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HRO TODAY Sept 2013

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Talent Management Figure 3 Source: SilkRoad process surely leaves a lasting impression. Candidates share information among themselves and their opinions resonate long after a position has been filled. In fact, they shape your organization's reputation. How did candidates perceive they were treated by prospective employers? In an open-ended question, the survey asked participants to describe their job hunting experiences and to identify their pet peeves about the way they were treated during the recruitment process. Five themes emerged from their responses: • Companies are unresponsive when a candidate submits a resume or an application. This was perceived as an indication that the company does not value applicants. • Follow-up or communication after the interview is not common. Many respondents said they would like an acknowledgement or an update, indicating where the company is in the process of hiring. • The application process can be difficult and lengthy. Companies' career sites were sometimes poorly designed and hard to use, requiring candidates to enter unnecessary information as well as upload a resume. When this occurs, candidates lose interest and tended to drop out. • Interviewers or interviewing techniques were not professional; interviewers were described as distracted, impersonal, late for the appointment, or asking irrelevant questions. Even when the recruitment market is less competitive and candidates are plentiful, organizations must demonstrate professionalism in their recruitment practices. The application process, the interviewer, and the interaction with the applicant are the face of an organization. Poor behavior on the part of an interviewer, flawed technology, and unresponsiveness can cause serious damage to a company's brand. Given the widespread use of social media—and sites that rate companies (like Glassdoor)—a bad experience can go viral. With efficient use of new technology and best practices, companies can ensure that they are more responsive and communicative. Steps for Improvement The survey found that recruitment technology and company career sites are principal ways that candidates find and apply for jobs. Yet, companies are not making the most of technology to attract and engage job seekers. Here are a few best practices of the ways companies can use technology to sharpen their recruitment process: • There's no need for a candidate's application to go unacknowledged. Most recruitment systems enable a recruiter to set personalized and automated workflows, sending an email that acknowledges the application and sets expectations for next steps. • Candidates who are qualified enough to merit an interview also deserve a follow-up note, even when the job has been filled. Recruitment systems can send an SEPTEMBER 2013 | www.hrotoday.com [63]

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