Observations from the other side...

I have a recommendation for many of my corporate recruiting colleagues.  Carve out a weekend and pretend you're unemployed.  Create a fictitious resume and apply to a position in your own organization along with several similar positions at your competition.  You'll be embarrassed by the results.


I believe recruiters and recruiting managers have become completely out-of-touch with what I consider a critical element in the recruiting program for any good company - the candidate experience.  What's more, I'm confident that most executives would have a proverbial cow if they knew how poorly most of their candidates are being treated these days because of poor technology and poorer processes.


Having been an applicant multiple times in the past year, I'm fascinated with how bad the situation has become.  After submitting more than 80 applications for recruiting positions, less than 20% of the companies provided any form of response acknowledging receipt of my application.  What's more, on the 18 occasions where I used professional networking to make direct contact with a hiring manager at many of the companies, I received a timely follow-up only 3 times!  And that was after dropping the name of a mutual colleague!


While I recognize that the job market is in an unprecedented state - dramatic unemployment levels, hiring freezes,  a talent ocean vs. merely a talent pool - it doesn't mean employers should throw out basic values of common courtesy and follow-up.  Most applicant tracking systems can be tailored to provide automated responses to candidates and can be further tailored to provided periodic updates or "outreaches of information" to keep applicants lukewarm.  Companies should institute a prioritization of follow-up measures to make sure candidates are being contacted and processed - starting with employee referrals, then professional/social networking contacts, and ultimately generic job seekers.  However, everyone should be touched!  Most recruiters have observed that the next diamond for an organization can come from any of these sources and therefore all are important.


I know what it's like to be inundated with requisitions and a multitude of candidates.  I also know how difficult it can be to respond to everyone - either directly or through electronic medium.  But it's critical in supporting the brand initiatives of your organization, shaping and defining the culture of your company in the hearts and minds of future employees, and differentiating yourselves and the companies you represent as best-in-class.  It's what separates true recruiters from paper-pushers and it's the difference between an average recruiting program and an extraordinary one.


And rest assured - times they are a changing.  Hiring needs are on the rise again and many of the candidates you've ignored or offended will be in extremely high demand.  The measures and steps you put in place now to be responsive, to follow-up with everyone, and to close the loop appropriately, will go a very long way when these same candidates have to pick and choose amongst the companies that weren't interested a year ago but now have critical needs.  The companies that will have first pick of the top candidates in the marketplace will be those that did this the right way and established positive relationships of trust with everyone that hit their applicant radar screen.


So give it a try.  Quit your job this Friday and spend the weekend like Joe Q. Applicant.  I think the experience will give you some much needed perspective!


RR