Reducing Recruiter Overtime: How an HR Department Saved 20 Hours/Week on Intake with Make.com

Client Overview

Global Innovations Inc. (GII) is a dynamic, rapidly expanding technology company with over 1,200 employees spread across multiple global offices. Known for its cutting-edge software solutions and a commitment to fostering a vibrant, innovative work culture, GII’s success hinges on its ability to attract and retain top talent. Their HR department, comprising 18 professionals with 6 dedicated recruiters, operates at the heart of this talent acquisition strategy. However, the company’s explosive growth in recent years had placed immense pressure on their recruitment function. With an average of 50-70 new hires per month and a constant influx of candidate applications for a wide array of roles, from entry-level developers to senior leadership positions, GII’s recruiters were stretched thin. They prided themselves on providing a personal touch and a positive candidate experience, but the sheer volume of administrative tasks was making this increasingly difficult. The HR team utilized a leading Applicant Tracking System (ATS), but many crucial steps in the candidate intake process—especially the initial stages of processing new applications—remained heavily reliant on manual effort, leading to bottlenecks and potential burnout.

GII’s leadership recognized that sustained growth necessitated a scalable HR operation. The recruiting team, while highly skilled in candidate engagement and evaluation, found themselves spending disproportionate time on repetitive, data-entry-heavy tasks that didn’t leverage their core competencies. This wasn’t just an efficiency problem; it was impacting morale, increasing operational costs due to overtime, and potentially hindering their ability to secure critical talent quickly. The company was proactive in seeking solutions that could enhance their internal capabilities without compromising the human element of their recruitment process. They understood that embracing automation wasn’t about replacing people but empowering them to do their best work, focusing on the strategic and relational aspects of talent acquisition that truly differentiate a company in a competitive market. It was clear that a strategic intervention was needed to transform their intake processes from a burden into a streamlined, high-efficiency operation.

The Challenge

The primary challenge for Global Innovations Inc. (GII)’s HR department revolved around the inefficient and time-consuming candidate intake process. Each week, GII’s six recruiters collectively sifted through hundreds of applications arriving from various channels: direct website submissions, LinkedIn, professional networking sites, and employee referrals. While their ATS was robust, the initial stages of getting a candidate from ‘applicant’ to ‘interview-ready’ were rife with manual interventions. Recruiters were spending an average of 1 hour per qualified candidate on intake-related activities. For a typical week processing 20-25 candidates each across the team, this amounted to a staggering 20-25 hours per week of collective recruiter time dedicated solely to administrative intake tasks. This included:

• Manually extracting information from resumes and cover letters for entry or verification in the ATS.
• Sending personalized initial outreach emails and screening questionnaires.
• Tracking questionnaire responses and updating candidate profiles.
• Coordinating and scheduling initial phone screens, often involving multiple back-and-forth emails to find a suitable time.
• Communicating next steps to candidates who passed or didn’t pass the initial screening.
• Managing data synchronization inconsistencies between different tools (e.g., calendar, email, ATS).

This administrative burden had several negative consequences. Recruiters were constantly working overtime, leading to increased labor costs and a significant risk of burnout. The time spent on these low-value tasks meant less time for strategic sourcing, engaging with passive candidates, and building stronger relationships with top talent. Furthermore, the manual nature of the process introduced a higher potential for human error in data entry, leading to discrepancies and a less-than-perfect candidate experience. Response times to applicants were often inconsistent, potentially causing top candidates to lose interest or accept offers elsewhere. GII’s leadership was acutely aware that this bottleneck was impacting their time-to-hire, creating a drag on their ability to fill critical roles promptly, and ultimately hindering their growth trajectory. They needed a solution that could not only alleviate the administrative load but also standardize and accelerate the initial candidate journey, ensuring a consistent and positive experience for every applicant.

Our Solution

Recognizing the deep-seated challenges in GII’s HR recruitment intake, Jeff Arnold was engaged to design and implement a comprehensive automation strategy. My approach, as detailed in my book, *The Automated Recruiter*, focuses on identifying high-impact, repetitive tasks suitable for automation, thereby freeing up human talent for strategic, relationship-driven work. After a thorough discovery phase that mapped GII’s current recruitment workflows, it became evident that the candidate intake process was an ideal candidate for transformation. Our solution centered on leveraging Make.com (formerly Integromat) as the core automation platform, due to its powerful visual builder, extensive integration capabilities, and scalability.

The solution we designed and implemented integrated Make.com with GII’s existing Applicant Tracking System (a generic “leading ATS” for this case study), their company-wide email and calendar systems (Microsoft Outlook & Exchange), and a specialized online form builder for structured questionnaires. The goal was to create intelligent, automated workflows that could handle the entire initial candidate journey with minimal human intervention, from application receipt to initial interview scheduling. Specific components of the solution included:

1. Automated Application Ingestion: Make.com scenarios were built to monitor new applications across all sources. When a new application was received (e.g., via the ATS or a direct email), Make.com would parse key data points from resumes and automatically create or update candidate profiles in the ATS, ensuring data consistency from the outset.
2. Intelligent Pre-Screening: Based on pre-defined criteria (e.g., specific keywords, experience levels), automated emails containing a dynamic pre-screening questionnaire were sent to qualified candidates. Make.com tracked responses and automatically updated candidate statuses in the ATS.
3. Seamless Interview Scheduling: For candidates who successfully completed the pre-screening, Make.com would trigger an integration with a calendaring tool (e.g., Calendly or Outlook Calendar) to allow candidates to self-schedule their initial phone screen with the appropriate recruiter, based on real-time availability. This eliminated the tedious back-and-forth emailing.
4. Automated Candidate Communication: Throughout the process, candidates received timely, personalized updates regarding their application status, next steps, and scheduling confirmations, ensuring a consistently positive and professional candidate experience, regardless of the outcome.
5. Conditional Logic and Escalation: The workflows incorporated conditional logic to handle various scenarios – for instance, flagging certain applications for immediate recruiter review, sending rejection notices for non-qualified candidates, or escalating issues to a recruiter if an automation step failed.

This comprehensive solution transformed GII’s HR intake from a manual, time-consuming bottleneck into a highly efficient, automated pipeline, allowing recruiters to focus on what they do best: building relationships and identifying top talent.

Implementation Steps

Implementing the HR automation solution at Global Innovations Inc. (GII) was a structured, collaborative process, guided by my proven methodology. My approach prioritizes deep understanding, iterative development, and comprehensive training to ensure not just successful deployment, but also sustained adoption and value realization. Here’s how we brought the vision to life:

1. Discovery & Workflow Audit (Weeks 1-2): My team and I began with an intensive discovery phase. We conducted in-depth interviews with GII’s HR leadership, recruiters, and IT staff. Our goal was to meticulously map their existing candidate intake workflows, identify all manual touchpoints, data silos, pain points, and critical integration needs. We analyzed application volume, current time-to-hire metrics, and recruiter feedback. This audit confirmed that the initial screening, data entry, and scheduling were the most significant drains on recruiter time.
2. Strategy & Design (Weeks 3-4): Based on the audit, I presented a phased automation strategy, starting with the highest-impact area: candidate intake. We designed detailed Make.com scenarios, outlining every step of the automated workflow, including specific triggers, actions, and conditional logic. This included selecting the specific tools for integration (GII’s ATS, Outlook/Exchange for email and calendar, and a form builder for questionnaires) and defining the data flow between them.
3. Development & Integration (Weeks 5-8): My team built the Make.com scenarios, rigorously integrating them with GII’s existing tech stack. This involved configuring API connections, setting up data mapping, and developing robust error handling mechanisms. For example, we configured a scenario to trigger when a new application hit the ATS, extract specific data fields, and then push that data to initiate an automated pre-screening email via Outlook. Another scenario monitored questionnaire responses and, upon completion, triggered the Calendly integration for self-scheduling. Throughout this phase, we maintained close communication with GII’s IT department to ensure security compliance and seamless system interoperability.
4. Testing & Refinement (Weeks 9-10): We performed extensive testing in a sandbox environment, simulating various candidate pathways and edge cases. GII’s HR team provided crucial feedback, allowing us to refine the workflows, optimize messaging, and ensure the system behaved exactly as intended. This iterative testing process was vital for catching potential issues before live deployment and ensuring user acceptance.
5. Training & Rollout (Weeks 11-12): Once testing was complete and validated, we conducted comprehensive training sessions for GII’s HR and recruiting teams. The training focused not just on how to use the new system, but on understanding its strategic benefits and how it would empower them. We provided detailed user guides and established clear support channels. The rollout was phased, initially deploying the automation for a specific set of roles, allowing for real-time monitoring and minor adjustments before a full departmental rollout. My team provided ongoing support during the initial weeks of live operation to ensure a smooth transition and address any emerging questions.

This structured implementation ensured that GII’s HR department transitioned smoothly to the new automated processes, minimizing disruption while maximizing impact.

The Results

The implementation of the Make.com-powered HR automation solution at Global Innovations Inc. (GII) yielded immediate and transformative results, significantly impacting the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and overall experience within their recruitment function. The quantifiable outcomes quickly validated the investment and Jeff Arnold’s strategic approach:

• 20 Hours/Week in Recruiter Time Saved: The most direct and impactful result was the drastic reduction in time spent on manual candidate intake tasks. GII’s recruiting team collectively saved an average of 20 hours per week, achieving the core objective outlined in the project title. This represents a 70% reduction in time previously spent on data entry, initial email communication, and scheduling coordination for the intake phase. Each recruiter effectively gained back over 3 hours per week, allowing them to redirect their efforts toward high-value activities.
• Significant Reduction in Overtime Costs: By eliminating the need for recruiters to work extended hours on administrative tasks, GII saw an estimated annual saving of over $35,000 in overtime pay for the recruitment team. This figure is based on an average hourly overtime rate and the previously accrued hours. Beyond direct cost savings, it also avoided the potential need to hire an additional administrative assistant dedicated to recruitment support, saving an estimated $50,000-$60,000 annually in salary and benefits.
• 50% Faster Candidate Processing: The automated workflows drastically accelerated the speed at which applications could be processed. Candidates now moved from application submission to initial phone screen scheduling in an average of 1.5 days, down from the previous 3-4 days. This improvement in speed meant GII could engage with top talent much faster, reducing the risk of losing candidates to competing offers.
• Enhanced Candidate Experience: With automated, yet personalized, communication, candidates received timely updates at every stage of the intake process. Response times improved by over 60%, leading to a measurable increase in candidate satisfaction scores. GII’s internal ‘Candidate Net Promoter Score’ (CNPS) for the initial stages of recruitment saw an increase of 12 points within three months post-implementation, reflecting a more positive perception of the company’s hiring process.
• Improved Recruiter Morale and Focus: Free from the drudgery of repetitive data entry and scheduling logistics, recruiters reported a significant uplift in job satisfaction. They could now dedicate more time to strategic sourcing, conducting more meaningful interviews, building stronger candidate relationships, and collaborating more effectively with hiring managers. The HR team reported a noticeable reduction in burnout symptoms and an increase in proactive, strategic recruitment initiatives.
• Increased Data Accuracy: The automation minimized manual data entry errors, leading to cleaner, more consistent data within the ATS. This improved reporting capabilities and provided more reliable insights into the recruitment pipeline.

These quantified results unequivocally demonstrate the power of targeted HR automation. GII not only reclaimed valuable recruiter time and reduced operational costs but also significantly elevated its employer brand and candidate experience, positioning itself more competitively in the talent market.

Key Takeaways

The success story at Global Innovations Inc. (GII) offers profound insights into the strategic value of HR automation, particularly when approached with a clear vision and expert guidance. As someone who’s seen these transformations firsthand, I can distill several critical takeaways from GII’s journey:

1. Start with High-Impact Bottlenecks: GII’s challenge wasn’t a lack of effort but a manual bottleneck in their candidate intake process. By identifying this specific, time-consuming pain point, we were able to deliver immediate, measurable value. Automation isn’t about automating everything; it’s about strategically targeting areas where repetitive tasks consume disproportionate human effort. Focus on the processes that cause the most friction and consume the most time for your team.
2. Automation Elevates the Human Element: This project wasn’t about replacing recruiters; it was about empowering them. By offloading administrative burdens, GII’s recruiters could focus on the truly human aspects of their role—building relationships, assessing cultural fit, and strategic talent advising. Automation is a tool to amplify human potential, allowing HR professionals to be more strategic, empathetic, and impactful, rather than bogged down in operational minutiae.
3. Leverage Existing Tech Stack: The solution didn’t require GII to overhaul its entire HR tech stack. By integrating Make.com with their existing ATS, email, and calendaring systems, we demonstrated that significant efficiencies can be gained by intelligently connecting and optimizing current investments. This approach reduces implementation costs and speeds up adoption, as teams are already familiar with the core tools.
4. Phased Implementation and Iterative Refinement are Key: Our structured approach, from detailed discovery and design to iterative testing and phased rollout, minimized disruption and maximized user acceptance. It allowed GII’s team to adapt gradually to the new workflows, provide feedback, and feel a sense of ownership in the transformation. Change management is as crucial as technical implementation.
5. Quantifiable Results Drive Further Investment: The ability to clearly quantify time savings (20 hours/week), cost reductions ($35,000+ annually), and improvements in candidate experience (12-point CNPS increase) provided clear ROI. These metrics are vital for securing buy-in from leadership and building a case for further automation initiatives across the organization. Tangible results transform automation from a theoretical concept into a strategic business imperative.
6. Expert Guidance Accelerates Success: Navigating the complexities of automation requires specialized knowledge. My experience in identifying the right tools, designing efficient workflows, and ensuring seamless integration was crucial for GII’s rapid and successful transformation. Don’t underestimate the value of bringing in an expert to streamline the process, avoid common pitfalls, and ensure the solution is robust and scalable.

GII’s experience is a powerful testament to the fact that HR automation, when strategically implemented, is not just about efficiency—it’s about transforming the entire talent acquisition function, improving employee morale, and ultimately, contributing directly to a company’s competitive advantage and growth.

Client Quote/Testimonial

“Working with Jeff Arnold was a game-changer for our HR department. Before Jeff, our recruiting team was drowning in administrative tasks, leading to constant overtime and a feeling of being overwhelmed. We knew we needed a change, but the path to automation seemed daunting. Jeff’s expertise, structured approach, and deep understanding of HR processes immediately put us at ease.

He didn’t just come in with a one-size-fits-all solution; he meticulously audited our specific workflows and designed an automation strategy using Make.com that seamlessly integrated with our existing systems. The results have been nothing short of phenomenal. Saving 20 hours a week on candidate intake has not only significantly reduced our overtime costs but has also dramatically improved our recruiters’ morale and job satisfaction.

Our candidates are now experiencing faster, more professional communication, and our time-to-hire has seen a remarkable improvement. Jeff’s guidance was invaluable, from the initial discovery phase through to training and ongoing support. He helped us not just implement a solution, but truly transform how we think about efficiency and the candidate experience. I wholeheartedly recommend Jeff Arnold to any organization looking to strategically leverage automation to empower their HR function.”

— Sarah Chen, VP of Human Resources, Global Innovations Inc.

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