How successfully do you manage your unsuccessfuls?

When a candidate applies for a job with your organisation, that candidate is engaged with your brand and genuinely wants to work for your company.  Now we all know that only one or a few prospective candidates can get the job, but how you respond to your unsuccessful candidates can seriously impact your organisation.

Too often companies underestimate how their recruitment process can positively or negatively affect their brand.

The answer? Treat your candidates like a customer!

Effective candidate care can be a competitive advantage when positioning your company as a preferred employer and also can increase your organisation’s brand equity.  Not only is there the possibility that your customers could also be your potential candidates, but also consider the value of “word of mouth” when attracting talent to your brand. With so many touch points along the recruitment process, how do you ensure your candidates are receiving a positive experience, even if they’re unsuccessful?

1. Who’s talking to your talent? In a sales role there is a specific process & support in place to ensure your clients get a great impression of your company right from the beginning. So consider, who’s actually the first touch point in your organisation for candidates? Whether it’s reception staff, line manager, HR manager or coordinator, it’s important for candidates to receive the same professional approach that you would offer a client.
2. Do what you say. When a sales person says they’ll be in touch you can guarantee that they’ll diarise to call you and the same approach needs to be taken for your candidates. At the end of a phone call or interview when you say “I’ll be in touch,” make sure you do contact the candidate to let them know the outcome. The same applies for candidates who’ve sent in their applications but weren’t successful. Send a polite email thanking them for their application and notifying them that they were unsuccessful. A “no” is still better than nothing.
3. Get to know your candidate. Building rapport with a candidate is a great way to promote your organisation & culture. Remember that whilst you’re interviewing to ascertain whether the candidate is a good fit for your organisation, your candidate is trying to decide whether the role/company/culture will be a good fit for them. Making an effort to get to know your candidate will help you make the right decision when recruiting and also create a positive impression for the candidate.
4. Stay in touch with your talent pool. Every time you recruit for a position, you build a list of candidates who want to work for your organisation. Just like your sales teams would continue to prospect and build a client database, a candidate database or talent pool is a valuable asset for your organisation. Send your prospective candidates regular news about your organisation to keep them engaged with your employer brand and advertise opportunities to them as they become available.

Remember, people want to work with people they like, so creating a positive experience during the recruitment process is so important for attracting talent to your organisation and strengthening your reputation as an employer of choice.