Communicating Through the Hiring Process

Far too often job seekers apply to open positions only to be left without any follow up. Personally, I think this is a poor reflection for the company hiring. If you’re not willing to reach out to those who are interested in joining your company, what does that say about your business?

Next time you post an opening consider these key points.

Maintain Professional Demeanor

Respond to each and every applicant, no matter what their qualifications are. A person took the time to send in their resume to your company, take a moment to reach out regardless if that means for an interview or not. Also, when you reach out make sure to do it in a timely manner. Don’t wait 6 months to inform applicants that you chose another person or they were not a good fit. No one likes waiting and it looks pretty silly to get a response months after the fact. 

Have a Template

Prepare a candid response to quickly and efficiently inform job applicants of their status. This should go beyond the “we have received your resume” email. Applicants want to know if they are being considered, or if they can pursue other options. Having something readily available to send out will save you time and also provide guidance to your applicants. Also, you can utilize your HR software to aid you during this process and make it less time consuming. 

Communicate Openly

If you need some more time to filter through resumes, or you’re still making a decision, communicate this to applicants and candidates. Being transparent about where you are in the process shows that you respect your candidates time. Continue to communicate on a regular basis until you have come to a decision. 

When you’re looking to expand your business the main goal should be to provide a pleasant candidate experience. Who knows, maybe further on down the road you will actually want to work with the people you are turning down today. Keep that in mind when you interact with applicants and candidate