If your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is wearing your best outfit and busting your best moves on the dance floor to attract someone you like, then candidate engagement is the first few dates, upon which a lasting relationship will depend. Here, Gary Towers, Talent Intelligence Director at Jobtrain offers some important tips for securing the perfect match through ATS, (Applicant Tracking System) for a lasting relationship.
So do you live up to the reputation you've built for your organisation or the proposition you've outlined? Candidates will realise if there is no substance behind it, so you must strike a balance for mutual success.
The outfit
Application forms should reflect the tone and language of your culture. Candidates will appreciate it if you give them tools within your ATS to make it easier, such as CV parsing. A two-stage application feature allows candidates to assess you (and you them) before too much commitment is demanded.
The dance
Video interviews can give an alternative method of expression for candidates, that allows their passion and personality to come through, and thus greater insight for recruiters.
Use them to replace other elements of your process, such as parts of the application form or telephone interview.
Blind dating
Online assessments or psychometric tools can measure ability or aptitude. But use behavioural/situational questions, built into your ATS, to help assess cultural fit and capability. More relevant assessments, as with the practice of blind shortlisting, promote fairness of decision making and promote meritocracy.
Dinner, coffee or walk in the park?
Shape your process to empower the candidate to show the very best of themselves. They will appreciate it, and you will gain greater insight and make more informed choices.
Fortune favours the bold
Good candidates are snapped up quickly. Automated notifications should be set up to prompt recruiters to take actions if they forget or fall behind. Automated communications to candidates can keep them warm and informed of progress. Maintain the tone and language of your culture consistently, but give them the feel of a human hand.
Ask yourself: "If I received this email, would it keep me keen?"
Don't get jilted at the altar!
Don't lose focus at offer stage. It's too easy to kick back and think "job done". Not at all, this just marks the end of selection and the start of onboarding. An ATS that offers digital contracts and offer packs, and an online reference portal for referees, will help reduce the time (and risk) between offer and start. A Welcome Hub experience will seal their decision and trust and keep them committed and excited about joining.
Little black book
It's easy to focus on the one, but what about the others that didn't work out along the way? Make your rejection communications friendly and personalised. use information from your shortlisting or interview notes, stored in your AT S, as specific feedback for the reason for rejection, and to reference what positives you recorded about them too! After all, you may cross paths again in the future, perhaps as a future hire, a future colleague or peer, or even as one your organisation's customers.
This article first appeared in Hr NETWORK Magazine in January 2021.