Improving the Candidate Experience.

Recently I have been doing a lot of recruiting, this has been both challenging and rewarding. During this time, I have often asked how can I improve the process for client, candidate and myself? How do I attract the best candidate and place them for the role while being effective and efficient for all involved? For me, attracting a large pool of well qualified candidates relevant to the role is a paramount.

The top two things employees look for when applying for jobs is Salaries and Benefits (Glassdoor, 2019)!

So, what’s the answer when trying to attract the best candidate?

Well, there is no silver bullet, no single solution because you are dealing with people! You need to be armed with multiple strategies to achieve the best outcome. Job seekers are today operating in an era of unprecedented transparency.  Detailed information on nearly every organisation is readily available and the smart ones are using this to their advantage.

So where are job seekers looking for Jobs?

From my own experience – online job sites. This is confirmed by Glassdoor with 50% of employees looking on such sites as Seek, Indeed and LinkedIn. Far less will be looking on a company’s careers site unless you are looking for a government job where they have their own websites for all jobs being advertised nationally.

How do you attract the right candidates?

Post the ad far and wide (within budget of course). Be specific in terms of what the job requires, what growth opportunities there are, location and the benefits provided.

Where do the best candidates go to research information about your company?

I have found many switched on candidates I interview will research the company website extensively. Not only does this show initiative, it also allows them to ask relevant questions about the organisation. I have even had candidates pick up on the level professionalism of a given company, or lack thereof. So a note to companies: ensure your website presents professionally, is up to date, clearly articulates who you are, your mission, values and success stories. Information Job Seekers are looking for?

• Salary
• Location
• Commute Time
• Benefits
• Culture
• Healthy financial performance
• Employee reviews

84% of job seekers state that it is very important when making a decision about where to apply that the company has positive feedback from employees.

What are Job Seekers’ biggest gripes?

• Companies cancelling or postponing interviews at short notice
• Not having enough information about job responsibilities
• Recruiters not responding in a timely manner
• Poor first interaction with recruiters
• Reading negative news about the company

I am proud to say that I have had some really positive feedback recently with candidates saying they really enjoyed the wattsnext recruiting process. When I asked them, what was the “difference” when compared to other recruiting processes they stated the following:

• Your advertisement was different! Let me explain this further, many follow a standard format (somewhat boring), we try to make each ad unique to the client we are representing. Understanding their business, their culture, their competitive edge helps us build a story around the job requirements.
• You provided clear expectations for the interview so I could prepare accordingly.
• The interview questions provided me with ample opportunity to describe my skills, provide practical examples of achievement and success.
• The process from start to finish was professional, communicating on a regular basis and providing client feedback when unsuccessful.

So, make an effort to improve your recruitment process. You never know when a potential candidate may be in leadership position, where they will decide you will be their outsourced recruiter. My next challenge will be reducing inefficiencies, more specifically duplication without losing that personal touch.

Simplicity sticks Complexity rejects, remember #HR rocks! #HRfortheModernWorld

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo