The employer used to have the upper hand when it comes to recruiting. With unemployment at a record low, however, there are currently more opportunities for jobs than candidates to fill them. Employers experience pressure to recruit top talent by providing the most appealing mix of pay, benefits, and business culture. As a consequence, the expertise of the candidates is more important than ever.
What is the experience of a candidate? It is how job seekers view the brand in the recruiting process in the most concise definition. The candidate’s background affects how potential workers feel about you as an employer from the job description to the final offer. Is it simple and convenient for the process? Or is it hard and frustrating? Not only can their expertise inform whether they take the job or not, but also how they represent the business to their network of other potential talents.
Respect is a street that is two-way,
Many people were able to find out that they encountered similar actions from recruiting firms while the article was making the rounds on LinkedIn. After a phone screening or even an in-person interview, job seekers usually vent about not hearing back from recruiters. When they go from feeling positive about having a new job to not getting an answer to their follow-up email, it’s disheartening for a candidate.
We don’t say it’s all right for an applicant to ghost one recruiter only because another recruiter did it to them. But recruitment firms should consider whether they handle applicants with the consideration they expect in exchange.
The importance of candidate experience
At Emonics, we’re big advocates of providing a positive candidate experience. Doing so increases the chances a talented, in-demand professional selects your opportunity over another. And if they don’t, they’ll likely let you know if you were kind to them throughout the process. Let’s explore different ways your organization can provide a favorable candidate experience and how each prevents ghosting.
Highlight the employee experience
The careers section of the website of your company does not only mention the positions for which you are recruiting. Details on what it’s like to be an employee should also be included. Outline the principles of your brand, what your workplace is like, the incentives and benefits you offer to workers, and any other details that define your business. Highlighting employee experience results in applications from like-minded applicants.
Over-communicate
Sure, it’s a good gesture to tell someone that they are not getting a job. But in the recruiting process, you can try to stay in touch with applicants as much as possible. Update them in between developments, in addition to emailing or calling a candidate to plan the next steps. For instance, if Friday rolls around and you wait for the recruiting team to review the assessment test for skills, give them a quick email before the weekend so that they can rest easy.
Conduct respectful interviews
Interviews show a great deal about the business. There’s a fair chance you’re not going to hear from them again if a candidate leaves with a bad taste in her mouth.
It doesn’t mean not asking difficult questions to perform respectful interviews. That can and should be done by your team. It means being mindful of the time and effort a candidate dedicates to coming in for an interview and making them feel relaxed when they are there. Let them know in advance how long it will take for the interview and who they’ll meet with. Go as far as to give them directions to your office and suggest suitable attire for interviews. Finally, train the interviewers, in a polite manner, to ask efficient questions.
Keep in contact with new hires
Though ghosting occurs often during the recruiting process, some recruiters say they have had no show on their first day of hiring new hires. For a company that has just spent so much money in a long recruiting trip, that is a big blow.
Consider what happens to an applicant after the bid is accepted. Perhaps they feel nervous about the reality of beginning a new job with a new boss and colleagues. Or maybe their new boss is asking them to continue. Excitement, especially if you are not in touch, will fade in the time between the final interview and day one.
Conclusion
Providing a positive candidate experience not only reduces the risk of unexpectedly dropping out of touch with a candidate. This leaves a positive impact on the individuals you associate with. They can see that the company is a wonderful place to work and can share with others their positive experiences.
