Two Way Streets: The Art of Candidate Communication

The biggest obstacle between hiring managers and candidates is always communication. Everyone expresses meaning in their own way and often we think we are being effective while the message is really being misunderstood. What are the best practices for candidate communication? And how can HRMS software help with this process? Here are five tips to improve candidate relationship management in your organization.

Reconsider Your Job Posting Delivery

Candidate communication begins before you even meet the first person to apply. A well written job description will attract better talent than a generic or sloppy posting. Be clear in describing the skills you need. It is also crucial to engage with candidates through whatever channels they feel comfortable with. Many modern ATS and HRMS encourage integration of job listings and social media channels or your company website. Providing candidates with a familiar communication portal will improve response levels no end.

Outline Your Expectations

The candidate communication process is a two-way street. Outlining your expectations for each candidate will improve your applicant sourcing and on-boarding processes immensely. Candidates will also thank you for this direction. They want to know what format their application should take, what portal should they deliver this application through, will their LinkedIn profile be assessed as part of the process. These expectations can be easily conveyed through candidate self-service access to their application.

Paint a Picture of Your Workplace

Do you have a casual or professional office? Do you offer flexible schedules, or are strict adherence to the hours important to you? Are your employees introverted or extroverted? There is no point in attempting to shoehorn a candidate who isn’t right for an environment into the job. The dissatisfaction will become apparent on both sides almost immediately.

Provide an Application Roadmap

Candidates want to know the status of their application, and one “thankyou for your application” and “thanks, but no thanks” email ain’t going to cut the mustard. Make use of new technology in HRMS and ATS software which gives candidates candidates complete pipeline visibility for their application. Has their application been received? What timeframe will the review process require? What are the next stages of application? What are the timeframes for these? In this world of parcel tracking, profile completion percentages, and download statuses, the applicant deserves real-time information.

Rejecting Good Candidates

In a perfect world you would be able to hire every talented individual who walked through your door. However, when you only have one job opening you have to make a decision. It is important to maintain access to the contact information for the individuals you did not choose this round. They may fit a key position later on. Data on unsuccessful hires can be categorized, tagged, archived, and analysed within your HRMS. Make use of this tool to improve future recruitment processes and candidate communication.

Candidate communication skills are something that should be constantly reevaluated and perfected. They will impact your employee turnover, on-boarding efficiency, social company sentiment, and more.