Too many companies forget this when trying to find that rare gem: if you don’t want a perfect candidate to slip away, it’s important not to overstretch the hiring process. A week after an interview, give them a sign of life!
Eloquent statistics
A study by Robert Half found that when the hiring process takes too long, 40% of candidates lose interest and seek a job elsewhere, while 18% choose to keep their current jobs. In addition, 30% of candidates are questioning the employer's ability to make good decisions. Taking too much time during a hiring process gives the impression of being an organization that is slow to react and won’t allow the employee to fully develop.
Waiting too long for a follow-up call, whether positive or negative, is also a frustrating element for a majority of candidates: 23% lose interest after an additional week and 46% will move on after two weeks.
Stretching the hiring process usually means hiring managers want to make sure they have properly reviewed all the candidates to get their hands on that rare gem. However, you risk losing that perfect candidate altogether by taking too much time. Truly extraordinary candidates may have several offers pending and may refuse a good job because the recruiter takes too long to decide.
The hiring process can sometimes be long and tedious because of the astronomical amount of resumes received for a particular position. In such cases, in order to efficiently sort through them all, it’s important to remain true to the job description and not hesitate to put aside resumes that do not match, even moderately. The greater your bank of CVs, the more you have to sort through them mercilessly. A processing software like Taleo can also be effective in completing the first stage of sorting by only retaining the top 10% of resumes.
Improving the hiring process: some simple ways
Once everything has been sorted through, you should limit yourself in the number of candidates to be interviewed in person. It’s needless to invite a candidate who is missing a crucial element.
After that, establish a clear game plan with the managers responsible for hiring and determine which day the interviews will take place. To improve efficiency, it makes sense to condense them into one or two days, to better compare candidates but also to make a final decision sooner rather than later.
When the candidates leave the interview, give them a deadline by which they will have an answer… and respect it! You cannot allow a potential candidate to leave into nothingness. Ideally, they will be given the news within two or three days and all candidates will be called, if possible. Even if it takes time, it gives the company a reputation that is respected among workers.
Finally, if a candidate appears to be good, making an offer quickly, even during the interview, can really pay off. They may not make an immediate decision, but you’ve signified your interest and they will remain interested. Sometimes it is better to rely on your instincts!