When I ask IT & Cyber Security candidates to tell me their main frustration when applying for a new job, undoubtedly receiving no feedback on their application is the main challenge. More concerning, even after attending interviews many candidates don’t hear anything back from the recruiter or company! This causes frustration and resentment with candidates towards the recruiter and company that they have applied to and doesn’t put either in a good light.
I am going to make the following recommendations to hiring managers and recruiters to help to improve the hiring journey for candidates:
Setting Expectations
When a recruiter initially contacts a candidate about an opportunity, I would recommend explaining the hiring process and set their expectations as to when they can expect to receive feedback. Focus on communicating with the candidate if not by telephone then by email. Keep them informed on the progress of their application and if they are not successful, let them know the reason why.
Interview Follow Up
At interview stage, it is important for hiring managers to provide feedback to the recruiter as soon as possible so that the candidate can be kept informed. This will avoid candidates assuming that they have not been successful and accepting another opportunity.
I have just successfully completed an assignment for a Global Cyber Security Manager which involved 5 separate interview stages all done via Zoom! As you can imagine, my candidate was interviewing for numerous other opportunities so there was the possibility of him accepting another offer. However, the main reason why he accepted my client’s offer is because I kept him informed at every stage of the process. Not only did we build a great relationship, but my company in his mind was perceived as being more professional and committed towards him.
Summary
In summary, it is essential that hiring managers and recruiters place more emphasis on providing feedback to candidates at every stage of the hiring process. This will alleviate anxiety and self-doubt amongst candidates and more importantly you will be better perceived within a very competitive market.
If you are hiring and would like to improve your hiring process then reach out to us for an informal chat. You can either request a 10 minute telephone call or email me on nigel@nextmoverecruitment.co.uk
By Nigel Angus