5 Ways for Recruiters to Build Trust With Candidates
Enticing top talent to apply to your opening goes far beyond just posting a really fantastic job description. Sure, having a particularly awesome job helps. We won’t disagree with that, but what good is a great job if you’re the type of recruiter that has a “used car salesman” reputation?
Do your candidates trust you? Do they feel like you have their best interests in mind? With the candidate experience becoming more important than ever, it’s key that recruiters start to put themselves on the other end of the table to look closer at how they’re being perceived.
We’ve mapped out 6 ways for recruiters to build trust with candidates:
1.Ensure Your Career Site is Focused on the Candidate Experience
For many job seekers, their visit to your career site is their first interaction with you, the job, and the company. And whether you realize it or not, candidates look at your career portal as an extension of you – their recruiter.
If the careers section is sloppy, unorganized, lacks information, and difficult to operate, you can imagine the first impression they will have.
Spend ample time to review functionality and also the information provided on the careers site. Ask others for their opinion and try to focus on the candidate’s experience.
2.Be Transparent Throughout the Hiring Process
We all talk about the importance of transparency. In fact, some might even call it an industry buzzword. However, it’s a damn important buzzword!
A recruiter who is open and honest about the upsides and more importantly, the downsides of a position will go far with their candidate. Being able to explain to your candidate why a job isn’t a fit, will win them over quicker than gushing about how they’re a perfect for a position. This doesn’t mean you should downplay great jobs just to gain their trust, but be open as to why a certain position isn’t going to work out for them. How
3.Timely Communication is Key
Some might say that communication and transparency are the same, or at least go hand in hand. We’d say that both statements are accurate, but in this case, we’re stressing the volume of communication between recruiter and candidate.
There are a number of points throughout the process that a candidate needs quick and thorough communication. It all starts with confirming that their application has been received. From there, make sure to communicate the hiring timeline and process you’ll follow. Even passive candidates will feel respected if they’re provided proper and consistent communication throughout their experience with you.
4.Ask Candidate for Feedback
All signs might point to you being awesome, but you can’t be sure if you don’t ask. Create a quick (2-3 minute) survey that will gain insight into the following types of questions:
- How was their experience on the career site?
- Did they feel like the recruiter was knowledgeable about the specific job and their own skill set?
- Did the process move at a pace they expected?
- Was there proper communication throughout the process?
You create can add in questions that you’d like insight on and use a tool like SurveyMonkey.com to keep it anonymous or you can create a simple Google form.
5.Add a Personal Touch
Crafting a personal touch for each candidate may seem time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. With Pre-recorded interviews you can share your organization’s core values, introduce your team ( and yourself) while being able to capture your candidates’ stories.
Branding your candidate experience may seem like it’s all about you but it’s not entirely. Your candidates get to meet the team and see your office before they come in for that final interview.
With Pre-recorded interviews you can execute tips 2-5! Now that’s efficiency at its finest.
Did we miss anything? Leave us a comment and/or tweet us @GoWePow!