Is Your Company Turning Off Potential Job Candidates?
Posted February 29, 2016
There's a tendency for hiring managers to invest little energy when it comes to developing a hiring process.
Often, too much emphasis is placed on reaching top-quality candidates, and not enough energy is spent connecting to and attracting them during the hiring process.
With the job market currently in the favor of the job seeker, top talent is harder to find and hire. Hence, your organization needs to take a close look at its hiring process and hone it to land the best candidates around.
Using job descriptions to attract talent
The first communication your organization will make with job candidates is a job posting. Intentionally obscure job descriptions aggravate candidates. They can make it look like you don’t really know what you're on the lookout for, haven't spent sufficient time to profile the job, or that you've cut and pasted from a different job description.
Rather, use exact language and include all of the job duties in the posting. Trust that applicants will screen themselves out if they don't like what they see, saving you time. Explain what's in it for job candidates, as well. Remember, you're trying to attract top talent.
If possible, avoid using open-ended job postings. Job seekers will eventually tune out a posting if it continually pops up, and they keep applying, and keep getting no response.
Keep candidates apprised of their status and the state of the process
Keep in touch with your candidates, even reaching out if you haven't any news. Applicants appreciate knowing where they stand, and may even put the brakes on their job search if they know you are interested in them.
Where feasible, use the candidate's favored means of communication. Never call them at work. Rather, leave voice mail or send a text and ask them to contact you. Don't forget to provide your contact details.
After an interview, offer some feedback, even if it's just to offer well wishes in their continued search. Email is OK, just ensure that it's short and professional and addresses the candidate by name.
Don't keep your candidates in the dark. Inform them about the next step and ensure you carry on as promised. Do everything you say you are going to do.
Make the hiring process as fast as possible
Hiring decisions are important decisions, and there can be a tendency to consider candidates for a lengthy period of time.
However, the longer you delay the actual hiring, the greater chance a top candidate will have his or her head turned by another opportunity. Also, delaying a hire means it will take that much longer to get your new employee up to speed.
Assess your process in search of bottlenecks. Eliminate or streamline these parts of the process where possible.
If your company is looking to outsource the hiring process to a team that specializes in landing the best candidates, feel free to contact one of the leading employment firms in the South and we can discuss the solution that works best for your organization.