What Your Job Candidates May Be Thinking (But Not Saying)

There are a lot of reasons candidates decline a job offer. Though some declines can’t be helped, there’s interesting research that suggests the candidate’s response is more within our control than you might expect.  According to a study by Montage, 32% of individuals who turned down a job offer in the past year report they rejected the offer primarily because the hiring process was a negative experience.  On average then, nearly a third of those who decline your job offer do so not because of salary, benefits, vacation or career path, but because of their interaction with your organisation.
 

Understand the Why

 
If you have been declined by candidates you felt could have made a positive impact on your organisation, it’s time to scrutinize your hiring process to determine what you can do differently during the interview and offer phase. Start by asking yourself these important questions:
 

Did you take too long?

If you were slow to get in touch with candidates, or the whole process dragged on, they may have simply lost interest in your company, saw the delay as a sign of dysfunction, or taken a job elsewhere.

Did your interviewing team put their best foot forward?

If candidates are made to wait a half an hour, or you don’t come prepared or appear distracted or disinterested, you may be making their decision for them. Research shows candidates can tell within the first five minutes if you are prepared for the interview.  And, if you’re more than 10 minutes late for an interview, 80% of candidates are left with a negative impression of your organisation.

 
Unfortunately, when a negative impression takes hold it rarely stops there. According to a separate survey of job seekers who recently interviewed with a company, among those who reported that the interviewing process was not high quality, 72% indicated that they would NOT recommend the company as an employer to others they know. There are not many companies out there – large or small – which can afford this kind of damage to their employer brand.
 

Time for a Change

 
Fortunately, putting your organization and your employer brand back on the map doesn’t have to be a costly move. A high quality, purpose-built video interviewing solution can drastically improve your candidate experience on two fronts without draining your annual budget:

First, improve the logistics of your hiring process.

With video interviewing, you can minimize the number of required interviews by involving the proper decision makers in the interview the first-time around. Use it to reduce the wait times for candidates between steps in the process, and with the extra time saved, make sure you prepare thoroughly for every interview.

Second, use video interviewing to deliver your employer brand, forming that personal connection with candidates.

You have a unique culture or over-the-top benefits? Share this information about your company in a highly professional format using video interviewing. The technology features many points of communication with candidates, so take advantage of every opportunity to “sell” your company and the job.

 
Now more than ever, the hiring process is a two-way street.  The sooner your hiring process demonstrates you understand and respect the needs of the candidate, the sooner you’ll start hearing “Yes!” to every job offer.