Last week we held our first in-person Customer Connect event since 2019. A small group of Hireology customers across a range of industries — from automotive to healthcare — joined us to hear about upcoming product features, discuss current hiring challenges, and provide valuable feedback on how to make our platform even better.
The programming included a live demonstration of Hireology’s employee referral technology, EmployUs as well as a sneak peek into upcoming product releases. Additionally, several of our customer success team members led small group sessions where customers found common ground when it comes to today’s hiring challenges and potential solutions.
As one automotive customer put it, “We often meet with our dealership cohorts to discuss market trends, however, as we have similar backgrounds and experiences, we often run into roadblocks. With Hireology bringing together customers from different industries, It was great to hear things that were new and share with businesses who have the same goals but different approaches.”
Here are some key product features discussed as well as some common trends we heard from customers across verticals:
Key product features highlighted
- EmployUs: Among Hireology customers, employee referrals are the top source of hires — driving nearly one out of every eight new employees. And Hireology’s recent acquisition of EmployUs makes it easier than ever to run a smooth and effective referral program that drives real results. In Adam’s presentation, he demonstrated how you can send text and email campaigns to your existing employees directly from the Hireology platform. And he showed just how easy it is for your team to simply respond to a text in order to submit their referrals — no app downloads or logins required!
- Interview scheduling: We also announced the launch of a beta program for our upcoming product release, interview scheduling. Interview Scheduling will provide candidates a way to schedule their own interview based on the availability set by the hiring team within Hireology — eliminating the need for manual coordination with both the applicant and hiring manager. Stay tuned for more updates on this release early next year.
Common themes discussed across verticals
- Applicant flow challenges: Nearly every hiring manager or HR leader we spoke with said they’re struggling with applicant flow. Job seekers today are more empowered than ever, making it really difficult for employers to stand out and attract top talent. Common solutions discussed included getting more creative with employee referral programs (e.g., introducing gamification aspects), attending virtual career fairs, and forming relationships with relevant departments at local colleges or universities. In one session we even discussed using TikTok to connect with and recruit younger talent.
- Candidate or new hire no-shows: Given that today’s job seekers have plenty of options for work, it’s also typical to experience no-shows for interviews or even no-shows among newly hired employees. One of the most common solutions discussed was candidate texting, which makes the process easier, smoother, and more convenient for the job seeker. And some customers said they are reducing new hire no-shows by sending SWAG boxes immediately after a candidate accepts the offer so that new hires feel a connection to the company before they even start.
- Raising wages: Many of our customers also said they found it difficult to compete with large employers like Amazon that have hiked wages in order to attract more talent. Most said that in order to attract folks who might otherwise be drawn to higher-paying roles, they chose to highlight their company’s culture and work/life balance within their employer branding efforts. One customer said a recent hire actually turned down a higher paying job opportunity because his company offered greater scheduling flexibility.
Many of our customers said their favorite part of the event was the ability to connect with employers from different industries and learn new strategies to take back to their teams. Another automotive customer said, “Thanks again for such a wonderful day and the exchange of ideas. It seems that every time I come to a Hireology function I learn something that I had no idea was even possible. I believe the interaction between employers is key to all of us getting better in the long run.”
We can’t wait to host our next Customer Connect event early next year. If you’re interested in participating, check your email or back on the blog for updates in the coming months. You can also join our Customer Connect advocacy program to get early-access to new features, share your feedback, participate in our beta programs, and more.
And if you’re not a customer, schedule a free demo to learn more about how Hireology can help you enhance your recruiting, hiring, and talent management efforts today.