I have noticed some companies feel they are 100% in the driver's seat more then ever when it comes to hiring, because of "higher unemployed" due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
I urge our industry to not take the foot off the gas when it comes to making sure your brand has a 5-star candidate experience. If not, we will lose our talent pool to other industries that are providing this experience.
Building a successful employer brand is tricky because the candidate's expertise lies at the core of it all. Good candidate experience is crucial to creating a successful employer brand.
As much as you concentrate on your products and distribution, focusing on your employer brand will help you look at candidates as clients and treat them as if they matter to your organization's core.
Your interaction with candidates determines their impression of your service/products and the employer brand — and these initial experiences are long-lasting. That's why it's so important to be on your game in every interview and prepare your team so that they can put their best foot on your company's behalf.
Job applicants are becoming impatient. In the 2018 Talent Board survey, 37% of candidates complained about poor interaction with recruiters.
The study hypothesized that candidates are less likely to engage in a flawed recruiting process in today's talent market — so giving your candidate a 5-star brand experience is vital to keeping them engaged.
We are not oblivious of the effect of COVID-19 on the high unemployment rate in some sectors. However, an increase in unemployed candidates doesn't mean candidates' 5-star brand experience should take a back seat.
Hiring the best talent shouldn't be compromised based on a larger supply of unemployed candidates. That's why it is so important to be at your best during the hiring process.
The importance of giving a 5-star brand experience says a lot about the reputation of your company in future hiring processes.
The Talent Board's data sheds light on dark areas where companies are falling short, from the application process to the lack of details before the interview.
Based on these observations, here are five techniques to make your hiring process remain a point of pride and productivity.
1. Start on the right foot, making it easy for candidates to find all the details they trust the most.
According to the Talent Board report, the overwhelming majority of applicants (70.5%) conduct their study into your company before applying. It makes the pre-application stage the ideal opportunity to set a constructive tone for the entire hiring process.
Candidates want a list of your company's core values. Highlighting your employee value proposition (EVP) can be particularly effective. Candidates are looking for answers to why people want to work at your company, so don't let them guess. Most candidates look for this information on your website's job section, so be sure to have important data available.
It's on the internet forever — tweets, blog posts, PR wins and gaffes — once written, these things will never go away. The study "The Future of Recruitment" from Future Workplace surveyed 1,054 respondents, including 616 employers and 438 job-seekers. It showed that 61% of job-seekers first visited the company's online page before applying.
2. Fast pace of the world.
With the advance in technology, job candidates share their experiences online. If they're buying a camera or looking at a mediocre interview experience, it's convenient for people to share their experiences.
Trust me — a negative review travels faster than a good one. However, do not allow this to become a fear. Instead, create a unique brand proposition and advantage around it.
Today, businesses are recognized for the quality of their workplace as much as they are for the quality of the services rendered. Yeah, it's cool to make a killer product, but if your company isn't a great place to work, what's the point?
Candidates will not take a job with an organization with a low reputation, even though they are unemployed. Your ability to succeed in the competition and stay ahead is directly connected to attracting and retaining top talent.
3. Give the schedule and the names of the interviewers in advance.
You earn points with your applicants when you keep them updated on what their interview process will look like. When you pay attention to this kind of detail, you're showing the candidate that you're taking both them and their time seriously.
When recruiters don't communicate much about interviews, applicants are less likely to succeed. They can also see a lack of preparation or consideration, entering a vital part of the recruiting process.
This approach is useful even if the interview takes place over the phone or as a video call. For on-site interviews, offering a location tour will help candidates feel at ease and develop a better relationship with your company.
One of the most powerful things you can do is reason what the experience you give to the candidate feels like. Think back to the last time you were interviewed. What makes the hiring process stand out? The truth is, asking yourself these questions and putting yourself in the candidate's position will help you get in touch and stay ahead.
4. Keep candidates updated on the next steps and, if possible, provide them with timely input.
Receiving feedback is extremely important for candidates. If you can provide input, you can automatically improve the candidate's experience.
Speak to candidates about their strengths and areas of change and provide actionable guidance about what they should do better. Your company might not be comfortable providing input, and that's OK, too. After the interview, you will also boost the candidates' experience by letting them know what the next steps will look like.
Don't burn bridges. Create brand advocates instead. Although several candidates may not fit into your qualification first, industries may shift and new opportunities may emerge.
Candidates who might not be the right match now may be a match in a couple of months or even a year, so never burn the bridges. To ensure you never destroy relationships, interact transparently with candidates, and be as upfront as humanly possible.
Be constructive with criticism. Everyone, you interview (but don't hire) should be able to hear from you if you ever reach out in the future. Plus, this will leave you with a big, talented applicant pool to reach out if the opportunity ever occurs.
5. First experience matters
Candidates' first impression of your company will remain with them throughout the entire process — so make it count. Similarly, a wrong candidate's experience will lead to a bad review of your goods or services, which is never good for business.
To deal with this, make sure you take the little moves; you need to go above and beyond. Send customized follow-up emails to applicants and ensure that each applicant receives a response, regardless of whether it is negative or positive.
Train your team on how to interview them correctly, be welcoming when applicants arrive and learn to deal with difficult interview situations. Taking the extra time to make applicants feel comfortable and valuable will set you apart as an employer.
When it comes to the candidate's experience, small actions can have a significant effect. With candidates in charge and the internet as their "megaphone," companies must concentrate relentlessly on their employer brand and continually strive to prove to those prospective candidates that they are fit, not the other way around.
One of the most relevant and ignored contact fields is not just with prospective candidates or current workers; although they are crucial; it's with the applicants whom you refused to recruit. Change the focus of the discussion from dissatisfaction to appreciation.
These methods help companies ensure that candidates do not reflexively dislike your business. Generally, it's all about going that extra mile, and it doesn't cost that much at all, compared to the negative impact that a candidate might have on your brand or company. Let people know you're honored that they've chosen you to apply for, even if you can't hire them right now.
A combination of a successful recruitment process and a laser emphasis on the candidate's experience will create a strong employer brand, help attract and retain rock star candidates and workers and drive your company's success.