Candidate feedback – it’s a topic that you’ve probably seen discussed on social media. Candidates who apply for roles are always disappointed then they don’t receive any communication. Even if it’s an acknowledgement of receiving their CV. Protecting your employer brand is important. It’s important that candidates, whether suitable or not, have a positive impression of your company.
How you communicate with candidate either direct, or though an agency gives them enough information to form an opinion on your culture and how you treat your employees.
This has suddenly got more difficult for many companies! With the lockdown creating higher unemployment levels, vacancies are receiving 2, 3 even 10 times the amount of applications. That’s a lot of people with an opinion about your company. Lets help make it a really positive one.
Here’s our Top Tips for Candidate Feedback
CV submission
Acknowledging someone’s CV is just the start of it. Use this opportunity to give timeframes. Is there a closing date? Will you be able to give feedback to all rejected candidates? Whatever you can share with candidates will give an all important first impression.
Shortlisting
So you’ve spent hours going through all the applications and have a ‘longlist’ of candidates who may be suitable. But, don’t forget to communicate with all those who have not been successful. They may not be right for you now, but they may know someone who is just what you are looking for. Sending out a rejection email is something that will help you stand out. The candidates are then more likely to recommend you to a friend.
Now all you have to do is call everyone on your ‘longlist’! And don’t forget to send rejection letters to those who don’t make the shortlist.
Candidate Feedback After Interviews
You may think this an unnecessary thing for us to mention. Of course you will give feedback to everyone who attends an interview. Whether it be face to face or virtual. However, the most important thing when it comes to interview feedback is time. At the end of any interview, let the candidate know what to expect next and when. Our best advice here is to keep the timeframe as short as possible. Give interim feedback if the process will take longer than just a couple of days. Candidates who receive feedback within 24 hours are much more likely to be engaged than those who don’t.
That’s a lot of candidate feedback!
There’s a lot to do when it comes to giving candidate feedback. Recruiting just 1 position can be a full time job. Fitting in recruitment on top of the day job can mean that things get missed. Timeframes get longer. Why not get a specialist agency to help?
Working with a specialist agency will save you a lot of time in this current market. But, it will also help protect your brand. At PSi, we have a commitment to our candidates and provide a full communication framework – from CV submission right through to offer stage. We will guide you through the key milestones in the application process and make sure that we are communicating the right thing at the right time. Helping to protect the reputation of your company is as important to us as it is to you.
