Data suggests that around 60% of job seekers are disappointed with the conduct of their recruitment partner or prospective employer during the hiring process.
It cites slow responses and outdated recruitment practices as the two main causes of candidate discontent.
In such a tight and competitive jobs market, employers and recruitment professionals can’t afford to not meet their expectations.
Here are some tips to make sure your recruitment working practices are in line with candidate requirements.
How can we delight candidates in 2023?
Be fast and efficient.
Being quick to hire and having a slick and efficient process are key to candidate satisfaction. The data shows that this is particularly important to Millennials and GenZ. These two demographics are digital natives and expect processes to happen quickly, fuelled by technology.
Considering that these two generations now make up most of the workforce, employers must ensure they have digital solutions in place or that all the processes are joined up and streamlined.
The application process shouldn’t be laborious or time intensive. 2021 data from Greenhouse shows that 70% of candidates wouldn’t even bother with a job application if it required more than 15 minutes of their time.
Make it easy.
The application process also shouldn’t be a burden. The data shows we should be flexible and open to a remote process.
Short, virtual interviews are efficient and are often the candidate’s preference. As employers or recruitment consultants, it’s also a great way for us to meet lots of candidates without the commitment of face-to-face interviews. In a world of remote work and rising prices, it is also far more practical and cost-efficient.
Remote processes also permit a different level of flexibility. This is a consideration when it’s likely that candidates are in employment already and find it difficult to schedule in-person interviews.
Speed means more A Players.
The impact of technology in our lives means that everything appears to take less time – even if it doesn’t!
The same assumption is true of the hiring process. Of course, WE know the behind-the-scenes conversations and decision-making takes time, but our candidates can’t empathise with this!
By speeding up your processes, you can get ahead of your competitors. This means getting the top pick of the talent pool. Try and get all the sign-offs you need before you begin. That way when it comes to making an offer, you are in the best position to be able to make decisions and negotiate quickly.
Job candidates want better communication.
Excellent communication means being frequent, contactable, transparent, and clear. Millennials and Gen Z job candidates expect a more personal, visible recruitment process. These professionals are used to the constant touchpoint of digital communication. Text and WhatsApp are their mother tongue, and we need to respond in kind. We need to meet them where they are.
Data from FinancesOnline demonstrates the necessity of embracing new technology nicely. Text messages have an ‘open’ rate of 98% while emails have an average ‘open’ rate of just 20%. We are also far more likely to get a swift response; 95% of us respond to a text in less than 3 minutes.
Candidates want to look through the lens.
2022 candidates want a glimpse into the organisation and their potential place within it.
Explaining the culture, benefits, and perks to job seekers should be your priority as that’s what’s most important to them.
Before committing to anything, candidates want to see how they’d fit in. They want to know all about the structure, values, and culture of the organisation. We should give them a glimpse into that as part of the process.
Are you wondering which core values attract candidates? Read our blog to find out.
Where we can, we should aim to show, not just tell, candidates about these aspects of us. Meetups or office walk-arounds are a way to demonstrate our values and allow candidates a glimpse into who we ACTUALLY are, not just who we say we are.
Throughout the recruitment process, we should aim to demonstrate the following things about ourselves.
- Mission and values
- Employee experience
- Meaning and impact
- Leadership
- Teamwork and recognition
Be open about your benefits and rewards.
Candidates have moved on from only caring about salary. Modern talent wants to know that you care about what’s important to them.
A recent poll revealed that the top three things today’s talent care about are
- Wellbeing
- Ethics
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
The benefits on offer should reflect what’s important to your employees. Your working practices and employee benefits are reflective of their concerns.
As the job market changes, so will the factors that are important to candidates. And while employers can’t change their hiring strategy all the time, they can certainly put measures in place for easy, quick wins. Being aware of who is making up most of the workforce helps tailor the process and meets those needs.
However, there are some common themes that suit everyone. Efficiency, speed, and communication are all important to 2023 job seekers. Putting streamlining processes in place will delight your candidates and help ensure a speedy time to hire.
Looking for more advice on creating a great candidate experience? Read our recent blog.
Perhaps we can help you find your next tech, digital, or data hire.
Reach out today for more information about working with Ignite Digital and how we can help you.
