Responding effectively in this period of uncertainty may be one reason that the average cost to attract a job seeker and convert them into a job applicant—aka, cost per applicant (CPA)—rose from about $12 in January of 2020 to $19 by June. Another factor might be that many people stopped seeking work during the initial period of urgency when many households were striving to contend with an array of factors, including childcare emergencies as schools and daycare centers closed.
As of this writing, the U.S. employment situation remains hard to predict.
Unemployment rates rose from 3.5% in February 2020 to 14.7% in April and then back down to 8.4% within four months. Many jobs that require an onsite presence have reportedly been going unfilled, perhaps due to the potential danger from the Covid-19 virus. Moreover, many Americans have been moving due to Covid-19, which can make filling certain jobs more complicated. And, no one is sure what the next economic quarter will bring.
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The State of Applicant Tracking Systems 2020
www.hr.com | 877-472-6648 | copyright © HR.com 2020
However we view these shifting circumstances, it does not appear that recruitment has suddenly become an easy task for most employers or that most job applicants are having an easy time locating work.
In short, the U.S. job and labor markets remain in flux at the time of this writing, and it is uncertain when they will become more predictable again. In the meantime, HR professionals generally—and talent acquisition experts more specifically—must stay agile and able to quickly respond to new developments as they occur.
Survey Question: How would you rate the overall effectiveness of talent acquisition/recruitment in your organization?
Excellent
13%
Good
41%
Average
35%
Below average
7%
Far below average
4%
0
10
20
30
40
50
Later in this report, we will use the answers to this question to analyze differences between two survey cohorts:
● High-performing TA firms: These represent respondents who indicate that their firms are good or excellent at talent acquisition/
recruitment.
● Lower-performing TA firms: These represent respondents who say that their firms are average, below average, or far below average at talent acquisition/recruitment.
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The State of Applicant Tracking Systems 2020
www.hr.com | 877-472-6648 | copyright © HR.com 2020
