Your recruiting efforts may have a more significant impact than you think. We can all agree that successfully managing a candidate pipeline will result in high-performers choosing to employ their talents in your organization; That's a win for your organization and an automatic loss for your competitors.
But, what about those candidates who are not a good fit? Treating them right takes more thoughtful effort and purposeful goodwill. These interactions also have a significant impact on your company’s reputation. More specifically, the way in which these candidates are treated on the phone or via responsive emails will eventually flow down to who they choose to do business with when buying, selling, or referring a company for their next real estate transaction.
Below is an excerpt from an article written by Margaret Heffernan, entrepreneur and author. She articulates well what we already know to be true…it is not just the hire, it is also the relationship that benefits the company.
“Seize the moment to build your firm's reputation. Treat all job candidates well during and after the interview process.
Even with high unemployment, leading firms work hard to position themselves as the employer of choice for top candidates. They spend a fortune doing so–through on-campus visits, conferences, sponsorships, advertising, and search firms. What's so striking to me is that they waste all that money, but miss seizing the crucial moment: the in-person candidate meeting.
It's almost schizophrenic, the passion with which top firms woo–and then lose interest in–new-hire candidates. Once these individuals come in for an interview, the tables are turned, the selling process stops, and the employer metamorphoses into a very demanding customer and the previously-cherished candidate is suddenly treated like a petitioner.
For those who aren't selected, the process is invariably worse. They have invested a great deal of time, energy, and attention in a job they didn't get. And even then they may be left guessing for weeks since, these days, almost no one seems to send out rejection letters or explanations. How can firms who treat people this way expect any outcome other than having now created a large number of people who cordially hate them? All that initial salesmanship-and the only legacy is one of distrust and disgust.
It doesn't have to be this way. Much of the feedback that's generated can, and should be shared. I can hear human resource executives complaining that they don't have time, but here's the question: After the fortune invested in recruitment, do you want to turn failed candidates into adversaries or evangelists? It's a choice. Treat candidates–successful and unsuccessful ones–well and they can become your sales force. Assuming you've interviewed and tested strong, capable people, they are capable of building your reputation. But only if you deserve it.”
Editor's Note: Lee Gray is the Senior Account Manager at Tidemark Inc. Lee is a guest contributor to WorkPuzzle. Comments or questions are welcome. If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email. If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.
