Using eLearning to manage recruitment drives

Did you know you can use eLearning platforms to help manage your recruitment drives?

You might not immediately think of eLearning as the best tool to use when organising a recruitment drive. After all, Learning Management Systems are primarily used for employee training and development, rather than recruiting.

However, if you’re already using an LMS for online training, it’s worth knowing that you can also use it to vet potential candidates, making your recruitment process much simpler and faster.

Recruiting for multiple positions at the same time can be tricky, taking up a considerable amount of time and energy from your HR team. Any tool that can make the talent acquisition process easier and more effective is well worth the investment!

Here are some tips on using your LMS or eLearning platform to run a successful recruitment drive.

Using eLearning Platforms for Recruitment

Traditionally, learning platforms are used to carry out online training, allowing you to develop the employees already working for your organisation. They are also often used as part of the onboarding process, bringing new hires up-to-speed with company processes and policies.

Employers generally have a good idea of what they’re looking for in a new hire, with certain skills, experience and criteria outlined in the position description. In a recruitment drive, your HR team will be evaluating large numbers of candidates simultaneously.

By having applicants answer questions within the LMS, you can very quickly and easily see which candidates have the skills and expertise needed for the job. This gives you a valuable opportunity to consider employee performance before an individual even comes on board. After all, a good eLearning platform can help you track and monitor completion rates, engagement, and overall performance.

You can even have some fun by incorporating gaming into the process, as suggested by eLearning expert, Christopher Pappas.

“Games might not spring to mind when discussing talent acquisition strategies, but beyond being fun and interactive, they are also great evaluation tools for job candidates,” says Pappas. “They allow you to test the waters and identify individuals who are just right for your team.”

Using an LMS During the Interview Process

Learning technology tools can also be used very effectively throughout the interview process.

Pappas explains how you can use your LMS and online training simulations to pre-assess candidates and find the top talent.

“Training simulations mimic real-world environments and challenges. This makes them the ideal recruitment tool, as you can test practical knowledge and experience,” he says.

In this way, simulations can reveal how much a potential candidate knows about the tools of the trade. This is really useful in finding out whether someone possesses the relevant skills, for example in certain software or machinery. Hiring a new employee based solely on qualification is a waste of time if you then find out they can’t use the tools on the job.

It’s not just helpful for evaluating technical skills. Use your LMS to have candidates answer and submit questions through the digital platform. You can create different branching scenarios to test soft skills, such as communication, decision-making, or even compliance.

Using eLearning for Onboarding and Training

Once you’ve decided on the best candidate, you can also use your eLearning platform for effective onboarding.

Mathew Paine, director of HR for Sydney’s International Convention Centre, oversaw one of the company’s largest recruitment drives, scaling up by more than 300 fulltime and 1,500 casual staff.

Paine tells how the ICC embraced technology to help manage such a huge recruitment drive.

“Technology is also used to help manage the interview process. Candidates are asked three questions through a digital platform and have to record answers on their smartphones or tablets."

“We get to meet those candidates virtually whilst we review those answers. That will save us almost 1,500 hours of interview time,” Paine says.

Candidates are also given access to an onboarding portal, with the induction process and orientation starting from the moment a candidate accepts a role. eLearning continues to play a key role in employee training for the ICC, combined with on-the-job training, classroom-based learning, and seminars.

As you can see, learning how to use your LMS or eLearning platform for more than just training is well worth the effort. Next time you’re organising a big recruitment drive, see how you can incorporate eLearning tools into the interview, assessment and onboarding phases of your hiring process.