All recruiters know that the most frustrating thing during the hiring process is giving out a great opportunity to an awful candidate – it can lead to low productivity and a high attrition rate. It can also cause massive damage to your personal brand as a recruiter.
To ensure you don’t make the same mistake, take a step back and review your strategy. Are you engaging with candidates or solely focused on pleasing your clients? If you aren’t, you’re playing a dangerous game. Here are the reasons why you should be treating any candidate like gold dust (courtesy of Manila Recruitment):
1) You won’t need to spend on job advertisements:
If you can fill any position without having to place a job ad, then make use of your database of CVs and resumes – some may not fit the job spec, but there will be people who will jump at the opportunity. You’ll save money, and make your job easier – plus your candidates and clients will be happy. Winners all round!
2) Engaging with candidates equates to a good word of mouth:
Just remember: candidates do not need recruiters, but recruiters need candidates – you don’t only work for your clients. Engaged candidates will not only let you know when they’re ready to move on (and possibly help you fill a position), but will also share the good news about you on social media, and to friends and family.
No-one can ever put a price on good referrals or word of mouth, so that’s why you always need a good candidate experience.
As you develop your talent pipeline, and build ongoing relationships with qualifying candidates, ensure you don’t alienate any good content during the rejection process too – so choose your words wisely.
3) Placing candidates becomes easier and faster:
If you are the person who reaches out to candidates on a regular basis allows them to understand that interactions are something that you would welcome. In term, it saves you effort and time.
4) The recruiters’ playing field is levelled:
Candidate engagement has always had a big impact on the success of the hire – however researching and reaching out to potential hires is becoming increasingly easy, in turn levelling the playing field.
This means that if you don’t engage with your candidates and treat them well, someone else will and you’ll have to return to the start – so be quick, and good!
[Featured image: Shutterstock]
