#USA #Holmdel #Talent Acquisition #iCIMS #KEO International Consultants

How KEO International Consultants Achieved Talent Acquisition Success

In a remarkable feat for the global engineering and architecture consultancy, KEO International Consultants, the company managed to hire nearly 1,000 individuals in a single year. What's more impressive is that it accomplished this without expanding its talent acquisition (TA) team, all thanks to the innovative technology offered by ICIMS. The partnership has resulted in a substantial 40% year-over-year increase in hiring volume and a 46% surge in applications.

The Challenge of Rapid Growth

As a firm with over 2,500 professionals operating in 15 offices across 13 countries, KEO's rapid expansion demanded a robust hiring strategy. The nature of KEO’s work—project-based with a predominantly expatriate workforce—meant that high-volume recruiting was not just a seasonal task, but a continuous necessity. Faced with surging application rates, KEO realized that their traditional manual processes were inefficient and could no longer keep up with the volume of talent needed. The organization needed to modernize its recruiting operations without increasing headcount in a time of intense demand.

A Revolutionary Partnership with ICIMS

To effectively address these challenges, KEO partnered with ICIMS, a leader in talent acquisition technology, to implement a suite of solutions designed to automate and simplify the hiring process. The deployment included the ICIMS Applicant Tracking System (ATS), Career Sites, Offer Management, Onboarding features, and the groundbreaking AI Talent Explorer.

This comprehensive approach allowed KEO to transform its once-manual recruiting operation into a streamlined, AI-powered recruitment engine. Niall Hughes, KEO’s director of talent acquisition, emphasized the significant impact of this technology, stating, "Hiring close to 1,000 people a year, across 13 countries, with the same team, is only possible because we have the right technology behind us. ICIMS makes that possible."

Tackling Hiring Constraints

Prior to this technological upgrade, KEO faced multiple operational hurdles. Their career site was underperforming in terms of converting web traffic into applications, contracts were issued through cumbersome manual email exchanges, and recruiters spent an excessive amount of time shortlisting candidates rather than engaging them in meaningful conversations. Senior stakeholders lacked insights into recruitment performance metrics, which further complicated decision-making processes.

Instead of simply adding staff to the TA team, KEO collaborated closely with ICIMS to identify bottlenecks in the recruiting lifecycle. By doing so, they implemented multiple automation strategies to alleviate the administrative burden placed on human resources. Key actions included:

• - Redesigning the Career Site: The revamped site now aligns neatly with the company’s branding, creating a more compelling pathway for applicants.
• - AI-Driven Candidate Shortlisting: Utilizing ICIMS’ AI Talent Explorer, KEO could surface and prioritize suitable candidates quickly, drastically reducing the time spent on manual evaluations.
• - Digitalization of Contract Issuance: By integrating with DocuSign, KEO transitioned to a fully digital contract issuance process, eliminating delays associated with physical paperwork.
• - Enhanced Reporting Systems: A structured reporting dashboard was developed, providing senior executives with real-time visibility into hiring progress and recruiter efficiency.

Measurable Outcomes from Modernization

The results of KEO's modernization initiative were swift and impactful:

• - A 40% increase in hiring volume was managed seamlessly, with the same TA team.
• - The redesigned career site generated a 46% increase in applications.
• - Nearly 1,000 new hires were onboarded within the year.
• - 100% of contracts were issued digitally, contributing to operational efficiency.

Nikki Grigsby, ICIMS' chief customer officer, highlighted the achievements by stating, "KEO's ability to scale hiring at this pace speaks to what is possible when teams are equipped with the right technology. By deploying AI and automation across the recruiting lifecycle with intention, their team can take on more, move faster, and focus on the specialized talent that drives their projects forward."

Conclusion

The journey of KEO International Consultants showcases the power of technology in overcoming traditional barriers in talent acquisition. The successful partnership with ICIMS serves as an inspiring case study for organizations looking to enhance their recruitment strategies. Exploring how ICIMS can revolutionize the hiring process is worth every organization's consideration. To learn more about ICIMS’ offerings, interested parties can request a demo online.

By embracing advanced technologies, businesses can not only sustain but thrive amid rapid growth and changing market conditions, creating a competitive advantage that positions them for future success.