Recruitment CRM Integration: Watch Out for Feature Inclusion versus Integration

Many CRMs for recruitment agencies push a heap of integrations with their product. You might think that the right combination of add-ons could create the perfect platform.

But before you start paying for all of these apps, take a good look at the CRM. Are some of these third-party tools key features a recruitment software should already have? A solid recruitment platform shouldn’t leave feature gaps like this, only to ask the buyer to make up for it with add-ons.

Features like LinkedIn sourcing, resume formatting, reporting and dashboards, and candidate & client portals have become non-negotiables. Other must-haves for today’s candidate-short, hybrid-work landscape includes video outreach, LinkedIn prospecting, video interviewing, internal chat, and collaboration.

The problem with the majority of the recruitment systems is that these features are not offered as part of the core platform. These are offered by third-party vendors in the Marketplace as integrations.

Recruitment CRM Integrations: One-way vs Two-way Sync
Turning to APIs as a solution
Thinking of upgrading your system?

1. Recruitment CRM Integrations: One-way vs Two-way Sync

Even if you agree that integrations are a good pick, not all are created equal.

Ask about data synchronization. An integration can have one way or two-way data sync.

With one-way sync, the integration pulls data from your platform and keeps it tidied away. When you update a file, it’s changed on the main CRM platform and then “pushed” into the integration.

If you change a file inside the integration? Now the data on the main platform is outdated. This creates an admin hell for users, who have to keep track of where their data is current.

Another problem with one-way sync? Compliance.

Every tool you use contains data, which means one more dusty drawer to clear out when you get a privacy-related or right-to-be-forgotten GDPR request. This is an admin headache that’s totally avoidable.

Two-way sync is what it sounds like: it pulls your data, stores it, but also pushes that data right back. If a user updates or deletes a file within the integration, its twin file gets changed automatically on the main platform.

Integrations are about automation, making your life easier. That won’t be true if your consultants have to go clean up the data themselves. Don’t stick your recruiters with data admin. There’s no billing in Excel hell.

2. Turning to APIs as a solution

Every business and its workflows are unique. It’s not uncommon to find businesses turning to APIs to bridge automation gaps. However, an integration’s API capabilities go beyond asking, “what’s that?”

Here are 6 must-ask questions to pressure test vendors when you hear: "Yes, you can do that with our API."

2.1 Is the API documentation publicly available?

Get it in writing. If there’s publicly available documentation, that means the team publishing the API have the confidence and know-how to explain it to users. Hidden or unavailable documentation means chasing the vendor for information.

2.2 How comprehensive and robust is the API documentation?

The only thing worse than no documentation is bad documentation. Your development team needs clearly-written documentation, or they’ll suffer. Bad documentation also indicates that the API development was poorly done. A good product would have good instructions. Get your developer to look at the API documentation beforehand. They can give you the green light, or tell you to steer clear.

2.3 What is the API support like?

If you need help, where will you go for support? Ask the vendor if they have any dedicated resources for integration support. Is there a team from that company that can support your integration? Consider weaving that in as part of your contract if so. Everyone could use a "get out of jail free" card sometimes.

2.4 Is there a sandbox?

Your dev team will need a place to test-drive with their code before implementing it. Does this API give them a sandbox? Without this environment, developers can’t safely test any new changes to the system. This is a point where we’d especially like to advise caution. Using a sandbox assumes that you have in-house experts to develop and support custom integrations. If you don’t have these resources already, is it something you want to take on?

2.5 How does the API roadmap look?

A good tech partner invests in their roadmap so that your recruitment workflow evolves in tandem with market needs and developments. On their product roadmap, what’s the plan for future features and updates specifically for API? To ensure that your business runs smoothly, you’ll also need to confirm that any new changes would also be updated in their API accordingly. You don’t want anything to break.

2.6 What’s the cost?

Building an API integration isn’t cheap. It costs around $20,000 USD just to build a simple one. Depending on a number of factors - from research time to documentation time to the amount of APIs - the price tag could be even higher.

The leading CRMs today come with APIs, but that doesn’t mean they are good. When integrations don’t talk and only have one-way sync, the onus will be on you to update and chase down data. Admin work, IT support, and workarounds all cost time and money that add to the weight of this system. So much for automation. All of these factors will come into play when you consider the impact on your total cost of ownership. After you’ve invested in implementation and training packages, the last thing you want is to be weighed down by hidden costs like these.

3. Thinking of upgrading your system?

If you want a quick run-through of the process, consider looking at our five-step guide to CRM implementation. This will start you thinking through the factors you need to consider to make the right decision.

Grab the full buyer's guide for more power plays and frameworks to bullet-proof your evaluation process. Download now.

About Vincere

Vincere is the Recruitment Operating System. The all-in-one #RecOS purpose-built for recruitment & staffing. One Front - Middle - Back office to unleash growth without gravity.

No more 'Frankenstacks'. Run your core processes through Vincere's suite of connected modules: