As recruiters, looking after our candidates is a vital part of our everyday role. After all, if our candidates aren’t happy, we haven’t done our job! It’s imperative to maintain close relationships with them and inform them of any updates in their job search. You should also aim to accommodate their individual aspirations and personalities when putting them forward for roles. We’ve put together five reasons why you should prioritize candidate care on a daily basis.
1. Developing Trust
By going out of your way to finding opportunities to talk to your candidates or meet them face-to-face, you’ll immediately foster a relationship of trust. This is particularly important at the moment, given the UK’s low unemployment rate and candidate-short market. At Tiger, we meet with every candidate in person before sending them to our clients. This also allows us to get to know them properly, ensuring we find the right fit for them. Face time at networking events or interview workshops also allows candidates to check-in and have a conversation with consultants, again cementing trust in the consultant and agency.
2. Improving Communication
Once registered, staying in regular contact with your candidates ensures that you stay up-to-date with their details and any changes to their situation. It’s also a good opportunity to inform them of any new roles they may want to apply for. A candidate’s job search criteria may change throughout the process, so maintaining regular contact ensures you’re only ever sending relevant jobs to them which will keep them engaged with you and your agency.
3. Optimizing Interview Outcomes
For many candidates, interviewing can represent a daunting part of the process! By staying close to them, ready to allay their fears, their stress levels will be alleviated and they’ll stand a much better chance of succeeding. Prep candidates as much as possible before interviews; tell them who they’ll meet, what to wear and what to expect from the experience. Following the interview, offer detailed feedback so that they can improve their interview technique and have a better chance of succeeding next time. This is key to them becoming a strong and desirable candidate.
4. They Become Your client
Every candidate could one day become a client! If this happens, they’ll remember the agencies that went above and beyond to take care of them. So, treat every candidate equally: you never know where they’ll end up. Equally, treating a candidate well will encourage them to share your agency’s details with potential new clients.
5. The Placement will Stick
Once a candidate has been placed, stay in touch with them! Make sure they’re happy with preparations in the run-up to their start date and are excited to start their new role. If you’re on hand to answer any questions, the placement is that much more likely to run smoothly. Once they’ve started, it’s always worth checking in to see how they’re settling in. This way, you’ll be the first to know if there are any doubts; together, you may be able to work towards a solution and ensure a successful placement in the long-term.
Ultimately, candidate care is one of the most important aspects of a recruiter’s job description: every element of our role revolves around treating our candidates well to ensure long-term placements.
