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You snooze, you lose quality candidates

In a competitive job market time is of the essence.  We could tell countless stories of top notch candidates who were lost because they had to wait long periods of time for feedback or to set up an interview. Put the excuses and explanations aside, is it important to make efficient and timely communication with candidates a priority in your recruitment process.
The old school notion of keeping a candidate warm with a few emails is lost in a world where technology allows for instant gratification and feedback.   In a previous RSR blog Kael encourages employers to acknowledge receipt of a resume within 3 days and let a candidate know you are interested within 5 days. So you have let them know you are interested, is it reasonable to make someone wait an additional 5 -7 days to set up a phone interview?  Based on feedback that we have received from candidates, the answer is NO.  Strike when the iron is hot!
Our mothers would probably tell us that stringing someone along is plain cruel, the amount of time you make someone wait reflects poorly on your company’s image.  The recruitment process is the starting point of the employer-employee relationship.  Any relationship expert will tell you that the key to a good relationship is consistent and meaningful communication.  Every great candidate has options and any candidate who is aware of their value will not tolerate being strung along.  If you are looking to cast your net fishing for quality employees then you better be ready to reel them in with quality communications and stellar planning.
Our advice:  Make a plan! We know you are busy but make your life easier by making sure you don’t snooze and lose great candidates.

  1. Designate Monthly/Weekly interview days: If you are looking at doing a mass hiring designate time each month for interviews. Let candidates know ahead of time when those days are so they can plan ahead and you don’t waste time trying to schedule interview panels around times that suit candidates or hiring managers.
  2. Set up auto response emails that clearly outline the process: Make sure your auto response emails give the candidate a clear picture of the process.  Transparency goes a long way in building trust in a relationship and will help keep the candidate invested if they know what is going on.  It gives them the impression that you value their time.
  3. Use your resources wisely: If you are working with a recruiter get them to help you streamline your communication with candidates and provide them regular feedback that they can pass along. If you have an internal recruitment team make sure they have a good idea what is needed for the position so they do not waste your time with resumes that don’t meet your needs.

Remember the great candidates you lose usually end up working for your competition, so put the effort in to keep them from taking their talents elsewhere!
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