No doubt, you care about our business and the image you put forth for your customers. But what about prospective employees? What do they think of your company? Have you ever considered the possibility that your level of timely responsiveness to job applicants plays a role in how your business is perceived – and thus, how well you recruit and hire top-quality staff?
It’s no secret that we’re in an employee job market right now. Companies are desperate for help. And no doubt hiring is a big concern for you. But do you prioritize calling back job applicants, scheduling interviews, or updating candidates in the pipeline? Effective communication is an essential value every company must commit to. But even companies that understand this often overlook responsive communication when dealing with potential hires.
The Cost of Neglecting Timely Responsiveness
If following up with prospective employees quickly and consistently is not a top priority for your organization, you could be losing out big. Here are a few reasons responsiveness in business matters:
- Money: When you fail to move a new hire along or lose out on a top prospect, there are associated opportunity costs like bad hires, open positions, etc.
- Branding: Because your track record for timely responsiveness will get around, your reputation as an employer of choice is at stake. Failure to respond to candidate questions can signal a lack of respect and damage your recruiting credibility long-term.
- Blowback: The way you handle job prospects through the application, interview, and negotiation processes often determines how you will be treated. If you find a well-qualified candidate, a great way to minimize the risk of being ghosted by that candidate is timely updates and staying in touch.
Timely Communication Matters
While it may seem harmless to push an email back to next week or drop a resume through the cracks on occasion, it’s not without consequence. Data released by interview scheduling SAAS provider Cronofy shows a lack of timely communication can actually be a significant driver in poor hiring outcomes.
A job search can be a very uncertain and stressful time for professionals. It helps reassure top talent when recruiters or hiring managers reach out regularly, even if only to say, “We’re still waiting on an interview time,” or, “The hiring team is still reviewing your qualifications.” Providing that contact and feedback builds trust in your hiring process, the company, and the decision to pursue this job.
When companies neglect timely responsive communication, statistics show, candidates will go elsewhere. According to Cronofy:
- 62% of professionals in senior positions report having abandoned an interview journey because of frustration with the interview scheduling process.
- The interview scheduling experience directly corelates to a prospect’s perception of your company.
- A full two-thirds of US applicants expect to hear back about an interview within just one week of applying.
- 18% of job applicants report responsiveness as the top frustration with the hiring process.
Putting Responsiveness into Action
At Building Careers, we’ve seen firsthand the power of implementing timely and responsive communication in recruiting top talent. While partnering with a recruiting firm is critical to effective hiring (especially in such a competitive market), we’ve observed many if not most recruiters ghost candidates at some point in the process.
As such, simply touching base with candidates throughout the week and addressing concerns early on is a clear differentiator in our field. Quality professionals know when they are appreciated. And they know when they’re not. So, when your recruiting partner or hiring team practices timely responsiveness, they set your brand apart from the others.
As a leading recruiter for the CRE space in Southern California, we’ve seen our network and credibility grow among commercial real estate’s top talent. We believe strongly in the values of open communication, constant communication, and timely communication. As a result, our contacts have come to expect real-time feedback and daily check-ins. And because we also emphasize internal responsiveness, our team is more current and helpful along the way.
Hiring rockstar talent that will take your company to the next level means implementing a comfortable hiring experience. And that hiring experience is only as good as its communication. Any friction in this process will negatively impact the potential hire’s perception of your organization and make it more likely you will lose them to a competitor. Alternately, implementing timeliness and responsiveness in all communications will ensure the hiring journey is smooth, positive, and effective.