Comments on: Are Job Applicants Destroying Your Brand?

By: Michael Lam

Michael Lam — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 07:56:00 +0000

A good reminder that there is an opportunity to create a positive word-of-mouth at every part of the hiring process and that the cost of not doing so can be great. This message is particularly important when you consider the unfortunate reality that often dissatisfied customers will tell everyone else but the offending company about their poor service experience. But when unhappy customers do talk then tend to talk more than happy customers. I think it was Coca Cola that conducted a customer service study and found that less than half of the unhappy customers filed a customer complaint yet told twice as many people about their bad experience than happy customers did about their positive experience. It's understandable that we focus on the people we select, place, hire, and promote. But it becomes dangerously myopic when we neglect all the resumes and candidates that were bypassed. Michael Lam Managing Partner HRinmotion.com, Candidate Preparation Software
'prepare your candidates, build your brand'

By: Magdalena Meller

Magdalena Meller — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 12:04:00 +0000

Thank you for addressing HR using a marketing/sales analogy. It is important to create synergy between HR and branding activities. ?Employers of Choice? and Wannabes must realize the value of showing appreciation to all applicants since they have demonstrated interest in their company by taking time out to research the business, filling out an application, and preparing and going through an interview. Extending courtesy may prevent damage to your brand but also lead to new customers (check out http://www.inc.com/magazine/20071101/help-wanted-meets-buy-it-now.html).

I also invite you to read my article on the importance of treating applicants as customers (http://breakpointhr.blogspot.com/2008/01/applicants-as-customers.html).

By: Alasdair Berry

Alasdair Berry — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 01:55:00 +0000

This article highlights one of the main reasons that training of hiring personnel in recruitment skills and the broader ramifications of getting right, is such a popular course provided by Hudson. Two thirds of candidates base their decision on whether to join a company on the ‘interview experience’, research revealed in 2007. So in a candidate-tight market, no employer can afford to get it (so) wrong.

By: Jeremy Langhans

Jeremy Langhans — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 05:44:00 +0000

Especially if they are in the school of thought to lie on the telephone and/or send eMails to lists of people who really don’t want the extra mail… I wish some people would get out of the 90’s and into 2008 where we can build communities which add value to their fellow membership. Anyone know of any network like that?

<3
Jer

By: Megan McConnell

Megan McConnell — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 05:06:00 +0000

This article highlights all the reasons I wanted to get into recruitment in the first place.

I had such bad experiences applying for a new job (after leaving the company I had been with for 18 years) that I wanted to do it better, to give the sort of quality customer service and experience that I wanted to have as an applicant.

It’s unfortunate that these mistakes aren’t just made within companies – plenty of Agencies also make them.

Consultants I worked with always thought I was insane when I tried to hurry them along to get in and see an applicant – it seems as though this is the last thing they want to do!!

It’s something that needs to be fixed by people doing both corporate and agency recruitment! In this candidate short market – your applicants are gold!

By: William Johnson

William Johnson — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 04:34:00 +0000

This is so true and it happens everyday! Great read thank you for writing it! The traditional recruitment process most organizations are using today is broken. They keep adding tools to try to fix the problem but that just adds cracks in to a failing foundation. Unless you start over and rebuild the model you will never be able to fix the problem.

I talk to candidates everyday who felt they were front runners for a position and never even got a call back to let them know they did not get the position. It is the equivalent to giving them a slap on the face.

Many organizations see the problem but justify why they can’t fix it. If they can’t fix it then such is life. I recently did not purchase a product because the manufacture never called my friend back about a director level role. If I did this for everyone I’ve talked to who had similar experiences I would be hard pressed to find anything I felt good about buying. There are a few other companies I would like to boycott but I have to get my wife on board first! :-)

William

By: Jim Vogel

Jim Vogel — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 03:02:00 +0000

The article reads nicely. But it reads like Chapter 1 in a Recruiting novel. I hope this is more coagulation than reality. We all know first impressions. At least I hope.

By: Lydia Magill

Lydia Magill — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 03:01:00 +0000

Absolutely true – the power of the word on the street from a disgruntled or disappointed applicant is huge. No matter how busy or cramped a business environment is, there still should be space set aside for the all important interview. It doesn’t take much – even an empty cube that’s clean and neat is a good way to go. Also – if you are savvy with your career website, get your application and other paperwork uploaded to it so that your interviewees arrive with paperwork completed in hand. A quick reminder page ‘here’s what you need to know about your upcoming interview’ works wonders. Saves time, and since we are all legally compliant, there should be nothing to worry about should that application get left in a public place, right?

By: Rafael Bonilla

Rafael Bonilla — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 01:08:00 +0000

This article drives home a common mistake that unfortunately we as interviewing managers at one point in time have been guilty of. Good article to refresh and refocus on the basics.