In part one of this blog, we discussed the art of writing a job posting description. This blog will examine two other roadblocks which can prevent you from landing the best candidate for your job; and for those using SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting, we’ll provide information on tools you can use to help eliminate them.
Lengthy Application Process
Congratulations! A potential applicant read through your job posting description and is interested in the job. They excitedly click the apply button. The next roadblock is completing and submitting the application.
It’s no longer acceptable to think candidates will provide every piece of data you want just because they are interested in the job, especially before they know they are seriously being considered for the job. Of course some will, but many organizations lose out on great candidates simply because the application process takes too long or requires too much information.
In looking at your SAP SuccessFactors Candidate Profile and application, how much information are you asking for, and of that, how much of that is required (meaning the candidate cannot successfully apply until it is provided)? Sometimes even the illusion of a long application process can be a turn-off.
So, how do you find the balance of being able to get all the information you need to make a good hire?
First, evaluate and see what is helpful/needed in making a hiring decision. SuccessFactors offers features such as a multi-stage application that can allow you to shorten your initial application and collect other needed information as the candidate progresses through the recruitment process. Doing this allows the candidate to apply more quickly and doesn’t turn them off to the job because of the volume of data needed to complete the application.
How do you even know if you have a high candidate drop-off rate? For those using SuccessFactors Recruiting and Recruiting Marketing, the embedded advanced analytics tool can help you understand how many applicants start an application and how many complete it.
Think about the kind of experience you want as an applicant and see if you can mimic that in your process. It’s not always possible but is certainly worth the exercise of evaluating what’s in place today.
Lack of Communication with Applicants
Our final roadblock is lack of communication. This is the single, biggest complaint applicants have when looking for a job. After all, no one likes to be in the position of having to look for a new opportunity, and unresponsiveness from the organization can make an already frustrating situation worse. It can also be frustrating for Recruiters, especially when you don’t have the time during the day to communicate with every single application.
Suppose an applicant applies for your job opening. The applicant may receive an email immediately, thanking them for applying. Is that where the communication ends? From an applicant perspective, they are left wondering if anyone even looked at their application. However, for the Recruiter, there is likely other work going on that the candidate cannot see such as reviewing applications and passing them over to hiring leaders to review.
For those of you using SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting, you can take advantage of the tools they offer to help be more transparent with an applicant. Emails can be generated to applicants automatically based on the change in the status of their application. While it may not come as a surprise, how many organizations take advantage of using this functionality, and for those that do, is the information you are sending out actually meaningful for the candidate?
In addition to the emails, SuccessFactors also provides the opportunity for an organization to tell a candidate what stage they are in throughout the recruitment process. Does the candidate just see the “Applied” status no matter where they are in your process? If so, perhaps it’s a good time to evaluate for opportunities to be more open with candidates.
Perhaps your organization does a great job with the status change emails and the online updates, and it just takes a while to get through all of the steps in the application process, or the hiring leader is going on vacation for a month so everything is going to be on hold. Take the time to communicate with your candidates. SuccessFactors makes it easy to email multiple candidates at one time. This ensures candidates know you are thinking of them and keeps them informed on the job.
At the end of the process, the goal is to hire a great candidate who is engaged and is excited to tell their friends about your amazing organization and recruitment process! Communication plays a key part in that success. It may take a little time but goes a long way with job seekers.
Learning to identify roadblocks in the hiring process is critical. Sometimes it comes down to process, or a combination of process and technology; but when you can leverage delivered tools in the technology to enhance your process and the candidate experience, you are one step closer to eliminating roadblocks before they become an issue.
Need more SuccessFactors Recruiting advice? Contact us today for a complimentary assessment with one of our solution consultants!
