Effectively dealing with job applications from prospective employees is a very important aspect of the Human Resources (HR) department. It can however be a painstaking process as applications can differ vastly.
Some applicants might write a cover letter in an email and then attach their résumé, while others might attach both cover letter and résumé to the email.
It could also be attached in different formats, as an image, PDF, Microsoft Word document or Google Docs document. Résumés will also be written in different layouts, with it being harder to find the necessary information in some than in others. Vital information which HR needs to be able to make an informed decision about the applicant might be left out of the application completely. All these differences require more time from HR and make it harder to keep track of the various applications being received.
The solution:
Kotive’s ‘Job application’ workflow.
Let’s look at the example of Sarah, a Graphic Designer who has relocated from another city and who always wanted to work in the music industry. She saw a Graphic Designer job advertisement and realized it was perfect for her. It was advertised by a record company, the same record company who used the ‘Create new staff position’ workflow to create the job description used in the advertisement Sarah is looking at.
The job advertisement contains a link to the ‘Job application’ workflow, which Sarah is able to click on and start her application then and there.
All she needs to do is to fill in the online form and give honest and accurate information about herself. The first form asks her for her personal details such as contact information and social security number, as well as the position she is applying for (the same workflow is used for all the different job applications for the company) and the salary she wants for the position.
It also asks her to give her reason for applying. This field acts as the cover letter and gives her the chance to motivate why she is the right fit for the job. In the next three forms she is asked about her education, work experience and skills. Now all Sarah needs to do is wait to hear whether or not she will be invited for an interview.
By asking the applicants to fill in an online form, you are able to ask all the relevant questions. Nothing will be left out and all the applications will be in the same format. Even better, every step of the application process is recorded in the workflow app and can be viewed at anytime, all in one place.
As soon as Sarah has completed the application, HR is immediately informed of the application through a Slack notification and/or an email and is asked to review Sarah’s application.
They review the application and if they are satisfied with the information and think that she is a possible candidate, they indicate in the form that they approve the candidate for further review by the manager. In the same form, HR also chooses the manager who needs to review the application and can leave comments for them to read.
If HR approves her application, the assigned manager is notified and directed to the workflow to review Sarah’s application further. If HR is dissatisfied, and feels that she does not fit the job description, they can deny her application and she will receive an email notifying her of their decision.
Fortunately for Sarah, HR approves her application and the manager who reviews it further is also impressed by her application and decides to approve it. HR is notified of his decision via a Slack message and/or email and is asked to arrange an interview. They follow the link and provide three potential dates and times for the interview.
To Sarah’s delight she receives an email inviting her for an interview. She chooses one of the three dates that best suits her and receives a confirmation email of her interview. The manager and HR are automatically notified of the confirmed date and time of the interview.
The manager can download the application as a PDF and print it out in time for the interview.
The wonder of the workflow is that all of the communication steps between the applicant, manager and HR are automated. As soon as a form has been completed, the email or Slack notification is sent out automatically. The manager doesn’t have to write an email, all he needs to do is to review the application, indicate ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ for approval and leave a comment for HR in the comments box if needed.
If the manager denies the application, HR and the applicant are notified of his decision and HR is able to archive the application by downloading the application as a PDF, making it easy to archive.
The benefits of the ‘Job application’ workflow:
- All the Slack notifications and emails are done automatically, saving time for HR and management.
- By providing an online form for the applicants to fill in, you are able to ask all the relevant questions, thereby getting straight to the point.
- All the applications are in the same format and can be downloaded as a PDF file.
- At any time during or after the application process the history of any application can be viewed. This view also allows you to see which applications have not been completed.
If you’d like to deal with job applications more effectively, then you can copy this workflow solution directly into your Kotive account for free.
Job application
The workflow is automatically copied into your account when you select it. Want to make one or two changes to fit your situation better? No problem!
Written by 
Cornelia de Villiers
Manage job applications effectively, receive applications in a set format, and invite successful applicants for interviews. #job #application #automation
