Your recruitment brand is as valuable as your company brand. With a majority of talent reviewing a company’s online profile before they even consider submitting an application, protecting and enhancing your brand is critical. One survey puts only 20% of job seekers applying for a job with a company that holds a poor brand reputation. When it comes time to make an offer, almost 70% of candidates admit a company’s brand strength is important or very important to their decision to accept.
But even the strongest company brand can be diminished by a poor recruitment brand. What does your process say about your company? Does it represent the forward-thinking, dynamic organization you hope to relate, or do slow processes, antiquated systems and poor response times project a different picture? Candidates will read an average of 7 reviews about a company before forming an opinion, and some of sites they’ll likely access will be places where employees and candidates either compliment or complain about the way they were treated.
Aligning recruitment with company values
If you are an antiquated, slow to change company, by all means, continue using the same world-weary hiring tactics you’ve used for the past few decades. But if that’s not the image that represents you or you’d like to project, it’s important to assure the messaging your recruiters send at every touch point in the candidate experience aligns with your core values.
No second chances for a first impression
If you’re forward-thinking, with an eye on the latest tech, your application and scheduling processes should be cutting-edge. The majority of job seekers expect your application process to be mobile-friendly. If it’s slow and complex, expect more than half to drop out before they complete it: you’ll send 60% of applicants on to the competition if it takes too long to apply or the process is complex. .
Self-scheduling apps are a must. Why play phone tag with team members and applicants when a platform can do the work for you? You’ll save time, they’ll quickly get themselves scheduled and into the process, and interview team members will know who to expect and when.
A tech-savvy, time valuing application and scheduling process sends the message you’re cutting-edge and move quickly.
I am not a robot
If you value people then make it easy for them to connect – really connect. Fast, friendly response times by real humans describe your philosophy. For many companies, the blind “reply to hr@xyz.com” has been replaced by (get ready for it) the name and email address of an actual person. The message you send is we value you as an individual and aren’t afraid to connect.
Constant communication is key
Once a candidate is in the pipeline, keep the lines of communication open and use them. Updates on where the team is in the interview process; when the candidate can expect a call for another interview; details on when background or other verifications will be completed are the very minimum.
If you’re excited about a candidate joining your firm, communicate that. Offer them a walk-through the facility; schedule a time to video chat with your benefits administrator or T&D team to discuss what they can look forward to as an employee. The more you can connect, the less likely you’ll be ghosted. Open, constant communication tells the candidate they’re important: what your recruitment brand should embody.
Move on them or lose them
A slow decision-making process is the final nail in bad recruitment brand coffin. In today’s market, job seekers are juggling multiple offers, some on the spot. While time-to-hire can only be reduced so much before the process begins to degrade, dragging your feet is a sure way to diminish your recruitment brand and miss out on talent.
If time is not on your side, communication at least can be. Keep in touch with the candidate to let them know you’re rooting for them and working hard to get them on board. When applicants feel they have an ally, even a friend, within the company working on their behalf, they’re more likely to be patient if your hiring process is lengthy.
Be aware of bashing boards
If a candidate posts a negative review of your company online, don’t just let it sit there and percolate. You’ll want to respond immediately or risk losing one-third of job seekers who report they would never apply to a company with negative online reviews. Employers who decide to return the favor and bash the candidate do so at their own risk. Many job seekers will see even a legitimate, unfavorable response to the reviewer in a negative light.
The large job boards suggest business monitor reviews continuously. A bad review can be removed if it’s defamatory, but if not, try connecting with the reviewer, resolving the problem and asking they remove the review. If you know your hiring processes are great, encourage candidates to post reviews, even if they weren’t hired. If the candidate experience you provided was positive, they’ll likely have good things to say.
Your recruitment brand is a valuable commodity. It has the power to attract or repel top talent to your company. In todays’ market, with talent shortages and skills gaps making hiring harder than ever, your excellent recruitment brand can help you stand out in the crowd. To draw job seekers to your door, make sure every message you send in the process reflects your company, your culture and your values.
