Why You Should Treat Candidates Like Customers

Service with a smile—it’s one thing we do really well here in Hawaii.

Perhaps it’s our aloha spirit. Or maybe it’s because we’re one of the happiest states in the nation. The fact is many local companies pride themselves on being able to deliver excellent customer service.

But how many can also say they bring that level of service to their recruitment efforts?

Not being able to provide a positive job candidate experience is a huge mistake too many companies make. A poor hiring process that feels sloppy or disrespectful to candidates undermines your company’s reputation and recruitment efforts. It might even cost you a sale.

In Hawaii’s candidate-driven labor market, jobseekers have the luxury of shopping around for the right job and company. Standing out to prospective job candidates will often hinge on your company’s ability to provide an excellent candidate experience—from first impression to post-interview follow-up.

Why treat candidates like customers?

1. Candidates ARE customers. Sixty-nine percent of candidates are more likely to buy from a company if they are treated with respect throughout the application process.
2. Reputation matters. Candidates who have a positive experience share their experience with others more than 81 percent of the time.
3. Past candidates are future hires. More than half of employers report re-engaging with past candidates who were not given job offers.

Treating applicants well upholds your brand and positions your company as a desirable place to work. Four out of five people consider candidate experience a good indication of how a company values its employees.

What does it mean to treat your candidates like customers?

Always be selling

Just as you would sell your products or services to customers, you must sell your company and opportunity to jobseekers. With stiff competition for talent, it’s essential that you be able to pinpoint what sets your company apart from other employers. Is it your competitive benefits package? Is it your unique and diverse work culture? Is it the opportunity to work on exciting projects?

Stay connected

Nearly 52 percent of employers fail to respond to more than half of the candidates who apply for their positions. Even if a candidate is not being considered, let them know. It’s better to maintain open, honest communication than it is to leave a candidate guessing.

Streamline processes

The more hoops you make a candidate jump through, the greater the chances they’ll take their interest elsewhere. In fact, 20 percent of candidates will abandon a job application if it takes more than 20 minutes to complete. Identify areas within your recruitment process that are prone to bottlenecks and look for ways to improve efficiency.

Get personal

Most jobseekers these days expect an automated response acknowledging their application. While automation does have its advantages, the value of personalization should not be discounted. An overwhelming 84 percent of candidates also expect a personal email response from employers; 54 percent expect a phone call (Source).

Recruiting candidates takes time and energy—posting job advertisements, screening resumes, verifying references, and interviewing candidates. Add to that the goal of ensuring every jobseeker has a positive experience, even in the face of rejection, and it’s no wonder many businesses feel overwhelmed at the thought of going through the hiring process.

Let us help. Our fast, courteous, and knowledgeable Personnel Managers will ensure that the candidates we present to you have had a positive job seeking experience.

You can rest easy knowing that you’re receiving quality individuals who are capable of getting the work done. Join the hundreds of businesses statewide that depend on ALTRES Staffing and contact us today.