Did you know that, on average, the best candidates are on the market for only 10 days? And… did you know that the average time it takes to hire takes almost 24 days?
This not only speaks to the limited availability of the best candidates in the market but also to the recruitment process experience not being engaging enough for top quality candidates.
How you communicate with candidates during the recruitment process could influence how they will view your company through the interview process.
Yes, you will dismiss some candidates but that is not why people feel frustrated during your recruitment process. They want to be engaged throughout! You want to make sure your recruitment process is as engaging and pleasant for the candidates as possible.
A CareerBuilder survey revealed that 22% of job seekers said that if they have a poor experience during the recruitment process for a company, they will tell other candidates not to apply to that company. This means putting reviews on the internet and 90% of candidates conduct a cursory online search of your business before applying for a job, so whatever they find needs to excite them about joining your dealership.
The most common candidate engagement issues often include: long application processes, lack of communication as well as not being told if they are unsuccessful.
Here are some tips on how to enable an engaging recruitment process, for everyone, when hiring.
Get candidates excited about working for you
Try showing candidates around your organization/dealership; allowing your department managers to take them on a tour and get to know them, incorporating a peer interview approach.
The more candidates are prepared for what lies ahead, the more likely to get excited and stick around.
Communicate
Again, engage with candidates throughout. Keep in touch during all stages of the recruitment process.
Don’t stop at notifying candidates that their application has been received. Continue by sending an email after the interview, thanking the candidate for coming, how many days they should wait and anything else that will keep them feeling acknowledged and appreciated.
For those who did not make it, let them know via email you’re going to keep their details on file for potential future openings and encourage them to stay in touch with you via social media if possible.
Provide a hiring timeline and stick to it
It could help to let candidates know what steps your recruitment process includes. Try providing a time frame for each subsequent stage – assessments, interview stages, hiring decisions so that they have a clearer expectation of the journey.
Quickly inform candidates if any unexpected delays occur. Keeping them in the dark will lead to them getting nervous and you risk losing their interest in your company.
Provide feedback
Giving timely feedback could work to your advantage, especially if it is information about how candidates can learn where their strengths and weaknesses lie.
In this way you open up opportunities for further conversations with your preferred candidates whilst you complete your hiring process and narrow your options. It also helps them know that you’re very interested in hiring them and shows that you’re willing to invest in your team.
Ask for feedback
Asking for candidates’ feedback on your recruitment process gains you valuable insight for the future when you need to hire again. This can be done at every stage of the recruitment process and not only at the end or for candidates who were not selected.
The challenge of engaging candidates should not be as tough or tricky as many think it to be. Essentially, it is about being mindful and considerate in your communication and making an effort to tell people where they stand.