It’s Time to Adopt a Job Candidate’s Bill of Rights

As recently as early March 2020, recruiters operated in a candidate’s market. It was a struggle to woo the best people to apply and interview, let alone convince a candidate to accept a job offer. Employers tried just about anything to make a positive impression on job candidates. Still, the Human Capital Institute (HCI) reported in 2018 that 60 percent of jobseekers rated their experiences with potential employers negatively.

Then, almost instantaneously, U.S. unemployment spiked from a 50-year low to Great Depression levels. With so many people looking for jobs during the COVID-19 crisis, employers could be tempted to discount the need to improve their candidate experience. Giving into that impulse could significantly damage their brand.

Candidates are more than jobseekers. They are also potential advocates. According to Career Builder, 56 percent of applicants who had a positive experience said they would be likely to reapply with the same employer for another job. Additionally, more than a third of applicants who had a positive experience would suggest the employer to friends and family members who were looking for jobs.

Adopting a Candidate’s Bill of Rights will help recruiters and hiring managers design a positive experience for even applicants who are not offered jobs. This, in turn, will make it easier to market opportunities and build a brand.

How to Respect and Protect a Candidate’s Rights

Do these seven things.

Respect Candidates’ Time

Design a smooth and nonrepetitive application process that runs on a prompt and dependable schedule. Conduct efficient interviews, and make sure that everyone involved communicates a consistent message to candidates.

Employers have ample opportunity to streamline the hiring process. Ideally, the entire process will last no longer than 21 days. Requests for presentations or trial work should also be kept to a minimum if candidates will not be compensated.

Set Clear Expectations for the Hiring Process

Help candidates understand what the process looks like from start to finish. Doing this allows candidates to plan accordingly and to feel some sense of control during a stressful time.

Inform candidates upfront about

• How many steps they must complete,
• The length of time it will take to make a hire,
• The immediate next steps following each touchpoint,
• The number and types of references they will be asked to supply, and
• If they are expected to create a presentation or project.

Communicate Clear Expectations for the Role

Begin with a job listing that is as descriptive as possible. Also share why the right candidate would be interested in the role.

Once interviews begin, ensure that each discussion between a candidate and the hiring manager, a recruiter or another member of the team reaffirms what success for a new hire will look like. These efforts make it easier for a candidate to self-select themselves out of the process because they recognize they are not a good fit.

Communicate Openly

Talent Tech Labs reports that 81 percent of applicants believe that receiving continuous status updates throughout the hiring process would greatly improve their overall experience. By providing frequent updates to candidates or conducting friendly check-ins when there is no news, employers help candidates do all of the following

• Plan for scheduling time off to interview,
• Prepare a presentation,
• Research the hiring team, and
• Ask clarifying questions as they arise.

An example of how an employer can help a promising candidate when scheduling an interview is to provide the names, titles and LinkedIn profiles of the people who will be conducting the interview. Another way for an employer to show they value a candidate is to openly engage in conversations around the compensation package.

Make Use of Technology That Helps, and Doesn’t Hinder, the Process

Technology should enhance, rather the replace, human interactions. For instance, an applicant tracking system can connect the recruiter, hiring manager and candidate in ways that engage and inform everyone throughout the process.

At a minimum, employers should offer candidates

• A careers web page that is easy to navigate,
• An application system that makes it easy to submit a resume or complete an application form,
• Online scheduling so each person’s availability is assured, and

Prompt follow-ups to requests for information.

Provide Candidates Opportunities to Share Their Opinions and Experience

The hiring process involves more than just assessing how well a candidate fits with the employer’s culture. Each candidate must also decide whether the job aligns with their lifestyle and goals.

To learn what candidates want, employers should encourage them to provide feedback. This way, the candidate feels heard and the employer receives valuable input for improving its process.

Provide Feedback to Finalists Who Do Not Receive Offers

Communication must extend beyond the ultimate decision to hire or not. An employer cannot extend an offer to every candidate, but it can still do right by everyone by sharing specific feedback on what the hiring manager thought of an in-person interview. A candidate will also appreciate receiving an evaluation of a presentation and an honest explanation of why they did not get selected.

Build a Better Hiring Process and a Stronger Brand

Creating a Candidate’s Bill of Rights that ensures recruiters, hiring managers and others follow the seven practices detailed above will strengthen an employer’s chance of attracting the best of the best. It will also protect the employer’s brand.

The opposite is just as true. According to HCI, 72 percent of jobseekers who had a negative experience shared that negative experience online.

The lesson is clear. Employers must commit to embracing job candidates as an important audience who deserve respectful attention and prompt, honest feedback. Even in a market where more people are searching than there are jobs available, making a smart hire is only one goal. Leaving a lasting positive impression on all candidates should be another.