The hidden costs of your recruitment process: Are you losing your best customers?
Attention all recruiters: we think you might be forgetting something….
Those names you’ve seen trickle into the application database of your latest job ad - you might not know them just yet, but it’s likely that the people behind those names are some of your strongest brand allies and ambassadors. They might have already invested in your product or service, or maybe they’ve spent hours investigating and praising your purpose, values and actions. They’re prepared to dedicate their time, energy, skills and passions to your company – so why aren’t we seeing any reciprocation?
As mentioned, the applicants are more than likely engaged with your brand and are excited when they see your job ad and about the prospect of working for your company. They have spent time writing a relevant cover letter, adapting a customised resume and if required, have completed an in-depth questionnaire and included a video of themselves to prove their suitability.
So - you start screening these applications at a time that suits you, and may take a few weeks or more to respond to some or all of the applicants - you’re working across several projects and priorities change – we’ve all been there. It’s been over four weeks since your ad closed and most – if not all – of your applicants haven’t heard a peep. Here’s where things tend to go a little south.
Weeks – and as per current trends – even months go past before the applicant may hear back from your company. To them, the application seems to have disappeared into cyberspace. There might not have been any recipient acknowledgement, or if there is, it’s a system-generated version.
If contacted for an interview, the applicant is likely still keen and will be relieved to hear from you at last - unless they’ve already found another job. Should the waiting game be very drawn out, applicants may lose confidence in your internal processes and procedures, therefore losing interest in the position.
Anyway, back to the process: let’s say an applicant’s interview goes well for both parties, so you inform the potential employee of next steps; “You interviewed really well. We have a few more people to interview and will get back to you by Friday.”
In countless cases, ‘Friday’ comes and goes for the applicant, with no further communication.
So - maybe at some stage someone gets offered the job, or maybe not. And those that aren’t successful very often hear nothing (if not in some cases, a generic, vague rejection email). No opportunity for feedback on why they didn’t get the job or where they went wrong.
Where does this leave your applicant?
Disappointed, disillusioned and questioning your brand values - which probably include something like “treating others with respect and courtesy.” In most cases, this once-upon-a-time-ally is now wondering whether they should even continue investing in your product or service as a consumer, begging the question; is your recruitment process (or lack thereof) losing you your best customers?
In comparison, consider how you treat potential customers?
Let’s say you’re in the retail biz - you advertise your product to a customer, based on their personal interests, needs, location, habits and actions. In two clicks they purchase an item, becoming a customer, and you even promise to deliver their order for free within 24-48 hours. You send them an automated thank you, alongside loyalty program reward points, tracking numbers, discount vouchers, and offer 24/7 support via multiple platforms and channels. You want their feedback, you deal with their complaints graciously and you want them to tell others about your great service. You’ll do whatever it takes to attract and communicate with your potential customers, creating and maintaining the best possible customer experience.
Now think back to your humble job applicant, and their experience with your company. Why is there no alignment between the way your applicants are treated and the way you treat your customers? After all, most of the time they’re the exact same people.
Despite the implementation of technology to improve communication throughout the recruitment process, this scenario is occurring far too often. There’s a strong focus on employee onboarding once the successful person has signed the dotted line, but very little or no focus on the eager applicant.
What steps can you take to improve on this process?
Ensure you respond to all applicants, even if initially it is with an automated response. This shows respect and also prevents an applicant from sending through multiple applications.
Don’t advertise the role as you’re about to go on leave, as you’re no doubt going to have to tend to higher priorities upon your return, and won’t get a chance to screen the resumes as quickly as you’d like to.
Think carefully about your ‘application closing’ date. Don’t make the closing date too far in the future.
Ideally screen the resumes on an ongoing basis before the closing date so that you aren’t bombarded with having to review them all at once. This will mean that you can very quickly send regrets to those applicants who don’t make it onto the first shortlist.
Stick to your word. If you saying you’re going to get back to a person on a certain day, then get back to them on that day. Even if it’s to tell them that no decision has been made as of yet. Don’t keep them in limbo for days or weeks on end.
If you’ve interviewed the person, try and give as much feedback as possible if they have been unsuccessful. Do this over the phone rather than via an impersonal email. It may sound like a futile, time-consuming exercise to you, but put yourself in the shoes of the applicant and think about what you’d like to know if it were you.
Provide feedback even if an internal applicant has filled the role. And, remember to give internal applicants feedback as well if they’re unsuccessful.
Always remember to apply your brand values to applicants throughout the recruitment process.
End the experience on a positive note for both successful and unsuccessful applicants.
Throughout the process think of the applicants as your customers and treat them just as well as you treat your customers, if not better.
Remember, the applicants started off as your strongest brand allies and ambassadors and it’s time to reciprocate – you might even need them in the future!