Today, the majority of companies have no formal process of providing feedback to unsuccessful job applicants. However, in the next five years it will be necessary, at least in the opinion of John Sullivan, recognized consultant in the field of HR and current professor of management at San Francisco State University. In a recent article for TLNT.com, he pointed out that the younger generation expects feedback and greater openness from companies. Moreover, social networks allow applicants to spread their experience with the recruitment processes in companies very easily. Therefore, it is in the interest of employers not to unnecessarily lose quality job seekers. Sullivan recommends the following ways to share feedback with job applicants and the necessary supporting administrative actions.
Ways to share feedback
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Introduce a simple e-mail confirmation that you have received job applications and CVs. Send them to all participants.
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Create a talent community which applicants can join on the Internet and find answers to basic questions there.
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Publish information about how the recruitment process works in your company in advance.
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After the selection process ends, send all participants a summary of the most common reasons for rejection. You can also publish the reasons on your website.
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Inform the applicants if it makes for them sense to apply again. Describe the circumstances under which candidates can apply for other positions. Indicate what is unacceptable for the company.
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Notify applicants whether they have met the qualifying criteria for the position. Then provide more detailed information to those who had met the criteria, but were not selected.
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Specify weak areas to particular applicants. This information can be shared already during various stages of the recruitment process.
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Tell applicants in which percentage they were successful in the selection criteria.
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Offer the applicants who get into the final selection process more time with recruiters to discuss what can be improved.
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Sit down with the successful candidates and talk with them about their strengths, as well as the areas you are prepared to help them improve.
Supporting administrative actions
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Set up a customer service team within your recruiting department. The customers will be job applicants and hiring managers who are looking for new members of their teams.
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Carry out a survey among your customers. Ask each customer what kind of feedback he or she expects.
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Create a business scenario, including a clear quantification of the risks involved and the ROI of providing feedback to job applicants.
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Create a set of tools for providing feedback and train your recruiters in how to use them.
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Implement automatic notifications of the need to provide feedback into your ATS system.
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Make a list of all the types of feedback you can use.
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