“The government is telling us that the economic stimulus is working and the recession is over.” Explain that to the numerous unemployed professionals here in Houston. Well, whether you believe that the recession is over or not, let’s talk about the recruiting process from the applicants standpoint.
Recruiters (and HR Departments) are overwhelmed by applicants. For every open position there are numerous qualified applicants. I repeat, qualified. Using either traditional or non-traditional avenues the applicant has found a position that they feel they are a fit for. And it’s yours. The applicant submits his/her application for the job, oftentimes an online lengthy process taking a great deal of patience.
Now what? Numerous individuals have submitted applications, resumes, references for that one, single, lonely position.
If the applicant is lucky they receive a phone screen from your recruiter or the HR representative. They walk the applicant through a series of “canned” questions in an effort to separate one high potential from the other of dozen applicants in their stack of potential employees. At the conclusion of the phone call the recruiter indicates that they’ll get back with the applicant by a specific date to set up a face-to-face interview. So the applicant waits. And waits. And still waits. What happened?
Notwithstanding the fact that recruiters may be swamped and rushed by the company they represent to develop the “shortlist” - what happened to common courtesy? On the candidates end, this lack of follow-up creates a poor impression of the organization.
Lets be civilized – polite. Have a communication policy. If you want your company to have a positive reputation in the community, take a moment out of your day to close out the interview process with the applicant. So they didn’t make your shortlist. While they may be disappointed - they will be appreciative of the closure.
My husband has been unemployed for some time now, and I can attest to the fact that the lack of response from companies who receive his resume is extremely frustrating. But even worse are the companies who conduct interviews, in some cases multiple interviews, indicate they will make a decision within a week, and are never heard from again. Serious candidates invest a significant amount of time putting together a resume and preparing for an interview. Is it so much to ask that perspective employers invest a few minutes to send a letter indicating they have cbosen to hire another candidate or continue their search? Years ago it was unheard of not to do that and now it is the exception. It seems like a small gesture, but it allows people who are looking for a job in an extremely competitive environment to cross off 1 company in a potentially long "waiting on reply" list. It really does make a difference to those who have been searching for a while. I agree. Choose to communicate!
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