What are resumes databases?

A resume database is a collection of resumes from both passive and active candidates. They are organized in a way that makes it easy to search. Modern resume database options are user-friendly and often allow you to collect, organize and return to resumes you’ve saved. To search the database, you use relevant, targeted keywords, or Boolean searches, to find candidates with the skills, experience and education you’re seeking.

Benefits of using resume databases in recruitment and hiring

Here are some of the many benefits to using resume databases in recruitment and hiring:

Provides a time-saving, targeted approach

Gone are the days of manually reading resumes to see if the candidate possesses the qualifications you’re looking for. Instead, you can target specific keywords and further refine your search criteria so you’re only shown resumes from candidates who are an exact fit for what you’re looking for. This saves significant time and hassle.

For example, you could use Boolean search strings to target relevant candidates. Typing the search string chef AND menu AND management OR restaurant management AND seafood AND “New York City” or NYC would show you chefs in New York City with experience in menu creation, restaurant management and seafood. By using this targeted approach, you reduce the number of resumes you’re shown and ensure they’re in the location you’re looking for.

Helps you find candidate for hard-to-fill roles

Since resume databases are a proactive way to source candidates, you can potentially find great new hires for your hard-to-fill roles. These roles may include those that require specialized skills or higher-level roles. Instead of waiting for them to find you, search by skill, experience and more to find the exact candidates you’re looking for.

Helps you build portfolios of promising candidates

Resume databases are not only helpful in finding candidates you want to hire right now but also for finding those you may wish to hire in the future. For example, you may know that your marketing manager is retiring in six months, and you’ll need to fill that position from outside the company. In this case, it makes sense to get a head start on your hiring efforts by building a portfolio of promising candidates.

Then, once you’ve built your portfolio, you can begin reaching out to prospects two or three months ahead of your marketing manager’s retirement. This gives you enough time to interview interested candidates and help the chosen individual settle into their new role by the time they must take on the responsibilities by themselves.

Gives you an idea of the current industry market

When recruiting and hiring, understanding the current market for your industry is crucial. It offers an idea of how in-demand jobs are in your industry, which can provide a starting point for salary and benefit package negotiations. Plus, by offering a reasonable starting salary during negotiations, you help your company remain competitive in securing qualified candidates.

Potentially increases your own business network

Business networks are vital to every aspect of your company, but they’re especially crucial in recruitment. By reaching out to qualified candidates and including your contact information, you can help build your network.

An excellent way to help do this is by including professional social media information for yourself and your company in every recruitment email. This way, when people need a job in the future, they’ll remember you and potentially reach out. Plus, if you provide a good experience during each of your interactions, candidates may refer other professionals they know to your company.

Reduces time spent at each stage of the hiring process

Using a resume database not only saves time in the recruitment and candidate scanning processes but also saves time at more advanced stages by filtering out unqualified candidates early on. This way, you’ll have fewer interviews to complete and fewer follow-up emails to send out. The time from beginning to recruiting and hiring can potentially be significantly reduced.

Best practices for targeting specific resumes in a database

There are a few best practices for getting the most out of a resume database. A few of these that you’ll want to implement include:

• Checking your work: You’ll want to check your keywords or search strings for typos before you press submit. Typos in your keywords could bring up irrelevant candidates while filtering out those who do meet your criteria.
• Thinking about your keywords: Before deciding your search criteria, consider what qualifications are mandatory. After thinking about it, you may find some search criteria are a preference instead of a must-have instead.
• Remembering location: One of the most crucial search terms will likely be your location, unless you want to fill a remote position. Remember to filter your search for candidates that are in your area.
• Taking advantage of mobile capabilities: If the resume database you choose allows you access via mobile devices, take advantage of that. This way, you can make the most of your available time, even if you aren’t near your computer. Mobile options also allow you to access candidate information quickly when needed.
• Automating whenever possible: If there are automation capabilities in your resume database, use them. For example, you may be able to automatically receive new resumes that meet your search criteria without having to do a new search. For example, with Indeed Smart Sourcing, our matching engine learns from your resume searches to deliver quality matches.
• Responding: A resume database is a waste of time if you don’t respond to candidates who have shown interest in your offer. Remember to respond within a reasonable timeframe to every candidate who gets back to you, even if you don’t end up hiring them.

Resume databases help streamline the recruitment and hiring processes by reducing time and making your efforts more efficient. There are additional benefits to using these databases, such as potentially increasing your business network and getting an idea of the current industry market. Using the best practices listed above will help you reap the most benefits from your resume database.

Frequently asked questions about resume databases

Are there potential downsides to using resumes databases?

There are potential downsides to every business decision, but there are relatively few negatives when choosing resume databases. A few potential negatives include:

• Improper keyword searches (including typos) may filter out relevant resumes in databases
• Not every potential candidate will have their resume in databases
• There may be some upfront and ongoing costs related to accessing or maintaining your information on these databases
• You have to do the work of finding candidates, rather than posting a job and waiting for them to find you

What should hiring managers look for in resume databases?

The two most important things to look for in resume databases are the database size and ease of use. You’ll want to look for a database provider with a wide selection of users who have uploaded their resumes. For instance, Indeed Smart Sourcing has 245M total resumes in its database. Searching through resumes should be straightforward, and the interface should be user-friendly. Additionally, you’ll want a provider who allows you to save resumes. Consider it a bonus if there are features that will enable you to categorize resumes you’ve saved for easier access later.