As applicants continue to apply to job postings and your email inbox becomes overwhelmed with resumes, it is a challenge to keep the best candidate’s interested. MSPs and HR recruiters can streamline the recruitment process and improve candidate engagement by following the techniques below.
The Initial Welcome
Once a candidate’s resume or application passes the screening criteria, this is the golden opportunity to provide critical information about the recruitment process and the company in general. This could be a personable phone call, but email is preferred because of time constraints. A welcoming email should congratulate the candidate on being selected and highlight their relevant skills and experience. Use the email to explain the hiring process, the interview format, who is involved and what’s expected of the candidate. This will naturally increase the person’s comfort, confidence and commitment to the company.
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Status Updates
After the interviews are completed, it may take days to weeks before a final decision is made. This often occurs because of internal changes, background checks, managerial disagreements and bureaucratic decision-making processes. The key to maintaining a good relationship and keeping candidates engaged is to be transparent through periodic updates. Even if the candidate already learned the interview process details, they still need to be reassured about the current stage, any holdups and what their next step will be if they are proceeding forward. Candidates who haven’t heard from a recruiter after a week will naturally start pursuing other job opportunities.
The Rejection
Well-written rejection emails and well-presented denial conversations must be properly handled to keep the runner up candidates feeling respected and enthusiastic about the company. Regardless of how far the candidate makes it through the process, thank them for their time and interest in the company. The fear of frivolous complaints or discrimination claims causes most HR professionals to avoid discussing the rejected candidate’s flaws, skill gaps or lack of knowledge. Instead, focus on the objective attributes of the successful hire in order to discuss improvement opportunities. Encourage qualified candidates who have stable jobs to reapply and if possible, ask their permission to follow-up with them every month.
Continual communication and encouragement are essential to maintaining a steady pool of solid candidates who will patiently wait for the right job opportunities. Recruiters’ emails to candidates during the screening and interview processes will engage and retain the top and second-best candidates. Contact us to learn more retention tips for prospective hires.