Finding suitable employees is a challenge for organizations nowadays. Manpower Group’s research reveals that 69% of employers in the US reported a talent shortage in 2019. The talent shortage causes organizations to have trouble filling key positions well, often leading to cut corners and counterproductive hires. As the competition from other employers intensifies, offering better and outstanding hiring processes becomes more crucial.
According to interviews with graduate students who are looking for relevant jobs, recruitment experience shapes the applicants’ view of the organization. Providing a quality experience to the candidates is not only beneficial to gain suitable talents for the organization but also for a stronger brand image. Here are four no-brainer steps organizations can take to enhance the recruitment experience for candidates instantly.
1. Reduce the time it takes for candidates to fill out application forms:
Job seekers often face very long and complex online application stages. In situations where the hiring process is too long and complex, candidates are more likely to get frustrated and abandon the application stage. For instance, many organizations ask candidates to enter information manually that is already in their resume. By now, you should really be using software to import pre-existing information (or try our’s). Not surprisingly, applicants lose their motivation to apply and abandon the long and complex application processes. Candidates are confident that they can find other opportunities where their time is valued. Eliminating unnecessary questions and offering concise and relevant online application processes will decrease the drop-off rates.
Effect: reduce application drop-offs by up to 80%
2. Explain why you are the right organization to work for
Job posts are important because they shape how candidates perceive organizations. It is crucial to remember that job seekers need detailed information about the company and position to prevent an irrelevant application and allocate their time to suitable jobs. Your unique value proposition should be front and center to any of your job ads and company expositions. By demonstrating the company culture and the benefits of the position, organizations help candidates make correct decisions. This will create convenience for both applicants and employers. Both sides will save their time while the employers will also reduce the unnecessary cost that is spent on applicants (over 50% of applicants are fundamentally a bad fit).
Effect: reduce objectively mismatched applications by up to 50%
3. Reduce the “time to fill”
Time to fill is the time spent on choosing a suitable candidate for a specific position. Applicants usually are in contact with various companies simultaneously, which decreases the chances of capturing the top talent. Timing is very important in recruitment; the perfect candidate may accept another job offer where the hiring process takes less time. The drop-off rate for candidates accepting other offers is at 40%. Applicants appreciate an efficient recruitment strategy that provides a convenient experience. Our artificial intelligence solutions could help you find the perfect match for your company in the shortest amount of time.
Effect: reduce rejected job offers/contracts by up to 40%
4. Appreciate the candidates and show them respect
Job search is a challenging and stressful process for the candidates. Organizations’ attitudes toward candidates affect both the happiness of job seekers and the brand image of organizations. Although it is not difficult to inform the candidates, some organizations keep the candidates waiting for the application results. 75% of our surveyees stated that they have experienced a “no response situation” at least once in their job application processes.
You can do better than that. Most software is already giving direct feedback thanks to smarter recruitment processes. However, direct surveys with over 500 job seekers reveal that they are still receiving no response or are being ghosted by companies. All of them prefer to get a rejection email than to be kept waiting for a response. Rejected applicants usually do not receive feedback, but they state that being informed about the reason behind the decision is beneficial. Most off-the-shelf technology can make sure nobody is “left hanging” anymore. If you still have any (more than zero) unanswered applications please invest in some software, you’re better than that!
Effect: increase the reputation and decrease cognitive dissonance
None of this is really hard, and most of these things seem like open doors but over 60% of our clients start out without any of these practices in place or fully integrated. You can do better and if not, don’t be afraid to ask us for help in automating all of the above.