Don't let a patchwork monster of mismatched technologies drag you down. Here are four things to consider when evaluating a recruiting technology solution.

In theory, technology is supposed to make recruiters more efficient and productive, helping staffing firms scale and grow.

In practice, it may be doing the opposite.

Organizations that have stitched together a variety of one-off solutions for performing operations such as finding jobs, attracting candidates, onboarding, credentialing, timekeeping, payrolling and invoicing are actually crippling efficiency, restricting cross-selling and vertical revenue growth — and killing the user experience in the process.

“The so-called ‘Frankenstack’ exists in staffing and recruiting firms because their leaders don’t always realize that it is possible to have all your data live in one place,” says Bobby Bartlett, vice president of enterprise accounts at TargetRecruit.

Fixing immediate issues by tacking on point solutions may seem expedient, but over time, this creates risk and complexity. Adding non-native apps built on different technology stacks creates a fragmented system and can weaken critical processes like reporting and workflow automation.

Worse, it creates siloed data scattered across several technologies, limiting the ability to flow data from the front to the back office, making processes like onboarding, timekeeping and invoicing more onerous.

According to a TargetRecruit survey of potential clients about the top applicant tracking system challenges, almost a quarter of respondents said that “integration” was a significant problem.

Source: TargetRecruit survey on applicant tracking system challenges staffing and recruiting firms face.

Fortunately, staffing leaders can turn this situation around by rethinking their priorities and approach. Today it is possible to have a solution that fulfills all your front- and middle-office needs in ways that are more agile and adaptive than ever before — an enterprise software package that offers best-of-breed, native solutions for front to back staffing processes.      

Here are key questions to ask as you explore such a solution for your firm.

Are Your Technology and Business Strategies Aligned?

Staffing firms need to be able to pivot when the market shifts. Flexibility enables them to scale, add new vertical markets or expand to new geographies without hiring developers to cobble together connections between software solutions.

For instance, can your current technology consolidate time and interpret overtime correctly? Can it automatically invoice clients with multiple worksites or format invoices per client requirements? Do you have the data analytics and reporting capabilities to manage growth, costs and performance?

Having those capabilities makes it easier to nurture relationships with new clients and candidates down the road as well as reduce operational bloat. But tacking on point solutions to meet each need — the “Frankenstack” approach — can do the opposite.

What many staffing leaders don’t realize, Bartlett says, is that recruiting and middle office systems should be built in tandem using the same technology to operate seamlessly.

“It’s important to educate yourself on the differences between native integration and API integration because it impacts how applications share and update data,” Bartlett said.

An API — or application programming interface — takes technologies that were built on completely different code bases and frameworks and tries to pass data between them. With native integrations, however, software built on the same code base can work harmoniously with one another — and that’s what creates a more scalable foundation for your tech stack.

The bottom line is that technology should help — not hinder — a staffing firm’s ability to achieve business goals. “Clearly, if you can stay away from API integration, do so at all costs,” Bartlett emphasizes.

Does Your Technology Create a Great User Experience?

From internal stakeholders to your contingent talent, creating a great user experience is critical recruiting and retaining top talent. Disparate systems and siloed data create frustrating barriers that slow staff down, from recruiters to back-office support. Meanwhile, if your onboarding and timekeeping systems are not providing intuitive, efficient and enjoyable interfaces, you could be driving candidates away.

Having a unified data set makes delivering a unified front-end internal stakeholder and candidate experience far more feasible. Candidates’ interactions with your firm’s technology will shape their experience and impression of your brand. Staffing firm leaders would do well to remember this.

Should You Build or Buy Software?

Deciding which technology solution is best — building your own or buying an existing package — depends on your organization’s business goals and capabilities. Even then, the business case is strong with the latter approach, Bartlett says. Historically, smaller to midsize staffing firms with limited resources would have been advised to pursue purchasing an external solution, while bespoke systems were worth the ROI for larger firms.

The evolution of technologies has turned that on its head, Bartlett explains. “With so many solutions on the market today, the results of a build versus buy cost analysis typically show that a solution built on Salesforce is much quicker and cost-effective to implement, configure and maintain than a self-built solution.”

After all, building software is not a core competency for most staffing firms, and it will take developers months just to build a bare-bones solution. Plus, in-house software is not a one-time investment; you have to maintain it forever.

Such a solution also provides access to a wide array of benefits a home-grown solution would lack, from thousands of apps to powerful reporting and workflow automation tools. Most importantly, expert consultants from a financially stable company are available to provide ongoing development and support.

“Just be honest with yourself about where your organization’s strengths lie,” Bartlett says. “Do you want to operate as a staffing firm or a software firm? Do you want to invest in profit centers or cost centers?”

Do You Have the Right Vendor?

One of the most important factors when purchasing technology is choosing the right vendor.

The right technology and vendor can transform your organization. Choosing the wrong technology and vendor can turn into a nightmare. Will they pick up the phone when you call? Do they have a track record of implementing solutions with similar clients? How heavily are they investing in their new releases? Are they financially sound?

Overall, switching from a patchwork of technologies to an enterprise software platform can transform critical processes and position your organization for future success.

To learn how TargetRecruit can help your staffing firm transition to an enterprise solution built on Salesforce, contact Bobby Bartlett, vice president of enterprise accounts at TargetRecruit.