How does your company respond to hundreds of job seekers? Do you send them an automated email, a personalized response, not respond at all? The response you choose can affect your image!
The Automated Age
According to a recent survey conducted by the American Staffing Agency, 77 percent of applicants prefer a human interaction when applying for a job or simply being rejected by a potential employer. An interesting number is that even in the digital age, this study finds that 43 percent of workers apply for jobs by word of mouth. This is 13 percent higher than the 30 percent of jobs being found on job boards. Meaning a poor reputation can easily be relayed from person to person.
Responding Appropriately
Applicants tend to like a fast response to their application or you may see them start to give up and move on. If they applied for your position, chances are they have applied for many others. An automated response as soon as an application is received is not the worst move in the world for immediacy. But what about the follow-up to let them know where they are at in the decision process? A simple, “We really like your resume/experience, can you come in Monday morning…” will feel good to the applicant. But what if they aren’t your candidate? Calling every single person or sending them an email strictly for them would be a lot of work! We would recommend sending an automated message, but addressing it with their name. It’s good to be quick, concise, and to the point. Always be respectful and know how much you appreciated their time! If the candidate did make it to the interview round, but did not earn the job, this would be an obvious time to send a personal email. If you liked them enough to bring them in, they might be a future candidate for you down the road.
Keeping a positive image for your company, while not burning yourself out during the job hiring process is key. There is a good balance and with time you will discover your groove!
For more statistics on how job responses are seen and conducted, visit SHRM.org.