The Birmingham Hippodrome theatre overhauled their recruitment process to deliver a superior candidate and hiring manager experience aligned with their core values. They implemented the Jobtrain applicant tracking system to streamline applications, assessments, hiring and onboarding. Key outcomes included a 222% increase in applications, 38% more hires from ethnic minorities, and a 15 day reduction in time to hire. Continuous improvements are planned, including a new mobile app and chatbot to further automate and enhance the recruitment experience.

1. Delivering a show
stopping, values-based
recruitment experience!
recruitment.birminghamhippodrome.com Jobtrain.co.uk

2. Let’s get this show
on the road...

3. Birmingham Hippodrome is UK’s most
popular single auditorium theatre
Welcomes over 500,000
visitors every year
Employs 460 people
Recruits a variety of roles including
permanent positions to volunteers
and internships

5. Three core brand values
Everyone’s
welcome
1
Nothing but
the best
2
Do it with flair3
Unforgettable performance, powered by you.

6. Reflect those values and more…
Transform the candidate
experience
1
Set the stage for hiring
managers
2
Place the spotlight on insight
with meaningful reporting
3

7. Web based forms managed applications.
Email based forms - if they came through!
No auto acknowledgements when they were received.
Impersonal - “If you haven’t heard back in 20 days consider
yourself unsuccessful.”
Where were they?

8. The Hiring Manager experience
Job approvals would take weeks to
be approved.
All applications forwarded or
printed for hiring managers.
Just one application form for all job
types regardless.
Long application forms causing
drop off.

9. Manual screening
Shortlisting was really time consuming.
100 applications took 8 hours to filter
through.
Shortlisting was email and paper based.
Unsuccessful candidates wouldn’t hear
back at all.
Feedback on candidates was all
paper forms

10. Offers and contracts
Offers and contracts were huge
packs of information.
Paper based and could only be
sent in the post.
Returned by new starters on
their first day.
No further contact or
engagement.

11. Went through the manual
application process twice.
The online app wouldn’t work –
had to send his application in the
post!
Scott’s own experience
Pre-Jobtrain: what Scott was greeted with
when he tried to submit his application online…

12. What was the goal?

13. Deliver a customer focused recruitment
experience that matches the same world class
experience when they come to the theatre.
Improve communications1
Reduce speed to apply2
Increase the relevance of
application forms
3
Screen candidates by asking
the right questions - at the
right time
4
Reduce unconscious bias and
deliver a diverse and inclusive
process
5
Deliver a winning candidate
and onboarding experience
6

14. Seek first to understand
and then be understood
Stephen Covey

15. The journey to embracing technology and
delivering an outstanding experience
In reality, very little had to be changed with
Jobtrain.
From recruitment process mapping and re-design
to implementation was 12 weeks.
A consistent process now – ‘this is how we do
recruitment’.
Vital to ensure a new process worked for all
stakeholders – not just HR.
User group of 8 key stakeholders formed
before defining requirements.
Series of surveys and face to face meetings.
Some processes might need to change
based on the ATS.
Defined tender requirements, then re-
designed the recruitment process.

16. 7 key changes to the candidate experience
Portal for recruitment activity – 2,500 visitors each month1
Clear informative, reliable and secure2
Made for mobile – 56% of applications now via mobile3
Transparency to customer (candidate) – always know
what’s happening
4
Full self-service Apply / Interview / Onboarding5
Automated and personalised comms throughout the process6
Reduce application form length and make them relevant7

17. Picture or 1,000 words?
Images are powerful – they convey information and
emotion much more effectively than text.

18. Candidate application experience
Media rich job adverts including video to
engage and inform
Relevant application forms for each role
Education removed to reduce bias and focus
on fit and values
Keep apply time to under 2 mins - 56% of
applications via mobile
Values based scored assessment being
introduced for each role

19. Hiring Manager experience
Tailored portal – ‘everything in one place’ for all
their activity
Intuitive and relevant
Online approvals
Real-time updates
Video guides
Support right when they need it

20. Selection and assessment
Anonymous shortlisting to eliminate unconscious bias
Star rating used to reduce initial shortlisting time
Panel shortlisting to ensure fair assessment
Scores against applicants to help with feedback
Candidate packs being used to deliver complete records
ahead of interviews
Self-service for candidates – via mobile – ‘customer first’
flexibility

21. Pre-boarding and Onboarding experience
Compliance (Paperwork, R2W and the necessary
but ‘boring’ stuff!)
Connection (personal relationships)
Context (setting expectations for the new role)
Culture (welcome people to the team/ethos)
accept other jobs!10%
of new hires continue
looking for new roles
after they’re offered…
30%
The 4 Cs of
Onboarding:

22. Offers, contracts and paperwork
All online now
Online forms
Online offer letters and
contracts with e-signatures
Full transparency
Postage costs eliminated
Paper eliminated
Full self-service for new hires

23. Jobtrain’s new hire ‘Green Room’
Congratulate, welcome, engage and inform new
hires (Connection, Context and Culture).
Create a sense of belonging
(even before they start)
Connect and engage
(with manager, mentor and team)
Reduce anxiety pre first day
(where do I go, how do I get there, what do I wear?)
Share critical info ahead of first day
(what to bring, what time to arrive, where to park!)

24. Jobtrain’s new hire ‘Green Room’
The numbers:
(Brandon Hall Group)
Decrease time to settle and
perform by 30%30%
Improve new hire retention by 82%82%
Increase productivity from day one
by 70%70%

25. Jobtrain’s new hire ‘Green Room’

26. What gets measured
gets managed
Peter Drucker

27. Reporting

28. Jobtrain is responding with new dashboard insights in its upcoming new platform
unique visitors to the
candidate portal in
May 2019 alone
3,000
Increase in number of
applications for 2018/19
+222%
Double the number of
new starters from an
ethnic minority.
38%
Reduction in applicants
who directly ask us for
help.
-90%
Reduction in time to hire
-15 days
Top candidate
sources:
direct to the
careers site50%
We need to
do more!
via Google
(Google for Jobs)15% via Indeed11% from Facebook9%

29. Outcomes and learnings
Improve communications1
Reduce speed to apply2
Increase the relevance of application forms3
Screen candidates by asking the right
questions - at the right time
4
Reduce unconscious bias and deliver a diverse and
inclusive process5
Deliver a winning candidate and onboarding
experience6

30. What’s next?
All new platform this Autumn –
75 enhancements in response
to customer feedback
New dynamic dashboard and
workflow metrics
Hiring Manager mobile app
1st phase of AIP
(Auto Intelligence Platform)
Our chatbot ‘HOWard’ who
provides knowledge, help and
automates processes such as
form filling!

31. recruitment.birminghamhippodrome.com Jobtrain.co.uk
Arrange a demo
of Jobtrain
Thanks for reading!
“Delivering a show stopping, values-based recruitment experience”