Whats Your Score Self-Audit For a Candidate-Friendly Job Application Process

Whats Your Score Self-Audit For a Candidate-Friendly Job Application Process Whats Your Score Self-Audit For a Candidate-Friendly Job Application Process Everywhere you turn it seems as if there is great news to be had when it comes to the US job market.  Unemployment is down, wages are starting to rise, and the general feeling is one of confidence and excitement for growth.  These are all great bits of news. That is unless you’re in the job of hiring. Quality candidates have more options than ever nowadays.  This means that the hiring field is solidly a candidate’s market.  Professionals from recruiters to hiring managers are needing to rethink their standard processes in order to locate, attract, and onboard quality individuals.  Cumbersome online applications with a host of onerous and lengthy processes are going to see recruiters losing out on top talent. Similarly long and over-wieldy interview sessions will turn off all but the most desperate on the job market. If you’re serious about hiring serious candidates, employers need to take a step back and evaluate all aspects of their hiring process.  From recruitment and identification to the application process to follow up and communication, even the small details can make a big difference in hiring and retaining the best quality talent.   Are you potentially losing quality candidates who are turned off by your process?  Want to know how you stack up with other major players? Are your applications accessible across the widest number of platforms?  We’ve tasked our professionals to come up with a self-audit to see just where your hiring process is at. Answer honestly and get help identifying easy changes to improve your hiring chances. 1. Perform an online search for “[your company] careers.” What page on your website are you directed to? Well-positioned companies will find themselves directed to their personal “Careers” page? +1 2. What is on your “Careers” landing page? Does the page contain information about the company, its products, its values, and the work environment? Is the page easy to read, in clear language, with relevant images? Does the page readily show available jobs or show how to search for open jobs? +1 +1 +1 3. When you click on a job description, what happens? Is the job description clearly laid out, with an overview of the position, responsibilities, minimum requirements, and benefits information? Is there a clear link to apply in every job description? +1 +1 4. What is the application process? Are the requirements simple? Contact information, a resume, a cover letter, visa status, and any EOE information are the minimum requirements. Do candidates need to create a login and a password? Do candidates need to enter information in separate fields instead of providing an option to automatically pull from an updated resume? This might include the name of each employer, duties, dates of work, etc. Do candidates need to provide information not typically needed until later in the process, such as references, social security number, birth date, etc.? +1 â€"1 â€"1 â€"1 5. What is the notification process? Do applicants receive notification of receipt of their application within one business day? Do they receive notification of rejection in a reasonable timeframe? Resume scanning systems that reject candidates within minutes, even on a Saturday night, create a negative company perception. +1 +1 6. What is the mobile experience? (Conduct the same search on a smartphone.) Does the candidate have to scroll sideways to view content? Is it easy to conduct a search on mobile? Is it easy to apply on mobile? â€" 1 +1 +1 7. How does your interview process measure up? Are interviewers on time for their meetings? Do interviewers know why they have been chosen to interview each candidate and what criteria they are expected to assess? Do interviewers dominate the interview time, allowing the minimal opportunity for the candidate to speak about his experience? Are interviewers instructed in which questions they must avoid either legally, or as a best practice? +1 +1 â€"1 +1 8. What follow up do you provide? Do you follow up with interviewed candidates that you have decided to reject? Do you give candidates a specific time frame in which they can expect a follow-up? Do you follow through on your committed follow-up time frame? +1 +1 +1 Scoring If you scored a perfect 16, congratulations!  You’re the type of place that will easily attract and onboard high-quality talent.  Your listings will naturally appear at the top of job listings given your mobile-friendly status and plenty of information.  Last, but not least, rejected applicants will maintain a great impression of your organization and will help keep your reputation high. While we all strive for perfection, it’s a tough task to obtain, and maintain for that matter.  If your evaluation put the light on a few areas in need of improvement, it’s time to take action.  Many hiring processes can be fixed or upgraded with minor and easy to implement changes. If you lost points in the mobile category, a quick call to your tech team should do the trick.  In person interviews not your strong suit? Several best practices sessions can help make huge improvements in your hiring managers. At Simply Hired we want to navigate the recruitment waters and help your company obtain the best employees for the toughest of positions in a demanding job market.  Check back into this space often as we delve into the do’s, don’ts and tips for improving your hiring process including real-world examples of employers that do things right.