Barbara Bruno, President, Good as Gold Training, HRSearch
There is currently a lack of top talent; and with Baby Boomers retiring one every six seconds, the competition for top talent will continue to increase. It is more important than ever to improve the overall candidate experience, whether you hire them or not. A disgruntled candidate can blast your company to hundreds or even thousands of individuals by utilizing social media.
Your reputation in the market impacts the number of referrals you receive, and often referred candidates are the most talented.
The following are tips to help consistently improve your word-of-mouth advertising.
TIP #1
Send some type of correspondence to everyone who applies for a job with your company. This prevents phone calls from these applicants trying to determine if you received their resume. If they are not being considered for your current opportunity, this does not mean they may not qualify for a future position. The courtesy of acknowledging their resume will set you apart from your competitors.
TIP #2
Send rejection letters to candidates who are interviewed, but not hired. When a job seeker receives the information, they can move on with their search knowing they are no longer under consideration for your job. You do not have to provide the exact reason they were screened out, just that you identified another candidate who had the exact skills and experience you needed.
TIP #3
Provide other resources for job seekers to utilize, if you don’t plan to hire them. If you give them something to do, they will stop calling you for an update. If the resource you provide gives them sound advice or helps with their search process, they will be grateful to you, even though you did not hire them. This will result in more referrals and improved word-of-mouth advertising in the job market.
If you do not have a resource, you may want to set up a customized career portal.
TIP #4
Always remain positive and supportive vs. critical with your communications. Be extremely careful with any type of written or recorded communication. You never know when someone will post your messages whether written or recorded to gain public opinion or support. You also don’t know if someone is recording what you are saying without your knowledge.
TIP #5
Be consistent, 100% of the time, in the way you handle all candidates. It is critically important to be consistent in your line of questioning, application form required, assessment tools utilized, test administered, and in all you do especially during interviews. Problems do not occur if candidates feel they were treated fairly and with respect.
When you improve your word-of-mouth advertising, you will attract the top talent you need to hire.
Barb Bruno, CPC, CTS is one of the most trusted experts, speakers and trainers in the Staffing and Recruiting Profession. Barb has spent several years helping Owners, Managers and Recruiters increase their Sales, Profits and Income with her top-rated web based training Course, the Top Producer Tutor. Follow Barb on Twitter @barbbruno.
