This is when an automated Applicant Tracking System (ATS) becomes crucial. If you post a job opening for a project manager and receive hundreds of applications, there may be only a dozen that stand out as quality candidates. However, you can only hire one at that time. Down the road, though, the company may expand, opening up three new project manager positions. Rather than starting the process over again, you can start with the dozen that you had already screened-in for the last position, potentially cutting the time to fill that position by half!
If we think about recruiting as sales, candidates are like leads in a sales pipeline. It’s important to have a good mix of leads – existing leads from past requisitions that may be interested in a new job opening, net new leads from job boards that you may just be monitoring until the right time, and employee referrals.