Month: November 2018

What do you do with unsuccessful candidates? If you’re the kind of recruiter or employer who ghosts unsuccessful candidates, letting time reveal they were unsuccessful, then you could be doing your brand serious damage.

In a climate where skilled talent is in short supply, especially in the construction industry, you want to continue attracting talent and filling roles. Learn the art of turning candidates away, and keep those applicants coming in the future.

Why rejections are important

Studies have shown that candidates will avoid applying to companies with bad reputations. This is why all of your interactions with the outside world—even with unsuccessful candidates—are so important. You want to leave even the unsuccessful candidates impressed with your company, contributing to a positive employer brand.

Leaving unsuccessful candidates with a positive impression does indeed pay off. According to Talent Board, over 80% of candidates share their positive recruiting experiences with their friends. And as they say, there’s no better advertising than word of mouth.

Responding

Almost 50% of jobseekers say that waiting on a response to an application is their number one pain point. Imagine the benefit to your brand if you could make the waiting game less stressful and more positive for candidates.

Make candidates feel that they’re important to you, even if they weren’t successful. There could be untapped talent hiding in your pool of applicants—talent that you want to consider applying again.

Always reply to unsuccessful applicants with a courteous email. Here’s where you show your appreciation for the time and effort they took to apply, and offer well-wishes for their future endeavours. End your message with a note that encourages them to apply again.

Giving feedback

For candidates that you interviewed, a more personalised approach is in order. As well as the above, these candidates are looking for reasons why they were unsuccessful. In giving them feedback, you’re not only helping them out in their job hunt – you’d also be helping yourself by helping candidates become the kind of talent you want to fill future roles.

Tell candidates why they weren’t successful in a constructive way. Which skills do they need to build on and what other types of experience do they need? Give examples of ways in which they can reasonably upskill to land the type of job you’re offering. 

In the case of candidates you wanted to hire but simply couldn’t due to limited resources, offer to keep their resumes on file. You’ll call them in the future when similar roles arise.

Need help filling roles? We have extensive networks of top talent. Contact us today.

In our last blog, we looked at the skill shortage in construction. With so many jobs available and so few quality candidates to choose from, companies can expect stiff competition when it comes to hiring top talent. This article shows you how to make a job offer that a candidate can’t say no to.  

Be verbal

Once you’ve interviewed and chosen your favourite candidate, it’s time to make an offer. Move fast, as your candidate is applying for other jobs and won’t wait. At this stage, it’s important to call the candidate and speak to them. You should convey your enthusiasm towards having them on board, and gauge their reaction to your offer offer. Be sure to touch on the career goals and long-term plans they mentioned at the interview. Tie these in to your present offer.

Be specific

Although the verbal offer is slightly less formal than the written offer to come, it pays to be specific. Take this opportunity to state the start date, compensation, pay schedule and benefits. These factors could be the difference between the candidate choosing your company over another.

Get an answer

Your phone call is also your opportunity to get an acceptance or a polite decline. Without the candidate’s decision, you won’t be able to finalise their offer and you could hold up the process of filling that role.

Write it up

After the candidate’s acceptance, it’s now time to prepare a formal offer of employment. You should send this in a package along with their contract and payment forms. Send it via email or in the post, and follow up with a phone call to make sure they received it. Let them know when to return the paperwork.

Don’t assume

Although your candidate has said yes to your offer, or even signed their contract, don’t assume that you have them in the bag. Coming up to, and shortly after, their start date, they’ll most likely be waiting on other offers. This is why onboarding is so important. With good onboarding, you can minimise stress for your new hire and trump competitors’ offers. By onboarding correctly, your new hire will feel like one of the family, and they won’t be one of the 30% who leave new in their first 90 days.

Be polite

Be prepared to call the candidates you interviewed and notify them that they weren’t successful. Your courtesy will be appreciated and contribute to better perceptions of your company’s brand. It also pays to notify all those who applied for the job that they’re no longer being considered. Simply sending out a generic email will be greatly appreciated by applicants and build a great image for your brand.

Find your perfect candidate. Contact Quadrant Exec.