We all learned about the Golden Rule as children at home or in the classroom. It goes a little something like this: "Treat others the way you want to be treated." Of course, there are some variations on the verbiage, but essentially the lesson of this motto is to treat other people with respect and kindness. Because that's how you would want other people to treat you, right?
It's a sweet sentiment and a valuable lesson to carry through life. But there seems to be some confusion or some forgetfulness when bringing this into all areas of life. We learned this on the playground, but the Golden Rule applies to so much more than sharing your crayons.
The Golden Rule has a time and place in the recruiting world. The time is now, and the place is your interview process.
Somehow, we've forgotten to include the Golden Rule in our work life, and more importantly, into recruiting. It makes perfect sense, too. Candidates want to work for strong brands that treat them well. Employers want to hire strong candidates who contribute and excel in their careers.
The Golden Rule has a time and place in the recruiting world. The time is now, and the place is your interview process.
What's Missing In Recruiting
Often, candidates are frustrated with the mistreatment they receive while interviewing.
"I applied months ago, and I haven't heard anything back!"
"I interviewed with the recruiter three times, and I still have no clue what the next step is."
"Well, I got to the final round interview, but I'm still waiting to hear if I have an offer or not."
Ignoring candidates, miscommunication, confusion. This does not sound like behavior aligned with the Golden Rule.
But do recruiters and hiring teams really have time to treat every candidate with respect and kindness? Not really.
When there is barely enough time in the day to conduct interviews, it's difficult to expect recruiting teams to go the extra mile and update candidates on their status promptly or prepare others for upcoming interviews.
If organizations are trying to impress rockstar candidates, though, they should present greatness during the interview process - just as candidates are putting their best foot forward to land a job.
The Right Time For Change Is Now
In all honesty, the Golden Rule should have been introduced to the recruiting world long ago. But with more advanced technology and a growing interest in candidate experience, this is the perfect time to start making positive changes.
The talent acquisition industry is packed with technology to make recruiters work smarter, to help recruiting leaders gain better insights into their teams and to enhance candidates' opinions of employer brand. It's about time that the human-centric industry gets a little aid from technology!
72% of candidates who have a bad candidate experience share that experience somewhere online or with a friend.
Technology aside, candidates are driving the interview process today. They have loud voices and even louder opinions on their interview experiences. Company review sites and social media give candidates an immediate outlet to share their thoughts and persuade their peers.
Sadly, 60% of people looking for new employment have a negative experience. And of those candidates, 72% share their experience somewhere online or with a friend.
These are overwhelming statistics that can drastically change the recruiting efforts of a company. With poor company reviews come poor applicant volume, which leaves slim-picking for talent to fill open roles. It's a spiraling disaster that can all be solved, starting with the candidate.
The Golden Rule Is Here To Stay
Efforts to improve candidate experience can seem daunting. But nothing worth having comes easy.
There is clear evidence pointing to the positive impacts teams experience when they dedicate resources to improving their candidate experience. Employers that invest in creating a strong candidate experience improve the quality of their hires by 70%! Employer brand unsurprisingly improves, and applicant attraction skyrockets.
Treating candidates well is a no-brainer. It makes their lives happier, and it makes recruiting teams more successful.
From the playground to your career, the Golden Rule is here to stay, and it's here to transform the recruiting world.
Join Us
Follow the Golden Rule series as we discuss why and where the Golden Rule is missing from recruiting processes and how to make positive changes. We'll be exploring real opinions from candidates and hiring managers, the trends in candidate experience today, how your team can improve your interview process and what candidate experience really means!
https://vimeo.com/259678089
