By Allie Hembree Martin
In this time of low unemployment, potential job candidates have the upper hand in the hiring process as they have many opportunities available to them. Often, they are looking for title gain, salary gain, and/or a company that allows them to move up the ladder quickly. I talked to Hutchinson Consulting Recruiter Jean Kolb and she shared the importance of employers needing to strike quickly when it comes to hiring, in order to have the best chance at landing the candidate they desire.
“In our recruiting industry, we see the clients that have the most success are those that quickly respond with interest of a candidate. Oftentimes when we are interviewing a great candidate, they are having multiple interviews simultaneously. If even a week goes by without a word, a good candidate has mentally moved on. The response time, or lack thereof, is a reflection on the employer and plays into the candidate’s decision making,” said Kolb.
Part of this mentality comes from the fact that professionals of all ages like to be pursued, but it is accelerated by a young professionals’ desire for instant recognition. Overall, our tolerance for response time is getting less. Kolb recommends employers adjust to this quicker timeframe or they will lose out on valuable candidates.
“I have seen clients lose out on great candidates because they do not respond quickly enough. We then have clients who express their interest one way or another the same day. They are definitely the ones who are ahead of the game,” explained Kolb.
Your response time to candidates is a reflection of how the company makes decisions in general and how efficient you are in your operations. If you are speedy, you are setting an example of being highly professional and efficient within your organization.
“Best practice is to have a sense of urgency in getting back to the candidates in a timely manner,” Kolb said. “Candidates out there today are interviewing you just as you are interviewing them. The way you make a great first impression is letting them know one way or another if you are interested in their application.”
If the employer desires to create a mutual and respectful relationship, it is expected that they will provide feedback to the candidate within one week. Treating it as such creates respect and shows that you value transparency and communication. Using a recruiter can help speed that process up as the recruiter will be the link between the employer and candidate and will be taking the time to find answers if there are any concerns on either side.
Kolb emphasized that point, “With transparency, candidates just want to know yes or no so they can move on. If you have feedback to share about a candidate, perhaps they were lacking a skill, let the recruiter know that so they can pass that information on. The candidate will always appreciate the feedback. On the flip side, candidates should go ahead and explain any red flags on their resume upfront to the recruiter. This will prevent concerns popping up down the road.”
When you work with Hutchinson Consulting, we partner with the hiring manager prior to beginning the process to ensure expectations are set appropriately upfront and the communication can move quickly. By allowing us to serve as your partner in this process, we can land you the perfect candidate for the job.
