I’m impressed with organizational leaders who measure - by department - the time between application and decision notification to job candidates. “Decision notification” is different than “decision” and it’s an important distinction. It’s a rare month when I don’t hear someone tell their story about applying for a position and never hearing back from anyone at the organization. The applicant who never heard back may be your patient in the future, and rate you more harshly on your patient experience survey. The applicant’s experience may influence an ideal candidate not to apply for a position with you. Pat Wadors, Senior Vice President at LinkedIn said: “Imagine if, when you are interviewing for a new job, whether you get an offer or not, you were better served by having had a beautiful interaction. Imagine that you gained insight into your values, your marketability – and that the company where you interviewed helped you progress on your personal and professional journey.” Have you seen examples of organizations treating job candidates with care? Please share in the comments! #patientexperience. #jobcandidate. #leadership. #humanresources
Way more often than not the silent reply pervades and persists. Even when it is agreed that 'they' will come back 'whenever'. I don't get it! Maybe people are fearful of saying 'no' or of delivering bad news. Or maybe just lazy!
The level of quiet that permeates the job search process and so many other areas Susan Keane Baker requires our thoughtful action. years ago when I was running search processes, we made sure that each person received a letter that was well crafted to sharing they were heard and that we saw the strength and talents. This came at times with naming we had made another choice. #care #Feedback
Susan Keane Baker - Will share w my HR leaders. There’s always room for improvement.
A great point Susan Keane Baker ! The experience candidates have when applying for a role can have lasting consequences, both good and bad. Taking the time to respond well to people when they haven’t got the job can enhance your reputation and encourage more people to want to apply in future!
HR leaders today often complain about the new workforce "ghosting" them by not showing up for job interviews, or after accepting job offers, not showing up for general orientation (NEO) and on-the-job training. What they don't realize is that time is now a valued currency for people, and they want to be kept in the loop on their own timeline, not yours. The paradigm has shifted, especially after Covid, and candidates often have multiple job offers. So why would they choose yours? The old adage of "they should be lucky to work here" is outdated. If we want to attract candidates, we must pursue them actively. Even if a candidate is not the right fit NOW, they should still be treated with dignity, respect, and timeliness, as emphasized by all your partners comments below. Remember, candidates talk to their friends and past colleagues. Your reputation is in the hands of the tribe, and they can make or break you.
Your post, Susan Keane Baker reinforces my observation that as a culture we are loosing any sense of civility and I find myself to be very disturbed about this. However, I did have a client who would bring final candidates for a position to spend a week at his office and work (they would be paid for this week of work). At the end of the week, they would either be hired or not. Either way they found out in one week's time.
The application to hiring cycle is sometimes incredibly long. The multiple steps required for approval of posting to sending an offer letter takes about 3 months in our organization. I wish the process could be reviewed for efficiency as the organization is asking the team to work overtime or reprioritize for 1/4 of a year. That can impact employee wellbeing.
I would love it if I had an experience like the one you quote from Pat above, Susan, but never have. I’ve never received any feedback from a job application whether I got the job or not. In fact, last month I applied for a job with a global software company and have heard nothing from them whatsoever. It definitely lowers my opion of the firm and I would ask for even more money were they ever to seek me out. Likewise, I’ve referred internal jobs to external candidates. They have told me that we are professional in our notifications but do not go the extra mile you describe.
Thank you for raising this crucial point about the importance of treating job candidates with respect and timely communication.
I’ve always held the standard that if a candidate came on site for an interview (pre-pandemic) that I owed them a phone call with the decision not to move forward. Not always a full on debrief -but a chance for them to ask any questions. With more advanced ATS systems-I had to ask the recruiter to not disposition the requisition until I had talked to the candidate. Small step but wanted to have the conversation first before the automated email went out