Here's Why Your Application Process Needs a Revamp

January 12, 2015 at 11:08 AM by Kathleen de Lara

desktop_blog.jpgAdding new open roles to your careers page feels a lot like casting a fishing net, but a net with holes is obviously no good.

Just as you’d expect your net to help attract good people for your open reqs, candidates similarly have specific presumptions about the ebb and flow of your application process.

An easy-to-understand, efficient application process is conducive to a good candidate experience – all of which plays a factor in making or breaking the decision to accept your offer.

We asked candidates about their biggest job hunting pains – check out their six suggestions for improving the application process.

The entire process is automated.

There’s nothing wrong with opting for what makes your job as easy as possible, but when the entire application process lacks the human touch, candidates may be left to believe the next time they’ll be in contact with a live person is during the phone screen or in-person interview. Creating email workflows is a good way to track applicants and to follow up with their status in the interview process, but don’t keep it robotic. Be sure to personally check in, call or send an email that isn’t coming from the “noreply” address, that includes a line about something you read on their resume or in their cover letter.

The application is too long.

One way recruiters narrow down the number of people coming through the talent funnel is making a few tweaks to the traditional application process, like adding an assignment or questions specific to the company. This can be a good way to single out candidates who are most qualified for a position on the basis of them following through all steps of the app. If the application, however, is a 10-page questionnaire, you might want to reconsider the deterring effect of the extra steps that prove to be a mostly pointless time sink rather than a qualifying factor. Are there questions on the application you could save for the phone screen?

…and not optimized for other devices.

The job hunt doesn’t only happen on the big screen. A careers page or application process that doesn’t format or load properly on mobile or tablet devices can discourage people from completing the application. The opportunity was appealing enough for them to choose to apply – build a process that also works for people applying on the go.

You’re not tracking and following up with application abandonment.

If your ATS allows you to monitor applicants who start a form but don’t complete it, track these candidates and set a separate workflow that follows up with these candidates. Use messaging geared to get them interested in re-visiting the opportunity and finishing the app, something to the tune of a tasteful “come back, we’ve missed you.”

The application follow-up is nonexistent.

This one’s more harmful to the candidate experience – you’ve succeeded in getting another applicant into the funnel, but do they know what comes next? Make sure candidates receive an immediate follow-up confirming you’ve received their application and when they can expect to hear back about their rejection, or their acceptance and next steps in the interview process.

The careers page lacks a sense of the employer brand.

If your careers page is solely focused on explaining the company’s open roles, you’re missing out on a prime opportunity to share what it’s like to work for the company. The employer brand is a representation of the employee experience, offering a peek into a day of the life of a team member, on-the-job and after-work perks and benefits, testimonials from employees about why they enjoy their job. Don’t forget to include pictures, videos, and other mediums for depicting the employee experience.

Anything we forgot to cover in our list? What other peeves have you heard from the candidate grapevine? Share them with us in the comments, and watch our webinar with Officevibe on improving the candidate experience

how to improve your employer brand

 

 

 

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