First Impressions
As an employer there are a number of ways to reach candidates when you have a job opening. You can post a job on any number of job boards as well as your own website portal. Internal recruiters can reach out to potential candidates via email, LinkedIn or phone. Or an external recruiter can reach out to the candidate market on your behalf. In my experience those were listed in order of least effective to most effective in creating a potential great first impression.
When that first encounter takes place it’s important that employers first understand their audience. Unemployment is at 3.7% in the United States, its lowest since 1969. With not as many candidates floating around searching for jobs there is a good chance that your best candidates are currently employed. They may be actively looking or they may be passive candidates who are tougher to reach. Employed candidates hold more power than their unemployed counterparts. They don’t necessarily need you or your job. They want to be swooned. They want a career move that can challenge them, enhance their lives and that is clearly defined.
This is the first step in making a great first impression; the job description. Is it easy to understand? Does it clearly articulate how it can be beneficial to the candidate? Are the parameters of success clearly defined? A suggestion here is to reverse engineer the job description based on what a new hire can accomplish in their first 90 days. Define what success would look like and then articulate what it would take to accomplish it. Candidates will appreciate a job description that defines success in the role, not just a list of requirements and responsibilities. Cut the B.S. and say what the job really is. Sell the position and the company. Make it alluring to the very best candidates that exist.
Once a candidate has been reached through a job posting or internal or external recruiter it’s important not to make the process inhibitive. Candidates I speak with often complain of companies that ask for too much (resume, cover letter, survey or questionnaire, etc…). Information on a candidate can be helpful but there comes a point where much of it becomes redundant and some of the best candidates will be so turned off by the process that they will bow out right then and there.
Timely communication will be key throughout the process and the first impression is no exception. An email or a phone call to let the candidate know that their information has been received and is being reviewed can keep the candidate in the game. Setting expectations by letting candidates know what the next step in the process is as well as an estimated time frame are critical in creating an exceptional first impression with candidates.
We have heard time and again about there being initial contact ONLY and then things go dark. They need to be kept in the loop, even if there are no new updates, but just to check in and say hello, we haven’t forgotten about you, thanks for your patience and things are still progressing. With silence the mind wanders and typically reverts to the worst possible scenario. A quick call to give an update will keep that candidate engaged, interested and feeling like things are being done on their behalf to further their cause.
What you do with candidates that are not being moved forward in the process can be just as important as the ones who do make it to the next step. A poor candidate experience is something that people like to talk about and it can truly end up hurting your employer brand. A dissatisfied voice is often accompanied by a megaphone. Be aware of how you treat ALL candidates from start to finish, starting with the first impressions.
To recap:
- Understand the realities of your target market
- Reverse engineer your job description to lure the top 10% of candidates
- Reduce unnecessary steps
- Clear and timely communications that set expectations
This is part 1 of a 4 part series on Candidate Experience and Employer Reputation.
Coming Up Next:
Part 2: Interviewing
Part 3: Offer Stage
Part 4: Onboarding