Want to Hire Rockstars for Your Communications Team?

Then These Are the Interview Process Practices You Should Avoid

People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.

Perhaps we can’t say with certainty whether it was Maya Angelou, Carol Buchner, or Carl W. Buehner who said it, but this statement is still as relevant today as it was decades ago. The same applies to recruitment.

Candidates never forget how you treated them during the interview process, whether they felt uncomfortable, and if they got the closure. Thus, job seekers?have leverage ?in the post-pandemic labor market due to the Great Resignation and talent shortages.?

But that shouldn’t be the reason why you provide a stellar candidate experience. The economy dictates the job market fluctuations, but top talents can be picky regardless of external circumstances.?

If you want to establish a successful team of high-performing communication professionals, start by discovering what practices to avoid during the interview process.

What Interview Practices Are The Ones to Blame for Losing Credibility Among Job Applicants?

According to the?2021 Candidate Experience Report ?by Careerplug, 67 percent of job seekers had at least one unpleasant experience in the hiring process in the past 12 months, and 58 percent said that made them decline a job offer. The interview process was the phase that disappointed the majority (26 percent) of job applicants.

Rude and distracted interviewers were the top reasons for interviews being a letdown. As a result, candidates formed a negative impression of the organization.?Thirty-seven percent ?left an online review, sharing their upsetting experience.?

Intrigued with these findings, I conducted a?LinkedIn poll ?to discover the principal red flags for job seekers in interviews. Lack of communication was the deal-breaker for 27 percent of respondents, with sloppy processes and no compensation details coming close behind.?

Ghosting has become an?increasingly toxic practice ?among companies (and candidates aren’t afraid of returning the favor). For instance, 77 percent of US employees have never heard back from a recruiter since the pandemic started.?

This unfortunate avoidance technique has lasting consequences.?Ninety-four percent ?of ghosted job applicants retain negative thoughts or feelings towards the employer brand,?84 percent ?feel let down or depressed, and?43 percent ?take several months to move on.?

Candidates require elementary kindness, at least, and respectful treatment, especially in the post-pandemic world.?Fifty-three percent ?of job seekers care more about the hiring process experience now than they did before the COVID-19 crisis.?

Attracting and retaining top talents in every field, including communications, depends on understanding their needs and expectations. But what makes a candidate experience above average?

What Candidates Want

The?2022 Recruiting Trends: Employer Branding & Candidate Experience ?e-book found that speed, efficiency, communication, feedback, and well-prepared managers and recruiters are essential for a stellar candidate experience. Approach virtual and in-person interviews in the same manner.

That means following the Golden Rule of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. The relationship recruiters have with candidates is the same as every connection: its success depends on reciprocity.?

If you want job applicants to respond to your call, text, or email, provide them with the same courtesy. Although you may not always have an answer or relevant information, giving an honest response keeps them updated and lets them know you received their query.?

After all, it’s not so much about how you respond. What matters is that you answer. That cultivates transparent and continuous communication, an invaluable asset in a competitive market.?

A candidate might receive multiple offers, but they’ll likely choose the employer who treated them kindly and respectfully, never keeping them in the dark. Take time to build rapport, respond to questions, and express a genuine interest for them to join the team.?

Perhaps you’re thinking, “I did that and still had a job applicant accept another offer”, but that only means they weren’t the right person for the job role. Their goals and passions likely never aligned with those of your organization.?

But candidates will always gravitate towards employers that treat them with honesty, transparency, and respect throughout the interview process.?

Here are the improvements you can introduce to develop a better candidate experience:

• Write clear job descriptions and provide accurate information about the job role and responsibilities;
• Be transparent about perks, benefits, and compensation;
• Streamline the process to shorten the time between the first contact and hiring the right candidate;
• Maintain regular communication with every job applicant, send timely updates, and keep them in the loop regarding their job application status;
• Prepare well for the interview and let candidates know what to expect, especially if you’ll meet them in-person (e.g., the full address of their interview location and the name of the interviewer);
• Let job applicants know if they’re no longer considered for the job role and give brief feedback.
• Be kind throughout every recruitment stage and thank candidates for taking the time to participate in the selection process.?

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Grandiose actions and upscale technology aren’t necessary for a positive candidate experience. All it takes is to treat your job applicants the same way you would like to be treated – with kindness and respect.

Disclose information they need to know for well-informed decision-making, such as compensation and job benefits. Otherwise, you risk losing a high-quality job applicant due to incompatible expectations.

Write transparent and concise job descriptions and let them know details about the job role. But most of all, maintain continuous communication and reveal the selection process progress.

Avoid ghosting candidates at all costs and leaving them without constructive feedback. Prepare thoroughly for job interviews and encourage them to be their authentic selves.

These steps help you position your company as a respectful and professional employer. That is also your most powerful competitive advantage, crucial for convincing job applicants to choose you over other organizations.

After all, recruitment is a people business. Relationships must be formed, rapport must be built, and trust must be earned.

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