SmartSearch® integrates with Adobes EchoSign electronic signature service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Advanced Personnel Systems Inc.
(760) 941-2800
info@aps2k.com

OCEANSIDE, CA   January 5, 2012  —  Advanced Personnel Systems, Inc. (APS), the maker of SmartSearch® recruiting business software, announced a new integration with Adobe’s EchoSign, the world’s leading online digital document signing service. When used in conjunction with SmartSearch® automated tasks, EchoSign gives corporate employers additional paperless document management and onboarding capabilities, and for recruiting firms, digital document signing helps streamline the sales and placement process by reducing the time needed to capture and manage required signatures from both customers and candidates.

The EchoSign integration includes a new document signing portal on the built-in SmartSearch® career center to facilitate signature gathering. Web portal options allow candidates to upload documents with their online employment application, and specify desired documents when applying for a position or at any time during the hiring process. New hires may be directed to the candidate portal to begin the on-boarding process by updating their records with additional documentation, e-signatures, voluntarily provide EEOC data, and more.  Hiring Managers and other designated portal users may access documents via their own web portal to e-sign contracts, offer letters, job requirements, or other documents that require their approval. The portal enables web site visitors to view documents that require a signature as well as previously signed documents. Single sign-on eliminates the need to distribute passwords, and SmartSearch users may include an expiration date and reminders to limit how long a person has to sign each document. When an individual digitally signs a document, it is immediately saved in their SmartSearch Profile, and the user who requested the signature is notified via email.

Additionally, the SmartSearch Work-in-Progress (WIP) dashboard shows a list of recently signed documents, pending documents, and past due documents to help users keep track of activity. The WIP menu also features links to send reminders, view documents, and remove signature requests.

One of the biggest benefits of using the EchoSign integration within SmartSearch® instead of EchoSign alone is that users can create documents with mail-merge fields to save time. SmartSearch® automatically populates fields with available data from the candidate, contact or job record before a document is auto-forwarded to EchoSign for signature. For example, a W-4 form can be pre-populated with employee contact information, start dates and salary information.

“The new EchoSign integration improves the candidate’s experience by letting applicants conveniently upload, review, and update required documentation during the hiring process,” said Doug Coull, CEO at APS. “And, green recruiting practices such as our paperless document management enable customers to enhance their employment brand and promote their environmental sustainability policy.”

Many studies have shown that organizations can significantly reduce their carbon footprint and lower hiring costs with paperless hiring processes. The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) survey on the Green Workplace reports that 75% of employees think it’s important for employers to be environmentally responsible.  Going green has become an important factor in employment branding to attract, engage, recruit and retain top talent.

About SmartSearch®: 

Since 1986, Advanced Personnel Systems, Inc. has led the way in the development and deployment of quality talent management and recruiting solutions.  Having pioneered the field of resume-scanning-based recruiting solutions, APS is a recognized innovator in on-demand technology and recruitment data management.  Its signature product, SmartSearch® currently in its fifteenth release, serves over 165,000 users and 4.7 million job seekers worldwide. For more information, visit: www.smartsearchonline.com

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