Why timely feedback and keeping everyone in the loop is a game-changer for recruitment pros.
By Ronnie Maksymowski, Senior Technical Recruiter
Triple Crown Consulting
What’s worse than being ghosted smack in the middle of a promising hiring process? Pretty much nothing. If you’re not familiar, ghosting is when a recruiter (or hiring manager) suddenly goes dark after you’ve been recruited, applied or even interviewed for a job.
Rumor has it, there are reasons for ghosting. But getting tossed into the abyss is not only a morale crusher for candidates, it’s also a lost opportunity to improve for everyone involved.
Giving candidates a status report – even if it’s a flat-out “no” – is a basic-level common courtesy. Besides the fact that we’re all human, making top-tier talent wait around for word on a job is a tried-and-true way to get a flat-out “no” from candidates next time the recruiter calls.
Communication, however, is more than common courtesy. It’s a key factor that separates great recruiters from everyone else. Don’t mistake “communication” for a couple of emails and a call. Delivering timely feedback and keeping all parties up to speed is a game-changing commitment to your candidates (and clients).
3 results of great recruiting communication
When you make communicating with candidates more than lip service, you can quickly add value to the relationship and expect great things to happen, including:
- Trust.
Plain and simple: doing what you’ve said you would builds trust.
Nothing builds trust faster than giving candidates timely feedback – good or bad – on an application or interview. It not only shows you’ve got your ducks in a row (and that you haven’t flung a thousand resumes at a hiring manager and lost track), but that you’re in it to win it with a candidate. If you say you’ll give them feedback in two days, do it. See? Plain and simple. - Better candidates.
It’s not about different candidates but helping your candidates improve with feedback.
Telling candidates the upsides and downsides of how they fared with an application or interview helps them fine tune how they present themselves in person or on paper. You instantly add value by helping them understand where (even amid accomplished careers) they have room to grow or specifically why this one place simply isn’t the right fit. No one is perfect. But this feedback must be delivered on the double so the candidate can process and apply feedback in real time. - A stronger network.
Delivering a great experience makes candidates more likely to refer talented colleagues.
What more can we say? Nothing builds your talent network faster than doing a great job as a recruiter. Keeping your candidates in the loop, focusing on landing that perfect match and generally creating a valuable experience will make it hard for candidates not to refer their colleagues to you. And that’s what you get for being great at your job.
How to be a better communicator in recruiting
Most common excuse for not delivering timely feedback to candidates? Time. No doubt each step of a recruiter’s job takes time. But it’s a rookie mistake to forgo one of the most important steps in the recruiting process because the clock’s running out. (Mind you, many recruiters still make this mistake years into the business.)
Candidates and hiring managers, alike, rely on timely feedback to keep the ball moving on their careers and the future of their companies. Sound like something worth sitting on? Didn’t think so.
Today’s candidates not only deserve but expect to work with recruiters who’ll give open, honest and expedient feedback regarding job prospects – and recruiters who solicit and accept feedback in return.
Prioritizing effective communication across all parties and keeping your word demonstrates your commitment as a recruiter to matching the right talent with the right opportunities – in a timely manner. It will also bolster your commitment to yourself of growing and being the best recruiter in town.
Do you have the chops to recruit with the best of us?
Triple Crown is looking for talented recruiters who understand how to build strong networks with the world’s most talented tech talent and match them with the best opportunities in the business. Sound like your kind of challenge? We want to hear from you today.