Many recruiters still fail to convey vital information to aspiring candidates in the different stages of the hiring process.
Communicating with applicants shows that you are a professional and you value their time and effort in applying. The general notion is that you should only contact a candidate if they got short-listed, but in doing so, you stand to alienate other applicants who did not make the cut.
As such, you should make sure you communicate properly with candidates, no matter the stage of the hiring process. Here are some tips on how you can improve your communication with aspiring applicants
1. Acknowledge their application.
This is the first point of contact between you and the candidate. Recruiters ask candidates to update their CV, make a cover letter, and send some work samples. If the applicant went through the trouble of preparing all of those requirements, the least you can do is acknowledge its receipt.
After receiving the application, send an acknowledgement email and let them know you will be in touch soon.
You can also add a note that, moving forward, you will only be in touch, with short-listed candidates.
2. Inform that they were not selected for an interview or that they failed an interview.
Recruiters normally get in touch only with those who were short-listed for an interview, but it’s important that you also reach out to those who didn’t make the cut.
If the candidate takes time to participate in an interview, the candidate expects feedback following the interview. If they failed the interview, tell them as soon as possible so that they won’t be waiting expectantly.
You can also give them some feedback on why they were not considered. This can help them improve their skills for their next application.
You may ask them to subscribe to your newsletter and follow you on social media so they can still be updated with news and job openings in your company.
3. Tell them they failed the final evaluation.
Let the candidate know if they failed the final evaluation so that they won’t be waiting expectantly for a job that they, apparently, would not get.
These great candidates who make it to the final stage of the application, but for one reason or another, do not get the job can still be considered for a future role in the company. The best way to maintain a positive relationship with them is to politely communicate the rejection, and offer to keep them in your talent pool, in case something opens up in the future.
Most recruiters receive hundreds of applications that they may not have the time to get in touch with all the applicants. However, proper and timely communication with candidates shows that you are a respectful and professional recruiter. Thank your applicants for their interest, and the time they invested in applying, by providing timely updates about their job application.
By properly communicating with your applicants, you leave them with a positive view of your organization. This positive impression may affect the candidate’s application to your organization in the future. Or the impression you leave – and the candidate talks about it – may affect other potential candidates for your future jobs.
Do you have other tips to help improve communication with applicants? Share them in the comments below.
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