant tracking software like Pereless Systems that is equipped with text messaging functionality will accomplish just that.

Mobile-friendly career pages and applications – The first step to capturing mobile-active candidates is to have an apply process that is compatible with their device.  1 in 10 millennials reported they would dump a company – or skip applying for jobs – if they lacked a mobile apply process.   Pereless Systems builds all career pages and applications mobile-responsive by default.   Make sure the ATS provider you’re currently using does the same.

Text message functionality – The Pereless platform is equipped with SMS text message functionality allowing hiring teams to contact candidates on their mobile device.  Use the ATS to instantly send a text using a generic phone number to introduce yourself to applicants, ask additional questions, and send interview invites.  All conversations are stored within the ATS and can be accessed at any time.

Pereless Systems text message functionality

Send interview invites based on schedule availability – One of the major benefits of an applicant tracking system is that you can create and manage schedules within the platform. Pereless System’s scheduling feature includes an innovative invite functionality that sends applicants text messages and emails with available dates and times for interviews based on your schedule.  Candidates can then accept or reject their choices and continue to connect with you via text message.  Have multiple team members involved in the interview process?  You can assign them to the confirmed interview date and send them reminders via text and email too!

Pereless Systems text message interview invite

 New Pereless clients get their first 5,000 text messages free!  

Contact us to learn more about our mobile functionality and innovative applicant tracking system.

Is your company career site optimized to its full potential? Even if you are not actively recruiting for positions, you can still passively recruit job candidates by adding a talent network portal to your site. Talent networks provide individuals interested in working for your company an easy way to submit their contact information, resume files, and skill portfolios for future consideration.

Applicants who wish to enter the talent network simply sign up using their email address or login credentials from sites like LinkedIn and GitHub to create an applicant profile detailing their qualifications and showcasing their experience. Once completed, their information is saved and sourced into an internal talent pool within an applicant tracking system (ATS) that can be easily accessed by hiring teams when needed. The ATS system will even trigger alerts to candidates within the talent network when positions aligning with their qualifications are made available.

Pereless Systems Talent Network Login Form

Candidates attracted to your company based on reputation are more likely to be qualified, compatible with company culture, and remain long-term employees if hired.   Providing them an open door to potentially become an employee is not only a smart employer branding strategy, but also provides recruiters an instant list of qualified and interested talent when they need to start filling jobs.  It is a win-win situation for both parties!

Check out Pereless Systems applicant tracking software and get the Talent Network portal included FREE!

Snapchat is a popular mobile application created by three former Stanford University students in 2011.  The app allows its users to share images and multimedia instantly through its platform and has since developed into a graphics and overlay king that attracts a particularly younger audience.

It is estimated there are 160 million active users world-wide using Snapchat, with a majority of its user-base ranging between the ages of 18 – 24 years old.   For employers who are looking to recruit younger workers, Snapchat is a great source to tap into.  Not only can it be great for job recruitment, but it can be used as a tool to promote company brand and build an online audience in a fun and unique way. Here’s how some big names are using Snapchat to recruit talent and expand:

Snapchat for job recruitment: 

A social media campaign launched by McDonald’s in Australia called “Snaplications” aimed to attract young job seekers on Snapchat.  It required users to upload a 10-second video as an introductory application.  Once reviewed, McDonald’s would then send prospects a link through Snapchat connecting applicants to their website to apply online.  The Australia chief operating officer Shaun Ruming said, “We think this is actually a world first. Snaplications is basically a Snapchat ‘lens’ that gives users the ability to apply for a job —or at least commence that process—by sending a 10-second snap.”

Snapchat also includes a geofilter capability that enables visual overlays on specified locations on a map.  This allows employers to target specific locations and places (such as college campuses or businesses) and offers a unique method of promotion and interest.

Snapchat for employer branding:

The well-known IT and networking company Cisco started a social media campaign allowing their employees to capture daily work activities and experiences using Snapchat. Workers from different locations world-wide post videos of their offices, events they attend, and tours of product-testing centers to showcase what a day in the life of a Cisco employee entails.  New content is posted by a group of Cisco employees chosen from their 165 global locations daily, which is a great way to get noticed by interested Snapchatters who would possibly be interested in joining the company.

Cisco’s director for culture and global employer branding Macy Andrews says, “We want to showcase a different variety of jobs, so we might pick someone from engineering, or finance or legal, so we can show what various jobs at Cisco look like,” she says. “Some of it is location-based — we might be looking to fill a position at our site in Germany or our Richardson, Texas office, so we’ll get someone to snap from those locations.” 

Andrews also commented on the role employees play when attending special events.  “If our CEO goes to the New York office, we may have a group of employees there follow him around and snap various meetings or photos of him taking our interns out to lunch.”  

As Snapchat was once viewed as simply a video-sharing platform with fun graphics, it is now becoming more and more recognized as a tool for businesses to recruit talent and focus on improving employer brand. President of New York-based marketing firm Jody Ordinoni says that if you’re using Snapchat to recruit, “It means you’re kind of cool…it’s a way to show your audience that you’re embracing new technology.”

Pereless Systems Applicant Tracking includes free, innovative tools to promote jobs through social media platforms like Snapchat.  Let us show you how to post & share for free!