7 'Recipes' That'll Simplify Your Recruiting Process Use the web tool IFTTT to automatically email you notes or even bail you out of a bad interview.
By Eric Siu
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If you aren't already familiar with IFTTT (which stands for "if this, then that"), it's time to get comfortable with this massively powerful productivity tool. Essentially, IFTTT allows you to create "recipes" that include a trigger action and a follow-up action.
Let's look at an example to see how that works in practice.
Suppose you use Evernote to archive important documents and you frequently find yourself copying the content of different Gmail messages to new notes in your Evernote notebooks. Using a pre-built IFTTT recipe, you can automate the process entirely so that all you have to do is add an "Evernote" label to the messages you want to archive and IFTTT takes care of the rest.
Related: 4 Technologies That Free HR to Work With People Instead of Just Their Paperwork
In addition to the thousands of pre-built recipes on file within IFTTT already, you can also create your own combinations based on trigger channels and designated actions. Here are seven you'll want to put together to simplify your recruiting process:
1. Mute my Android phone when I get to the office and turn on vibrate.
Forget being caught in the middle of an interview by a distracting phone call! This recipe, built by IFTTT user Jeff, allows you to define a set area as "work." When your Android phone detects that you've entered the area, IFTTT prompts your device to mute its ringtone and turn on the vibrate feature.
Pair this recipe with others that'll automatically turn your ringtone back up when you leave work and unmute your phone when your device detects that it's back home.
2. Get emails for new posts from any Craigslist search.
Want to keep an eye on your competitors' recruiting activity? Enter the URL from your usual Craigslist searches into this IFTTT recipe and you'll automatically be emailed whenever new posts are added.
Alternatively, if you ever search Craigslist to view applicants who have posted resumes to the service, you can enter the URLs from your typical searches into this same IFTTT recipe to be emailed automatically whenever new candidates with your criteria post applications.
3. Dictate voice memos and have the transcripts emailed to yourself.
You've just finished an interview and you want to record your thoughts on the candidate while they're still fresh in your mind. Paper notes can be slow to write and get confusing after multiple interviews. Instead, connect your phone number to your IFTTT account, and then use this recipe to create voice memos that will be automatically transcribed and sent, along with the corresponding MP3 file, to your email address.
Related: 4 Tips to Best Use Assessments for Hiring
4. Add interviews to your Google calendar with a voicemail.
If you're out and about when you receive scheduling confirmation for an upcoming interview, you don't need to drop everything to open up your Google calendar. Instead, simply call the IFTTT phone number and leave a message with details such as "11 a.m. this Friday, interview John Doe." This IFTTT recipe will take care of the rest.
5. Share emailed interview notes via Google Drive.
If your standard operating procedure involves multiple interviewers emailing their shared impressions back and forth, there's a better way to keep track of all this information. Use this IFTTT recipe to create a shared Google Drive folder that'll automatically populate with emailed notes from your interviews.
6. Get notified when your LinkedIn connections change jobs.
As a recruiting professional, the odds are good that you've got at least a few LinkedIn connections on your radar that you'd love to pick up for your organization. Now you can be notified that they've left their current positions with this helpful IFTTT recipe. Don't miss out on great recruitment opportunities just because you don't check your LinkedIn account every day!
7. Escape from endless interviews with a rescue phone call.
Finally, if you've ever found yourself stuck with a chatty candidate who can't, or won't, take your cues to wrap things up, this handy IFTTT recipe will send help in the form of a rescue phone call. All you have to do is send a quick text, and the program will route a call to your phone -- giving you the chance to escape with an apologetic, "So sorry, I really have to take this."
Over the past few years, I've had the chance to talk to dozens of CEOs about their hiring secrets, and nearly all of them agree that productivity is critical when it comes to staying on top of today's competitive recruiting environment. These IFTTT recipes give you an easy leg up by automating tasks you'd otherwise spend your valuable time on.
Give them a try today, and leave a comment below with other HR IFTTT recipes you can't live without!
Related: 3 Ways to Rescue a Job Interview That's Going Wrong
