In recruiting, technology can be a distraction. Many companies get excited about new techniques when they’re looking for candidates – but only end up frustrating them. Take the application process: no matter what industry, candidates get frustrated, starting from the moment the company posts the open position on a job board through the interview process.
Candidates like to hear from companies, but it seems like after they submit their applications, they don’t hear back at all. If they’re lucky, the company has set up an impersonal autoresponder merely acknowledging receipt, which is a missed opportunity to begin engaging the candidate. Here’s the first piece that’s missing: an invitation to check out the company’s social media presence, which not only helps the candidate feel like he matters but also helps with his research on the company.
After the interview, candidates also lament how they don’t hear back about the company’s decision. Instead of leaving the candidate hanging, the company can send a short note to keep the candidate’s goodwill – because that candidate could make a great employee down the line. That’s another opportunity to invite the candidate to social media channels and leave a more favorable impression with her.
Candidates also get frustrated with long, ambiguous job postings. These days, candidates are not above using new technology, too – they’re on their smartphones, and most won’t scroll to the bottom to read more, especially if the first part of the posting is boring.
Instead, companies need to think of their job postings as an extension of their brands and treat them as such. Job postings need to build on brand equity and become powerful recruiting tools that engage candidates and make them want to apply, not turn them off and send them to the next posting.
The third and final frustration of candidates is when companies bury compensation data. Most companies don’t want to publish this in the job posting – which is perfectly acceptable. However, further in the recruiting process, such as early in the interview process, candidates need to know what the compensation will be. It can be a deal-breaker, and once that’s in the open, it saves everyone time and trouble.
When companies take the time to address these problems and communicate with their applicants and candidates, they’re better able to attract qualified professionals and ensure their brand reputation stays intact. A good recruiting experience could mean referrals of other qualified talent as well.
