5 Communication Mistakes Youre Making With Candidates - Spark Hire

5 Communication Mistakes Youre Making With Candidates - Spark HireWe spend the majority of our days communicating. Text, emails, direct messages, video calls were constantly connecting. But that doesnt mean were always killing it when it comes to communication.In the fiercely competitive talent market, poor communication with candidates is a surefire way to ruin your talent acquisition strategy. Candidates want notification of their progress at each step of the hiring process. And even more-so, they deserve to be given individualized attention.Heres a look at a few ways your communications impede a positive candidate experience and hurt your hiring process1. Your technology is outdatedTechnology is not critical to effective communication. Effective technology is.Candidates want real-time interaction with employers. Clear and efficient communication simply isnt possible with antiquated technology. Evaluate all your communication touch points and corresponding technology to discover g aps in your candidate communication. For example, a 2018 Jobvite survey found 43 percent of recruiters have used text messaging to reach out to candidates. While different generations have varying aptitudes for technology, switching up communication with text or social messaging can add a personal touch.Quick tip Text messages are a great way to speed up communication and boost candidate experience. Just be sure candidates are set up to send and receive unlimited text messages and provide an vorkaufsrecht to opt out but still receive the same immediate attention through another method.Texting is a surefire way to speed up communication time and boost candidate experience.Click To Tweet2. Communication is too impersonal Relationships and connections drive talent and both require humanized communication.According to the American Staffing Association Workforce Monitor Survey, 69 percent of Americans feel the job search today is too impersonal. And 80 percent say applying for a job fee ls like sending their resume into a black hole.Candidates dont want to feel like theyre speaking to a bot or a cold corporate email account. They want to talk to you, the real person behind the hiring.Quick tip Review recent emails or direct messages with candidates. Whats your tone? Even the most professional responses should avoid sounding contrived. Get personal with your communication and work in some face time by incorporating a live video interview into your process.3. Communication is too brief, infrequent, or delayedUnfortunately, Monsters 2019 State of the Candidate survey revealed one in seven Americans (14 percent) did not feel respected during their last job search. Respondents shared these communications they would have preferred to receive in order to feel more respected Being told why they werent moved on to the next stage (32 percent)The company acknowledging receipt of their application (28 percent)Knowing whether the application has been seen by a recruiter or hiri ng manager (27 percent)Having the recruiter or hiring manager send a rejection in a timely fashion (23 percent)Being told if they would be considered for future opportunities (23 percent)Quick tip Block off a specific period of time each week to make candidate correspondence a priority. Be sure to let candidates know when they can expect to hear from you again.4. Youre not being transparent enoughJob seekers demand more transparency in the hiring process. In fact, in a 2018 Glassdoor survey, 53 percent of respondents said they want clear expectations laid out about the hiring process. Lack of transparency regarding work environment, pay, benefits, and even the hiring process itself will turn candidates off.Quick tip Create a branded video message to send to all applicants upon receiving their resume and other materials. This is an opportunity to share essential role requirements, the hiring process, starting pay scale, or even give a virtual guided tour of the office. This tool allo ws you to really showcase your employer brand.53% of job seekers surveyed by Glassdoor want clear expectations laid out about the hiring process.Click To Tweet5. Youre not offering feedbackA lot of candidate frustration comes from investing a significant amount of time in a hiring process to receive little to no feedback. In the previously mentioned Monster survey, only 31 percent of recruiters were reported by candidates to have followed up in a timely fashion after the interview.Offer interview feedback as soon as possible. Speed up the collaboration process by sharing video interviews with hiring managers to collect nearly instant interview feedback.Make your post-interview communication a priority to better connect with candidates, even the ones that dont make the cut. This proves you care about their experience, even if they arent the best match for the company or role.Quick tip Provide detailed feedback for candidates on their strengths and weaknesses during the interview proc ess. And let candidates know if you will be willing to consider them for another open role in the future.