A High Touch Candidate Care Experience Can Prevent Ghosting

This is part II in a series on ghosting in the world of work. Part I can be read here.

Bob* had spent the harsh winter months diligently seeking work after his previous employer had downsized that Thanksgiving. It had been a very bleak Christmas. He’d updated his resume and sent it out to numerous companies in the hopes of finding a job that valued him. At first, he’d been optimistic because he had years of experience in his field and great references. Unfortunately, Bob began to realize the job search wasn’t going as easily as he thought it would.

His wife Sandra* worked for Rose International and had noticed how Bob had begun to fall into a dark despair due to the lack of responses to his job applications. He was not his usual cheerful self. They’d been arguing more often. Home life had become stressful. If he wasn’t outright rejected, he would find himself not knowing his status in the hiring process. After six months, he’d accepted long-term unemployment and had given up on the job search. Sandra told Bob to send his resume to the Rose team. She’d had such a great experience with the communication and feedback from our team. She knew Bob would hear back from our team and that we would do what we could to assist him in his search. This trust was built because of our efforts to remain transparent throughout the hiring process. 

Our team efficiently helped Bob find a great job. Throughout the search, we stayed in touch with him via emails and phone calls, letting him know where he stood and what options he had. Six weeks after Bob sent us his resume, he began to interview for positions. Within two weeks, he was hired for an auditing assignment. This helped him regain his confidence. Bob and Sandra are two of thousands of candidates who choose to continue to work with Rose because they trust us to handle this process with care.    

When companies provide candidates with a high touch approach to their candidate care experience, they will do anything to work with these companies. Despite this knowledge, ghosting as a trend has recently increased, to many a hiring manager’s and recruiter’s dismay. While ghosting an employer has become more prevalent, numerous job seekers are quick to point out that many have long felt that a lack of communication from potential employers, as well as recruiters, throughout the hiring process has been an ongoing problem. It seems apparent that the candidate care experience is important for companies to prioritize in order to remain competitive.

Candidates Want to Work for a Company that Cares

The candidate care experience is defined by how a company treats its prospective employees. The candidate care experience includes email notifications for the receipt of job applications and follow-up emails to let candidates know they were not considered for the job. Many companies utilize Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) due to the large numbers of applications they receive for job openings. Often, when a job seeker submits their application to a company, the ATS will scan the documents seeking specific qualifying words. Those applications that do not advance are either sent email notifications or not informed at all.

One thing most candidates expressed in the comments was the need for companies to make certain to incorporate a way for them to track their status. Some companies already address this concern. They also expressed a need for a receipt of application and a follow-up email so that they know whether they’re being considered for the position or not.

Smart companies already differentiate themselves by focusing on providing a great candidate care experience. Companies that are competitive know that the hiring process is integral to their reputation. Recruiting and Staffing companies recognize the need for candidates who choose to continue working with them long-term, as this reduces candidate churn and provides opportunities for candidates to build their careers with companies they trust. Candidates want to work for a company that cares and they recognize this immediately in the hiring process.

Good Communication is at the Heart of all Relationships

A forward thinking company recognizes that their hiring and onboarding team’s proficiency with candidate care sets them apart from the pack. Candidates want to feel valued, even if they do not end up receiving a job offer. Companies that show that they value candidates instill excitement and passion for the position and the company as well. Recruiters that incorporate candidate care proficiency into their role are able to make sure the candidate is excited about the opportunity. Communication throughout the hiring process is incredibly important. Communication breakdown seems to be the root cause of many candidate complaints regarding the hiring process. Candidates remember which companies or recruiters abruptly stopped all correspondence with them.

This is where emotional intelligence plays a large role. The relationships that recruiters build over their career make them better at their jobs. There are many long-term contingent workers who will only work with particular recruiters and recruiting companies. Becoming a seasoned recruiter takes lots of hard work. It also requires empathy and the ability to connect with candidates. Recruiters that care about their candidates’ success establish good reputations. Their sincerity allows them to stand out in a sea of recruiters who do not treat their candidates with white glove service. This is very valuable. Excellent, long-term relationships with candidates should be sought after and cherished.

The Candidate Care Experience is a an Element of A Company’s Brand

Candidates are consumers and consumer choice reigns supreme. Savvy companies recognize this. Word of mouth is much easier to distribute to large amounts of people now thanks to social media. Companies that differentiate themselves know that a level of transparency through proper communication and potential application tracking helps candidates. It also allows companies to build a solid reputation for being trustworthy.    

Some Fortune 500 companies are calling back all candidates that apply. This enhances the company’s brand and makes candidates feel valued. Companies that want to differentiate themselves from their competitors invest resources into the candidate care experience because it, in turn, enhances their brand’s reputation. Companies that invest in their workforce become sought after and prestigious. People want to work for companies that value their workers. 

At Rose International, we value candidates and have a candidate care team in place throughout the hiring process. We strive to provide candidates with the same white glove service we provide our clients. It’s one of the reasons why we’re listed on Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work. In times of low unemployment, businesses that invest in the candidate care experience thrive. In our current era where ghosting has become common, companies that stand apart become the companies where ghosting does not occur. For who would destroy an opportunity to work somewhere they feel valued?

 *Names have been changed to protect the individuals’ privacy.