Within our professional lives, we have all had good interviewing experiences and really bad ones; with the former being few and far between. The interviewing experience is just but a part of the larger recruitment/ hiring process, but it makes such a huge impact on the process that candidates evaluate the two synonymously.
Organizations recruit in order to build teams that will take their businesses to the next level. Hiring right is therefore the starter of any successful venture! With the help of technology, recruiters are now able to reach and attract the right-wider audience through online platforms and job boards. Once the attention has been attracted, it is important to keep the candidates interested until the process is complete. Below are some of the strategies that can be applied to captivate job seekers and create a memorable first impression:
1. Optimize the Career Page
Having a well-crafted career page is an essential element of every recruitment strategy. First, it is an expectation from the potential candidate; who in this case happens to be the client in the job market. When the candidates are ‘shopping’ for positions, they usually anticipate finding a careers page on your company’s website to fill in any information gaps they may have. It is a great resource for promoting open roles, sharing content, and providing information on the company’s mission, culture, and benefits.
2. Use Social Media
The influence of social media on recruitment cannot be ignored especially for entry-level positions. Recently, while looking to hire for an open entry-level vacancy, we did a poll with the candidates and the results showed that 98% of ‘first’ job seekers ‘live’ on social media. Organizations, therefore, need to focus their employer brand awareness campaigns on their Social Media pages as well. Your potential internal client (aka Employee) needs to see how well the current internal clients are enjoying your organization’s culture, belonging, and benefits.
3. Treat the Candidates as Customers
Yes, we said it, and cannot emphasize this enough! Candidates are ‘clients’ to your Recruitment venture and should be treated with respect and dignity. We are in the information age and Talent is scarce! The most suitable candidates usually choose where to work, just as customers decide where to shop. Employers should therefore keep this in mind when interacting with applicants. Below are a few tips for ensuring the courteous treatment of candidates:
- Keep time! “Thou shalt not make the candidates wait”. This should be the 11th commandment in our opinion. The candidate’s time is not any less precious than yours is. It is important to communicate in good time should you anticipate challenges that might delay the recruitment process or an interview.
- Keep the application and interview process friendly and welcoming. Creating rapport and making the candidate comfortable ensures that you get to know the candidate really well. The recruitment process is the dating process of our professional lives. The more comfortable a candidate feels the more open they will be.
- Share clear requirements for the advertised positions. This reduces the number of ‘wrong’ job applications while increasing the number of ‘right-fit’ job applicants.
- Respond promptly to questions and be transparent in communication with potential candidates. Just like dating, the process of recruitment is two-way. The candidate is also trying to get to know who you are as an organization. Your responses to their “Who, Which, What, When, How” will determine their continued motivation or lack thereof to the recruitment process.
- Be open to listening and encourage honest feedback at all stages of the recruitment exercise. The process is not a ‘police investigation’; remember it is like dating! Use Active Listening skills (this is where that one-day counseling/coaching class you took comes in handy) and be honest with the candidate when clarification and feedback is required.
While the above strategies will attract and keep the applicants interested; coupling them with the right selection tools and the right recruitment partner will help in finding the right fit. Happy Dating!
Join us and other employers for an in-depth roundtable discussion on strategic recruitment scheduled for 09th December 2022.
