It’s awesome when you find a match. It’s so great to be able to tell someone that they are employed and the job search is over. It’s not however, as awesome to tell someone that they didn’t get the job. One minute you’re Santa and the next, you’re the Grinch.
Turning down candidates doesn’t have to feel like that awkward moment you pass the 5th Salvation Army bucket of the day without putting in a buck. The candidate has invested time and resources into the application, screening and interviewing process, it’s common courtesy to be timely, straightforward and helpful with rejections.
The right recruiting software can really help with each aspect of recruiting, even the rejection process. From communications, to building a broad talent pool, use your applicant tracking system to make rejections a win-win.
Automate
Did you know that of those candidates who share their experience, 62% of themwill share their experience via social media?
Once you’ve placed a candidate, there is whole other group of people who did not make the cut, who need to be informed. Use your ATS to set up an automated, personalized rejection letter. You should also be using this tool as you whittle down possible candidates. Those candidates who can be immediately eliminated from the running for a particular position will often get over looked. There is no reason to leave these people in the dark.
Be Timely
Only 26% of candidates are rating their experience in the hiring process as “good”, and the number one reason for this is that they did not receive regular updates on their application. Keep them informed and happy while expediting the entire process along the way with your ATS.
The ease at which you can email rejected candidates helps with the timeliness of this task as well. These candidates should be informed as quickly as possible. They may be holding out on another job offer, or relying on this one. Sending these emails in a timely manner is a huge step toward a great candidate experience. While rejection isn’t ideal, candidates greatly appreciate good communication.
The Extra Mile
38% of candidates who are dissatisfied with their experience are less likely to buy from or use that company’s products or services.
While a standard email will do just fine for most, there are other candidates who may have gone through multiple interviews or an otherwise lengthy process. Do a little extra for these candidates. Be sure that they are thanked for their time and their efforts. These particular candidates are the ones you want to impress with your processes and communication. They are the talent you might someday be able to contact and place. Let them know that they have been added to your talent pipeline and for what reasons. This means noting specific skills and attributes that you noticed as assets.
Keep Them in Mind
A good ATS will make this contact easy to find for future reference. You should also add notes to this candidate’s profile indicating their strengths. When the right position arises for them, your technology will make it all the easier to fill. An asset in an ATS would also be a good search tool. This will make hiring these talented candidates easier down the road.
Let’s say in 6 months, the candidate who got the position ended up proving to be a bad hire…stranger things have happened. By handling rejections correctly, you can ensure that the runner up won’t laugh in your face when you present them with an offer. Using your applicant tracking system optimally can not only make a recruiter’s job easier, it can improve the candidate experience, safeguard the employer brand and broaden the talent pool.
