We've all been there before... You come across a job ad for a position in an organisation that you think you are ideally suited for. The excitement mounts as you start to customise your resume.
You write what you believe to be a compelling cover letter. Then in a moment of euphoria you cross your fingers and press the submit button.
Phew. Now you just have to wait for their response.
Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Still Waiting.
One month has passed and you have received no news on your application. You become increasingly frustrated and agitated. You go back and read through the job ad again and again to check that you meet all the criteria listed. That’s where you notice it:
"We regret to inform you that only shortlisted candidates will be notified"
If this is something that your organisation practices, then you need to take whoever is in charge of talent acquisition and fire them out of a really big cannon.
You want people to take the time to apply for jobs, but you can't be bothered to take the time to let them know about their application?
What does this say about your brand? What if they were an existing or potential customer? How will this experience impact the manner in which they interact with your brand in the future?
Looking for a job is stressful enough. Don’t make it any more stressful!
Brand-Driven Talent Acquisition Practices
Notifying candidates that their application was unsuccessful is a great practice. Here's a few examples of how it can be done:
- This footwear company sends unsuccessful candidates a thank you note explaining why they were unsuccessful. As a sign of appreciation, they also include a $5 voucher which can be used towards the purchase of a pair of shoes.
- This electonics company sends unsuccessful candidates a thank you note explaining why they were unsuccessful. They encourage them to explore other options within the company, and include a link to their job portal.
- This coffee company sends unsuccessful candidates a thank you note explaining why they were unsuccessful. They then invite them down to have a coffee on them as a sign of appreciation.
- This mining company sends unsuccessful candidates a thank you note explaining why they were unsuccessful. They encourage them to stay positive, and include links to resources for job hunters.
In Conclusion
Talent acquisition is a function within Human Resources. Isn't it about time that we put the human back into this function?
