Hiring managers and recruiters frequently have something to say about candidates’ conduct and lack of professionalism. But perhaps it’s time to take a good look in the mirror. Have you ever thought that your hiring methods may be wasting people’s time, confusing applicants, and scaring away great talent?
5 Ways to Attract the Best Candidates
Leading organizations focus on all the touch-points with their customers, suppliers and, yes, candidates. You need to start caring more about your candidate’s overall experience and exceeding their expectations. Here’s how:
Provide job descriptions that are clear and explicit.
Candidates are irritated by job descriptions that are purposefully unclear. They give the impression that you don’t know what you’re looking for, that you haven’t spent enough time profiling the job, or that you’ve copied and pasted from a previous application. Job descriptions that are poorly written leave a negative impression.
Shortcuts are not taken by great recruiters. Use precise language instead. Sit down and make a list of the job’s responsibilities. It’s also important to clarify what’s in it for them; it’s not all about you. If they don’t like what they see, applicants will self-screen, saving you time later.
Going through the motions of advertising a job when an inside candidate has been chosen or the sale is already closed is one of the worst things you can do. Job searchers are already under enough stress without having to deal with phantom openings.
That isn’t to say that there isn’t a time and place for an open-ended job advertisement, but proceed with caution.
Make it as simple as possible for qualified applicants to apply.
Applicants are increasingly being required to apply online, usually using a Web portal. However, if this is how you get applications, you should give it a shot yourself, noting how long it takes to upload a resume (and hoping it doesn’t crash or hang). Any frustrations you have will be amplified by the applicant, who will walk away if the process takes too long. Is my application procedure too time-consuming?
Also, confirm receiver of applications, as this is not only courteous but also required to demonstrate that you have them on file. The candidate must be certain that his or her application did not simply vanish into thin air.
Accelerate the entire procedure.
Some employment processes can take months. Look for bottlenecks in the process where you may save time. Candidates have alternative options, and you don’t want to get to the point of choosing just to find out that the individual you want has a better offer.
Be open and honest with candidates about how long the process will take from start to completion and how many interviews they will likely face. Using video or Skype, especially for out-of-towners, is one approach to reduce hassle, save money, and speed up interviews.
Maintain constant communication with your candidates. You can even call them if you don’t have any fresh information, because applicants love knowing where they stand.
Use the candidate’s chosen form of communication whenever possible. Instead of calling them at work, leave a message or text and ask them to call you back, being sure to include your contact information. (It does happen.)
Give feedback after an interview, even if it’s just to say goodbye. Email is fine; just keep it short and professional, and use the candidate’s name in the subject line. No one likes a letter addressed to “Dear Sir or Madam.”
The dreaded quiet is what candidates despise the most. Tell them what you’re going to do next, and make sure you do it.
