Job-Seeker Friction - Separating Fact From Fiction

In this edition of The Monday Minute, we explore job-seeker friction, a relatively new term used by TA leaders when calling out negative job-seeker experiences caused by systems, processes, or media. The current jobs economy has brought a renewed focus on job seeker / candidate experience, as many employers have had to shift their recruitment strategy towards passive candidates, who are less tolerant of complicated or disruptive processes. To better understand why the term friction is being used here, let’s review a commonly used definition.

Now, simply consider the job seeker as the object and your recruitment process as the medium through which it must travel, giving us the recruiting definition of job-seeker friction.

Government regulations, compliance requirements, and screening procedures have resulted in increasingly complicated recruitment processes. While desiring to make the most efficient hiring process possible for their recruiters, many TA leaders have inadvertently reduced both the quality and quantity of applicants with a friction-laden process.?

Job-seeker friction exists in every recruitment process, how much is acceptable for yours boils down to what I call friction tolerance. The greater value a job opportunity represents to a job seeker the higher their friction tolerance will be throughout the recruitment process.

The greater value a job opportunity represents to a job seeker the higher their friction tolerance will be throughout the recruitment process.

Top-tier employers with great jobs may find candidates willing to walk across hot coals to get to an interview, while bottom-tier employers with less desirable roles may find it hard to get anyone qualified to complete a full application. It’s also important to point out that friction tolerance is always higher with those who are currently unemployed and much lower with those who are.

Common Sources of Job-Seeker Friction

Taking the time to identify and eliminate sources of job-seeker friction not only increases candidate flow, it improves the overall quality of candidates who apply. Let’s get you started by looking at some of the most common sources.

• Job Postings- Job postings can be a source of friction. If a job seeker must decipher what the job actually is, if they qualify, and any potential benefit from a job posting, you have friction. Postings should clearly communicate any details that create an alignment between the job seeker and the open opportunity.
• Brand- A negative reputation as an employer increases friction. To win the confidence of a job seeker only to have them ghost you after they read negative press coverage or reviews can be disheartening. Having such a negative reputation that they never even apply to your roles is even worse. Protect and invest in your employer brand, and monitor every mention of your company for potential damage to its reputation. Make every stride to establish your company as the employer of choice instead of the employer of last resort.
• Registration Walls- Presenting a screen that reads “create an account” or “register here to begin” tests a candidate's friction tolerance. Highly active job-seekers, those desperately in need of a job, and others who minimally qualify have a much higher friction tolerance and will typically invest the time it takes to comply. Unfortunately, many highly skilled passive candidates drop off when presented with registration walls, lacking the intent required for such an investment of time. Ensure passive candidate recruitment campaigns are directed towards shorter, easier apply processes.
• Automated / Impersonal Processes- How, what, and when you communicate to job seekers is important. Incredible technology is available for recruiters to automate parts of the recruitment process, however, this technology cannot and should not replace meaningful personal connections. Establishing meaningful dialogue, and answering critical questions is an important part of the recruitment process that reduces friction. A fully automated process is laden with friction.

I hope this edition of the Monday Minute will inspire you to review your application process from the job-seeker perspective, reducing friction and improving your overall applicant experience. Need some assistance? Send me a message, or reach out directly. As always please remember to like, comment, and share The Monday Minute with your co-workers and friends. Have a great week in recruiting and retention!

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