The iFind talent management database tool from US-based Jobscience, has launched in the UK as part of a joint marketing campaign with Salesforce.com.

The latter is a major global player in cloud computing, the term which encompasses hosted services delivered over the internet, such as softwareas- a-service (SaaS) and platform-as-a-service (PaaS). iFind is built on Salesforce’s PaaS, force.com.

iFind isn’t an applicant tracking system (ATS) but rather a tool which helps with initial sourcing and sits in front of an ATS. It enables recruiters to access and integrate with social and professional network sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace and Craigslist, offers CV parsing and helps recruiters conduct targeted email campaigns to grow the candidate pool. As well as the desktop, it can also run on mobile devices
such as the iPhone and BlackBerry.

“We developed iFind out of a need by larger corporations which had invested in an ATS but weren’t getting the sourcing success that they needed,” said Jobscience marketing manager Michael Vicchitto.

“What was needed was some form of high quality customer relationship management (CRM) technology applied to talent and sourcing, as used in the Salesforce.com platform.”

iFind can integrate with most legacy ATS systems, as well as run as part of Jobscience’s TalentCentral and TalentStaffing applications.

Vicchitto told Recruiter that US recruiters using the system report that it has helped them to make more informed decisions when sourcing
potential candidates.

Among the users is Education Pioneers, whose remit it is to build a talent pipeline of leaders and entrepreneurs for the urban education sector.

“We’re making data-driven decisions and operating our recruiting business in a more strategic manner,” said Allison Wyatt, vice president, human assets at Education Pioneers.

There’s little doubt that in the US cloud computing applications are taking off in the recruitment sector. The UK launch of Bullhorn earlier this
year and Salesforce’s force.com platform arriving via Jobscience this month means such applications also look like gaining pace in the UK.

“It [the cloud] is going to bring a big change to the way recruiters and HR and resourcing departments work,” said Vicchitto, who added that even though the Salesforce brand is less well known this side of the Atlantic, the salesorientated nature of recruitment companies means
many already recognise its potential. “Recruiters are interested in evaluating some form of CRM at the moment,” he asserted.

www.jobscience.com