Recruiters at Mid- and Large-Size Organizations Spending 30 Percent of Their Time Searching for Qualified Candidates; Identify Best Technology Tools to Improve Staff Efficiency

ADP® Employer Services, a leading provider of HR, payroll and benefits administration services, today released The Current State of Recruitment Technology (http://pre-employmentservices.adp.com), a study which reveals new challenges and pressures on HR recruiters and their staff. The study finds that recruiting staffs at large organizations* are processing almost two dozen applicants per opening, compared to a dozen for mid-size organizations. Despite outnumbering the mid-size recruiting staffs by a 4-to-1 ratio, the study found, large company recruiters are flooded with a far greater number of job applicants on average, according to the study.

HR recruiters who are tasked with filling these jobs are often engaged in the "war for talent" without the most robust tools -- according to the study fewer than one in four utilize technology to manage the recruitment process from end-to-end. The study also reveals that HR executives believe that software and technology can improve staff efficiency on most core recruiting functions, indicating a growing demand for software and outsourcing in recruiting departments.

According to the study, recruitment professionals overwhelmingly identify their biggest challenge as "finding qualified candidates who meet the job requirements." In large and mid-size companies, the study found that nearly one-third of staff time is spent on the initial recruitment process, consisting of finding qualified candidates, screening them, and scheduling/conducting interviews. Most often these tasks are performed in-house without help from external HR experts or outsourcers.

"Recruiters at companies of all types and sizes have told us their most challenging and time-consuming task is identifying candidates who are both qualified and meet the necessary job requirements," said Mike Martone, Chief Operating Officer, ADP. "Recruitment experts who have embraced technology are now able to quickly analyze and identify the best people ahead of the competition, while staying in compliance with hiring regulations."

ADP Research Findings: The Current State of Recruitment Technology

Interviews with more than 500 senior HR executives in charge of recruitment at mid- and large-size U.S.