How Employers are Scaring Away Talent: 5 Tips for Hiring Managers
Imagine you’re a job-seeker. You pour your coffee, pull out your laptop. Put on some chill tunes and start the arduous process of looking for a job online. You stall, procrastinate, call your Mom, have another coffee, post on Instagram, and then you really decide to take your job search seriously. Job-seeking is the worst. You want to slam your computer, climb under the covers and binge watch Hulu for days. How are you EVER going to find a job this way?
If you're a hiring manager, listen up. Here are 5 unapologetic tips from the straight-shooter recruiter on how to make your job listings welcoming… engaging… (gasp, dare I say it?) inviting to prospective hires.
Trim the JD. We know that the average applicant only takes 30 seconds to read a job description. They scan, looking for buzzwords relative to their qualifications, and then they keep scrolling. They don’t want to read a novel, they want to see what they'll be doing, why the company is a good one to work for, and whether they have the goods. (In fact, some candidates apply based on the job title alone and don’t even read your long-winded JD.) So, cut to the chase. Describe the job and let them do the rest.
Streamline the application process. “So, let me get this straight,” the candidate says. “I just spent hours finessing my resume. I wrote an eloquent cover letter. And now you want me to enter all of the exact same information into your wonky ATS? My entire job history since 1988? Whyyyyyyy?” This is a major turn off for prospective hires and the frustration might outweigh the free bagels mentioned in paragraph five of the job description
Know your reputation. Before many candidates click “upload resume” they’re going to check you out on Glassdoor, Fishbowl or even Google reviews. While you might not be able to change what’s being said, you should be aware of it so if a prospect asks you about it, you’re ready. Are people unhappy with your leadership? If so, you can talk about what they’ve done to improve? Are employees complaining about long hours? If someone asks are you going to say “9-to-5”? 🍿
Amp up your careers page. If a prospect goes to your website, will they learn anything about your culture? What are the benefits like? What’s your mission statement? Does your page tell them about your values and your commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion? What was your response to Covid – are employees back full-time? Give them a flavor for your company and tell them why it’s a fantastic place to work. (Because it is, right?)
Respond in a timely manner. This isn’t a dating website, you don’ t have to play waiting games. Once interest is shown, taking weeks to schedule a first interview – or making the applicant answer five questions by sending in a video – it’s just rude. Interviewing is a dance, and it takes two to tango. You want the right talent? Make time. Your ideal candidate could accept an offer from another place because they got tired of waiting on you.
Hiring managers: Look for more tips and blogs from the straight-shooter recruiter in the weeks ahead!
