The whole process counts
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2025 10:13 am
The process from start to finish must be slick and easy for the candidate to negotiate. From the point at which a candidate first encounters a job ad, or your website, they must be impressed and compelled to take positive action. Right through the process, the candidate has to feel that your company is well managed, proactive and capable. If the candidate applies, then hears nothing for several weeks, it is likely that another company will steal the candidate’s attention. Candidates formulate feelings about companies from the way in which the people conduct themselves and how the process moves along. If the process is clunky and disorganised, this reflects on the company, at least it does in the eyes of the candidate. The process needs to be looked at from a candidate journey point of view and any bottle necks or obvious areas of confusion need to be eradicated. In bigger companies this might involve several departments getting together to iron out the wrinkles, but it’s worth it when you consider the enormous hidden costs of losing candidates at the latter stages of the process.
Get the offer out quickly
This is one of the most important aspects. When a candidate receives a verbal offer of dominican republic phone number resource employment and accepts, the engagement levels are at their very highest. The candidate will be buzzing but this can quickly turn into a creeping sense of doubt if the offer doesn’t materialise in a reasonable time frame. Some companies can take two to three weeks to turn around an offer and this is too long. If the timescale cannot be shortened, then expectations must be set accordingly and regular contact must be kept with the candidate to ensure engagement stays high. If the company is using an external recruiter then this is a major part of the recruiter’s role. You’re not paying them just to fire CVs at you, you’re paying them to find excellent, motivated employees and this means working with the candidate right up until the start date, and beyond.
Employ an on-boarding process
Using an on-boarding process is a sensible way of keeping in contact with soon-to-be-employees and, if the company is using software, progress can also be tracked. On-boarding should start as soon as the offer has been accepted verbally, before the contract has been sent out. There are a number of stand-alone tools that can be used for on-boarding, as well as specific modules in bigger HR software systems. The important thing is to keep the candidate interested and to raise the excitement levels as the start date approaches. Candidates can fill out forms, take e-learning modules, watch videos and engage with employees and other new starters whilst they are working their notice period. This engagement is invaluable and allows the candidate to feel a part of the new organisation. Juxtapose this approach with the alternative; nothing. Many companies issue an offer letter, receive a signed response and then do nothing else, then expect a fully committed candidate to walk through the door a month later. Whilst many candidates do join, a number take other offers or stay with their current employer, because they feel more valued and engaged.
Get the offer out quickly
This is one of the most important aspects. When a candidate receives a verbal offer of dominican republic phone number resource employment and accepts, the engagement levels are at their very highest. The candidate will be buzzing but this can quickly turn into a creeping sense of doubt if the offer doesn’t materialise in a reasonable time frame. Some companies can take two to three weeks to turn around an offer and this is too long. If the timescale cannot be shortened, then expectations must be set accordingly and regular contact must be kept with the candidate to ensure engagement stays high. If the company is using an external recruiter then this is a major part of the recruiter’s role. You’re not paying them just to fire CVs at you, you’re paying them to find excellent, motivated employees and this means working with the candidate right up until the start date, and beyond.
Employ an on-boarding process
Using an on-boarding process is a sensible way of keeping in contact with soon-to-be-employees and, if the company is using software, progress can also be tracked. On-boarding should start as soon as the offer has been accepted verbally, before the contract has been sent out. There are a number of stand-alone tools that can be used for on-boarding, as well as specific modules in bigger HR software systems. The important thing is to keep the candidate interested and to raise the excitement levels as the start date approaches. Candidates can fill out forms, take e-learning modules, watch videos and engage with employees and other new starters whilst they are working their notice period. This engagement is invaluable and allows the candidate to feel a part of the new organisation. Juxtapose this approach with the alternative; nothing. Many companies issue an offer letter, receive a signed response and then do nothing else, then expect a fully committed candidate to walk through the door a month later. Whilst many candidates do join, a number take other offers or stay with their current employer, because they feel more valued and engaged.