60% of job applicants quit during the application process. For those of you who are looking to hire the next All Star, that’s pretty disconcerting news.
However, as long as you know why people are quitting, you can resolve the issues and get back on track.
The reasons are varied – in fact, there are as many as 5 things that are driving your job applicants crazy. In this article we take a look at what they are and how you can fix them.
An Indefinite Application Process
An applicant might care a bit less that the application process is going to take a fair amount of time if they knew how much time it was going to take before they began.
Essentially, not having a clue as to how long an application takes is one of the biggest grievances of job applicants. Once they send their form off, they feel a lot more at ease if they know what the waiting time is.
We get it, of course – operational obstacles means that responding to each applicant can take you some time. But it’s much better for all if you share a timeframe with each applicant.
Pointless Questions
We’ve all faced pointless questions at some point or another on an application form. And when we face 2, 3, or even 4 pointless questions in a row, we might be ready to quit.
It’s the same with duplicate questions. Both duplicate and irrelevant questions can cause us to lose focus so that we think “I’ll return to this later.”
And then we never do.
To make sure talent isn’t slipping through the net due to unnecessary questions, just ask yourself “does this question make sense? Does it have relevancy? Would I find it weird if I came across it in a job application?”
Erratic Hiring Managers That Come and Go
Most applicants understand that you’re probably not going to respond to every single application. They’d rather you did, but it’s not in the top 5 things that drive them crazy.
Instead, what does drive them crazy is when a hiring manager gets in touch, expresses a keen interest to hire them (even mentions interview dates) … and then it goes dark.
2 weeks later, they return!
… And then go AWOL again.
This kind of erratic behaviour is a major turn off, and it’s very disheartening. Communication is key. Keep your candidates in the loop with what’s happening. Put time in your schedule to send quick replies out to the candidates you’re interested in and make sure you don’t leave them hanging.
Because that’s just plain rude and makes you look bad.
Lack of Local Advertising
Imagine it – a suitable candidate hears from a friend that their favourite firm located just 2 miles from their apartment has hired a new HR manager.
“What?” they cry out. “I walk past that place every day – I didn’t even know they were advertising! That was the perfect job for me!”
A lack of offline advertising can drive candidates mad. They know they’re totally qualified for you, and they live in your vicinity, but because you never had an outdoor vinyl banner advertising the job, they totally missed you.
Sure, we’re all hyper connected in 2018, and we can find you online. But with SO many jobs being posted, it’s easy to miss those that are right under our noses.
Failure to Confirm Key Info
This kind of thing really annoys applicants – and yet it’s so easy for you to rectify.
If you’re arranging an interview with someone, make sure that you confirm the dates, the location – and who will be in attendance.
The last bit is key. No one wants to be surprised by a bunch of people at an interview that they weren’t expecting. It’s unnerving and intimidating. All it takes from you is a simple email to confirm all the key information as soon as you can. If you don’t, it makes you look unprofessional.
Conclusion
If you want to have the best talent at your company to ensure its growth, we highly recommend you solve any of the issues that you have with your hiring process.
Seek out past applicants who haven’t followed through with their application and ask for their feedback about ways that your company can improve.
We wish you the best of luck on finding the right talent!
