MightyRecruiterWhen you have a position in your company to fill, you may dread the process as much as a job seeker does. Sorting through applications, cover letters, and resumes to find a pool of potential candidates to interview can be a daunting task when you may receive upwards of 400 applications. What can you do to make the job apply process smoother for applicants and better for your company? Surprisingly, the answer is not complicated at all; you just need to keep it simple.
Know What You Want
If you are unsure of where to start, begin with the positon itself. Know what the description and responsibilities for that job are, and write a posting to reflect the qualifications a candidate should possess and the duties to be performed. If your advertisement is too vague or lacks detail, you can expect the same from your pool of applicants. How do you know if someone is qualified if you don’t really understand what tasks are involved or what skills are needed?
Do It Yourself
One of the best ways to truly understand what is involved in applying for a job with your business is to do it yourself. Have you ever really looked at what you are asking of job seekers? If your job apply process is overly complicated, you may be missing out on some of the best potential employees who are actively looking for work. It’s important to consider what you need from people at the first point of contact. If you find your application takes over an hour to complete, you may want to revamp it. If it is long, complicated, and too detailed for you to do, imagine how an applicant feels.
Just the Basics
Decide what information you need to determine if you want to contact a potential employee. You definitely need to see a resume, but do you need an additional work history? Do you look at references first? Do you even read the cover letter? If you don’t use some of the information you are requesting, do yourself and the job searchers a favor and stop asking for it. Remember, the application is the starting point for hiring, and you are using this beginning as a way to get names for the next step. Try not to burden either side of a job apply process with redundant requests and unnecessary hurdles. If you only need basic identifying information and a resume, ask for it. Chances are good that you’ll attract more qualified candidates who might have avoided a burdensome application.
Stay on Track
These days, employers have many tools to help with a job search and hire. Less paper advertising means more online contact, so use the internet to your advantage. If you are not currently using an applicant tracking system, you should implement one to monitor possible interviewees. You can usually create one through your own website or use existing platforms to make this part easier for you. Decide what approach works for your type of business. You may prefer working with an agency, a job fair, or even a referral system as a way to attract qualified people instead of cold ads on internet sites. You may even try several approaches to gain more applicants.
First Impressions
Job candidates are not the only ones who put themselves out there for consideration. When you invite people to apply, you are also showing them how you take care of business. If your job apply process is complicated and demanding, what does that say about working for you? Remember that you are also being scrutinized, so approach how you conduct a job search as a marketing opportunity. Make your expectations known. Be clear with what information you want, and be polite. Nothing is more frustrating to an applicant than never getting a confirmation or any contact. A tracking system may also be able to send an application receipt notification via email or text. Indicate a time frame for application submission or other points of contact. You want qualified applicants to consider you as much as you want the opportunity to consider them.
Short and Sweet
These suggestions will hopefully get you thinking about how to reorganize and streamline your job apply process. Taking a bit of the discomfort and inconvenience out of both sides of a job search lets you direct your energy in a more productive way and can help you get the kinds of potential employees your company needs to thrive. If you are looking for more suggestions to improve the caliber of your hires, look through the articles and resources at Mighty Recruiter.