When Good Candidates Go Bad: Applicant Management Mayhem

There is nothing worse for a recruiter than getting close to the end of the hiring process and having the candidate back out. It can be devastating and turn a good relationship into a bad one. HR software such as HRMS or ATS can assist with the hiring process, but correcting poor applicant management processes requires more than a change in systems.

The Counter Offer

The biggest deal killer in the history of recruiting is to go through the entire process with a candidate, offer them the position, and have them return with a counter offer - this speaks volumes about your applicant management processes (or lack thereof). The ability to track benefits and bonuses through integrated HR software and present them to each candidate is one way you could negate the problem. However, while the information can assist in the negotiations often they require a gentler human touch. A recruiter should know if money is the primary motivation or if other issues such as commute or work/life balance are at play. A candidate should be asked early in the process if they would consider an offer to stay with their current employer. If an employee is unhappy in their current job a raise can’t correct those problems. Your company could offer the right solution.

Jekyll and Hyde

Interviewing is a very short experience. Frequently candidates will put their best foot forward in the interview but after they get the job will revert to habits and behaviors that fall below the expectations of the workplace. References should help alleviate this problem but they aren’t always reliable. Using an HRMS to track performance can help you better understand how well your new employee has integrated into the company and understood the role training - do they feel comfortable in the role? Are they meeting business targets? How do your workforce view their progress? Applicant management does not end with the hire.

Leaving Before 90 Days

Temporary to Hire is a process by which a candidate will work at the client company on a temporary basis, usually 90 days, before transitioning to a permanent staff member. This is a great way for a company to get to know an employee before making a full time commitment. It is also xx for the employee to evaluate the organization as well. If an employee chooses to leave it might be helpful to ask the agency recruiter to get feedback - this can only help the managers improve. Equally as important is to assess your talent management processes - which clearly leave something to be desired. The on-boarding process should be simply laid out before the new hire, if this process deviates from the their expectations, you may have an unhappy candidate on your hands.

Both Hiring Managers and Recruiters can benefit from improving their applicant management process as well as assessing on-boarding processes. Everyone can work together to solve any major problem relating to a new hire. While candidates certainly have responsibility for their actions, your recruiter and your HRMS software can alleviate long lasting problems within your company. But remember, a product is only as good as the last problem it solved.