Build trust
It’s no secret that recruitment can get a bad rep, and candidates often become distrustful when they’ve gone through various recruitment cycles, with various recruiters. However, with the new GDPR rules around consent and obtaining permission to keep, store, use and pass on personal data, recruitment agencies are giving more control and power back to the candidates.
If your agency embraces this and proactively works to give that control to candidates, making it as easy as possible for them to opt in or out, as well as requesting the right to be forgotten, you’ll build relationships based on trust and loyalty. Don’t make it hard for candidates to opt out or request their data back, no one wants to struggle for what is their right and it will leave candidates with a bad taste in their mouth. Be the agency that is fighting on their side, and GDPR will help you do this.
Go fishing for data
Recruitment agencies sit on a phenomenal amount of data. We trade in people, so naturally personal information is at our fingertips and stuffed into our recruitment databases. Many agencies will only mine their data or go through the database if they’re migrating to a new CRM, leaving the information to pile up over the years. GDPR legislation will force recruitment agencies to ensure their database is current and as up-to-date as possible, and while you’re at it, it’s the perfect opportunity to identify key areas of demand, skills-gaps and salary expectations.
You will notice upcoming trends and areas your agency can capitalise on, whether it’s by reaching out to leads or creating valuable content around the data you’ve found. At Access Recruitment CRM we’ve put in time, energy and resource to creating the best GDPR portal full of advice, tips and updates on what’s going on to ensure you’re always in the know.
Generate leads
The latest rules around personal data will demand that recruitment agencies obtain explicit consent to use and keep candidate and client information. It’s no longer enough to assume it is implied, but rather you will need to prove you’ve obtained permission from every candidate in your database. Naturally it’s time consuming and will take a chunk of your resources to do it, however, it’s a brilliant opportunity to reconnect with forgotten relationships and rekindle some new business along the way.
Instead of just sending out a generic email to your database asking for consent, consider personalized approaches, especially to hiring managers and heads of HR. Perhaps it’s an opportunity to meet up for a drink or a business lunch with the purpose of obtaining consent, but could also result in new business leads and opportunities. Recruiters are forever looking for a reason to call would-be candidates, and GDPR is that reason. It also gives you the chance to remind old leads about your area of expertise and the ways in which you can offer a service.