Make Your Company A Favorite Of Job Applicants

The goal for an organization with a job opening is to find a worker with the right skills and the right fit for the company. Unfortunately, too many employers forget that hiring new talent involves several other factors that can affect a business, and instead focus on this one result.

For example, employers understand that an unhappy or dissatisfied customer can have a negative impact on their business. But the same can be said of job applicants who feel as though they haven’t been treated with respect during the hiring process. When word gets around, it can affect your company’s reputation in the community and hinder your ability to recruit top talent in the future.

Given the state of the economy and the fact that seeking a new job is stressful even in the best of times, it’s important to treat those applicants who don’t land the job with as much respect as the one who does. Remember that a person may be disappointed because he or she didn’t land the job or even get an interview, but if you treat them fairly they will still come away from the process with positive feelings about your company.

We all know someone who found a job for which they were perfectly qualified, created a cover letter and sent along their resume, and the next thing to happen was… nothing. It is normal for the majority of applicants to be rejected very early in the process, but it is still important to acknowledge their resume and prevent them from feeling like their application was ignored. At this early stage, a short and simple email or post card should suffice. Thank them for their application and interest in your company, and explain that only those selected for interviews will be contacted. Set their expectations early and they will thank you for it.

For someone managing a business, filling a position is one of many items on your ‘to do’ list. But for someone hoping to be hired by your company, particularly someone who is currently not working, the recruitment process is likely their primary focus. This is why it’s important to follow through if you say you’ll be in touch next week regarding the status of the job. You don’t want to leave the candidate waiting and wondering, or considering an offer from another organization.

After the interviews are complete, there are still a handful of people who won’t get the job. Because you have a more personal connection with the applicant at this stage, it’s important to keep communication of bad news personal and private. Don’t just leave a voice message saying “Sorry, you didn’t make the cut”, or send a rejection postcard that their roommate can read when she gets the mail.

It does take time and effort to pay attention to these details, but doing so will set you apart as a favored employer and help raise your company’s stock in the community.

Those employers that fail to incorporate a better candidate experience may find themselves being lambasted on company review sites like Glassdoor. And that’s when its too late. Job seekers are frequently researching you as much as you do them so your company reputation can help or hurt your recruiting efforts.

Stay vigilant.