In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing recruiting environment, it is crucial for any recruiter, regardless of industry, to have access to the most advanced and flexible technology available. In the past, recruiters were hindered by countless time consuming activities that caused them to lose valuable candidates and business. Modern technology and the advance of computers now allow recruiters to overcome these obstacles and work more aggressively to find candidates and fill positions.

One task that is slowly being phased out is the time-and-cost-consuming process of data entry. Agencies and HR Departments alike waste thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours every year supporting a function that, with the proper recruiting technology, should be completely automated. In fact, many Applicant Tracking Systems and recruiting solutions currently imbed this capability within what is known as “Resume-Parsing Technology”.

The concept behind Resume-Parsing Technology is very simple. When resumes are submitted for open positions within an organization, information is automatically extracted from the resume and entered into the newly created candidate’s profile. The process is quick, easy, and best of all FREE, if supported by the proper Applicant Tracking System. Users should be aware, however, that this technology comes in various levels of sophistication. Here are some tips on what to look for to ensure successful implementation within your operation:

1) Does Automated Really Mean Automated?

Many parsing tools available today will only deliver upon their automation promises to a certain extent. Be sure to study the technology closely. A fully automated solution should not require any outside manipulation. Neither the manual opening of resumes, nor the process of cutting-and-pasting information into a parsing tool is acceptable when better options are available.

Some web and ASP solutions are able to receive resumes directly to their parsing tool, where the resume is opened and parsed not only for basic contact information, but also for more advanced information like skill sets. It is important to note that as essential it is for the data entry to be automated, the speed at which this process is completed is crucial. The best way to evaluate both is in a live demo environment so you can see the entry process first-hand.

2) Flexibility is vital.

The beauty of enjoying parsing technology is the security of having access to a pool of hot candidates without the hassles of sifting through them by hand to capture their information. For this reason, one must be certain that any technology choice is versatile enough to accept resumes in multiple formats (the most common being Word, Text, Rich Text, HTML, and Tif). Sophisticated technology can even support submissions from a wide range of sources. These would include your favorite job boards and even your own corporate website.

There must also be flexibility as to the volume of resumes that can be submitted at one time. Its not very time effective if a recruiter wants to submit 30 candidates into a database and is forced to do it one at a time. The best technology will allow for multiple or “batch” submissions, where users are able to attach numerous resumes with one entry. This is another very important piece of information to ask about when going through the decision process.

3) A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned.

There are two main reasons why automation is so important to the modern recruiting matrix: time efficiency and cost savings. The utilization of parsing technology, if purchased properly, will have a direct, tangible impact on your organization. With decreased dependency on Data Entry Specialists or Information Maintenance Engineers, thousands of dollars can be directed to more profitable activities. Furthermore, the time saved allows recruiters to evaluate more candidates and, in the end, improve their bottom-line.

4) Support Your Technology with an ATS

The greatest parsing technology will not create any value for your organization if it is not properly supported by a back-end database and tracking system. Once a candidate is received and processed, they are only valuable to you if you can locate them with speed and accuracy. Well-rounded Applicant Tracking Solutions deliver the entire package, not only automating data entry, but also in offering user-friendly searching and tracking capabilities within the system.

Resume-Parsing Technology is the wave of the future. As we become more and more advanced in our industry, we consistently develop ways to simplify tasks, allowing success to be more easily attained. To find the right technology to meet your needs, there are many variables that should be assessed. It is important to find a solution that is capable of doing what it advertises and is flexible enough to handle a dynamic environment. Also note both the time and cost factors associated with using this technology, as well as reviewing your back-end support to maximize the parsing tool’s value. Weighing those factors properly will help you make your first strides towards ensuring continued recruiting success in the months and years ahead.