Caring for candidates matters

Often employers are so focused on filling a position that they forget they’re actually recruiting individuals. As an expert in my industry, it’s my role to help remind you that you are dealing with people—individuals with values, emotions, voices, and choices to make. This is important for a few reasons.
First, these candidates, your potential employees, are most likely also your customers, acquaintances, or influencers in your community. More importantly, while you expect your employees to treat you with respect and transparency, it is up to you to do the same during the recruitment process. Lastly, you do not want to damage your professional reputation because you failed to treat a candidate the way you should.  People can quickly take to social media or voice their displeasure with a company to their family, friends and acquaintances when they feel they have been treated poorly, tarnishing your company’s reputation, eroding good will, and potentially leading to the loss of clients and revenue.

Here are a few tips of what NOT to do during the recruitment process:

• Not acknowledging receipt of the candidate’s application;
• Starting an interview late and not apologizing or offering an explanation for the tardiness;
• Not following through after the interview with a thank you for coming message and the status of the candidate in the process—tell them quickly if it’s over or if they are moving on to the next phase; and
• Not keeping in touch after you’ve made an offer and when it has been accepted. Make the candidate, your soon-to-be employee, feel welcome and valued before they even start.

It is important to demonstrate to the candidates that you have shared values, that you respect their time, that you appreciate their skills and experience, that you are honest and transparent, and that keeping the lines of communications open matters to you.

Although all of this may seem common sense, I have seen too many times the unfortunate consequences of poor treatment of candidates. I make it my mission to ensure that your organization’s reputation is enhanced through the recruitment process. After all, wouldn’t be nice if past candidates gave you this type of review instead: “I didn’t get the job but they treated me so well, I would definitely recommend that anyone apply when they have opportunities.”