Are recruiters doing all they can in terms of candidate management or are they letting the best and the brightest slip away through the system? Even worse, are they damaging their own brands by failing to answer that email or pick up that phone call?
According to a recent survey, 77 percent of those polled said that they did not hear back from a company after applying, which made these applicants think less of the organization. Further, 90 percent reported that they would feel better if they would simply get back some sort of feedback after applying for jobs. An additional 72 percent of respondents said that they would be less likely to recommend the company’s products or services, if the company does not communicate properly with its candidates.
Whatever excuse recruiters may have about not responding to those who’ve applied to job openings–too busy, an influx of candidates, not enough manpower, etc–it doesn’t take away from the fact that failing to communicate can hurt the company image, as well as their own jobs in the process. Candidate relationship management or Recruitment CRM is a critical aspect of recruiting that cannot be taken lightly, be it 5 or 500 applicants. It’s how you continue to attract the right employees and how you build a strong image and reputation that builds your business in the long-run as an attractive place to work for potential employees.
While no one expects recruiters to painstakingly call every applicant to inform them the job has been filled, there are ways to keep candidates informed without your ear turning red. Here’s how:
Give Them Feedback
The reason why so many candidates follow-up with their applications is because they haven’t heard anything from the other side of the hiring table. After all, if you were looking for a job, wouldn’t you expect the same? In this case, silence is not golden, nor will it ever be.
Instead of ignoring those who took the time to apply to a job listing, give applicants feedback. For instance, a simple email that says an application has been received can take a lot of worry away from the candidate. A direct message informing candidates to keep their eyes peeled on the company career website for job posting updates is also a good tactic. This type of management not only gives candidates some peace of mind, but also makes employers look good in the process, two things that are hard to do in the job market.
Hiring managers and recruiters may often pass on candidates because of a lack of fit, even though the candidate may be a well-qualified person and potentially interested in or suitable for another opening now or in the future. In such scenarios, sending the candidate to an appropriate job opening or setting a reminder to reach out to that individual in the future will help you keep the right talent in your pipeline. Redirecting candidates may seem to be extra work for the hiring manage, but the extra time to connect them to where they may be a better fit benefits both the organization as well as the candidate.
Use Automatic Email Notifications
Don’t have time to tell an applicant they have or haven’t made it to round two? Use automatic email notifications to help move things along. These email notifications allow recruiters to manage the workflow of the recruitment process without tearing their hair out.
For example, if a company has 50 applicants, but chose 25 for the next round, those 25 can be automatically informed through customized emails as soon as the hiring status of the candidate is updated, which can include information about next steps, when to expect another interview, work samples they need to submit, etc. The 25 that won’t be moving forward can also receive their own email corresponding to their updated status, which helps them continue their job search elsewhere without waiting unnecessarily.
Communicate via Social Media
The beauty of social networking is that recruiters can get their message out to their target audience faster, whenever, wherever. For example, if a the job opening has been filled, recruiters can take to the company Facebook page to inform applicants of the status. They can also write a quick blog post, send out an automated thank you tweet to everyone who applied, or even point applicants to the careers page for future opportunities.
When recruiters and hiring managers are working with Simplicant’s recruitment platform and applicant tracking system, good communication become an easy practice. By managing their candidate communication and hiring workflow with Simplicant’s recruiting software, they are essentially helping themselves and their organizations, while providing the candidates with the information they are typically looking for. Most candidates would appreciate clear communication and transparency. After all, they took some time out of their day to potentially help your company. Shouldn’t you do your best to return the favor, by communicating clearly and promptly?
What do you think? What are some other ways to keep candidates informed?