What may scare a star candidate away from a recruitment process?
Within the technology sector, most candidates in a recruitment process are what we refer to as passive candidates. In other words, candidates who are not actively looking for a position but who could be triggered to make a move if the right opportunity comes up.
Considering the above, many companies experience candidates pulling out of a process. Some may then argue that this is good due to lack of motivation, but one thing to bear in mind here; you can`t expect the candidate to be super-motivated from day one in the process. Ultimately, the candidate was not looking for a new job when you contacted them.
So, what should you do to make sure that candidates remain in the process and becomes more and more motivated? Or put in another way, what should you not do?
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
Make the process as informative and transparent as possible
Make sure the first meeting with the candidate is informal and a “get to know each other” type meeting
Find out what triggers the interest and ensure that you show the candidate that your company can match this
Present the future plans of the company to the candidate
Let the candidate meet all kinds of people within the company and let them feel at home
Be agile and pragmatic. Make sure the process is tailored to the individual candidate.
Be honest and true to your values
WHAT SHOULD YOU NOT DO?
Have long winded processes where you demand more from the candidate then you demand from yourself / your company
Do not have too short processes either, where you only meet the candidate once and expect him / her want to join you
Don’t have a process that is dominated by testing
Do not have “roasting” style interviews
Not giving quick and detailed response / not giving updates
Thankfully, we hear some great stories about what has worked out and what has made the candidate go from being interested to very interested and from very interested to accepting an offer. Some of these things are simple, yet often not being carried out. And the key thing to remember is that it is your job to sell the company as much as it is the candidates job to sell herself / himself. This is how the market is per today and this is how the market is likely to be for the foreseeable future. Thus, no point sitting on our “high horses” and think that the candidate is desperate to work for us.
NB. Some people may argue that it would be somewhat different when you have active candidates (applicants). Yes, to some extent but the do`s and dont`s above will still increase your chances of securing these candidates. Remember, they may be in a lot of other processes.
Best of luck!