Recruiting staff is one of the key processes to running a successful business, and yet we seem to view it as a necessary evil instead of an opportunity to improve our working environment. In many ways, who you hire can make or break your business, and as such it is important that everyone is on the same page.

From the writing of the ad, through to the final interviews and the on-boarding process, you need to make sure all applicants are consistently treated well and that the impression they are left with is in line with your company brand.

When the time comes to start recruiting, there are many opportunities for you to unwittingly damage your employer brand. From the time you first start thinking about recruiting someone, you should be aware of these points, and take steps to prevent any negative impressions.

Sharpen up your writing process

Often an ad is knocked together and posted without much thought; treated as something to get over and done with as quickly as possible – after all, the important work comes once CV’s start pouring in, right? Wrong.

The problem with treating hiring like an unpleasant aspect of your business is that you end up with a mediocre ad at best, and this will only attract mediocre applicants.

When your ad lacks any branding or marketing, you’re basically telling your future candidates they’re not worth marketing to, which not only leads to job seekers thinking you do not value them, but it can also come across as arrogant.

Another point of potential weakness is crossed wires or mixed up descriptions within the body of your ad. It’s vital that you make sure whoever is writing the ad is well briefed on what the role entails, and that they use well recognised and accurate job titles.

A client once came to us with a dilemma – he had found that his job ads were not getting the response that he anticipated. When we went through the ad, it was found to be confusing. Whilst the ad proclaimed one job in the headline, further into the description it veered off course and began describing a totally different role all together. It was no wonder no one was applying! This underlines the importance of a consistent, well researched job ad that clearly defines the role and what it requires of applicants.

Be Quick to Respond

Once applications start pouring in, it is vital that you are efficient in responding. Whether you take the time to respond individually, or employ the use of an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to send automated responses, a prompt response will show your potential employees that you value their time and effort.

Applicants’ expectations are so low when it comes to communication from potential employers that you will stand out immediately and for all the right reasons – so keep up communication with them. Also 88% of candidates discuss their recruitment experience with friends or family, so it’s always good to make sure they’ll be sharing positive comments.

Make Your Best First Impression
When it comes to the interview process, there are many missteps you can take that could damage your brand. For instance, if your company is casual in its business processes but holds high standards in terms of output expectations, you will need to find a way to communicate these opposing aspects in an interview. Likewise, if your company is a creative hub, with a focus on involvement and working as a group, it would be unwise to carry out a formal interview with one manager.

An interview isn’t a one sided selection process either. Just as you are evaluating each applicant on their employability, each applicant will be evaluating whether they want to work for your company – after all, the job description is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of appeal.

Another hurdle when cultivating a positive recruitment experience and keeping your reputation in the clear, is your interviewer’s attitudes. Whilst you are in the position of picking and choosing, and you should expect your applicants to want to impress you, it’s not a one way street.

Arrogance in an interviewer is easily picked up on and will put off many candidates. Remember that not only are you offering them a role, but they’re offering you their skills and experience. In fact in a Robert Walters survey, 96% of candidates said that the interviewer’s personality has an influence on their decision to accept a job or not.

Make your ‘No Thanks’ nice

Finally, you want to let unsuccessful candidates down as painlessly and politely as you can. If you took them through to the face to face interview stage, a phone call would be the best option, or at least a personally written email.

If they request feedback on why they weren’t picked, the best thing you can do is give them a tip on something they can improve on or change. Keep it positive, and don’t get to personal, but if a candidate has asked, they will greatly appreciate any feedback you give them. In a study 99% of applicants said that they expect feedback on their performance at an interview within 7 days of it taking place.

In summary, if you treat candidates like commodities rather than individuals with their own talents and expectations, you can risk your businesses reputation being tainted.

Hopefully this has given you something to consider next time you embark on a recruitment drive, and perhaps you can already think of certain points of weakness in your process.

This article was kindly supplied by Haystack Jobs.