Candidate Engagement Best Practices

Did you know that, on average, the best candidates are on the market for just 10 days? However, it takes around 24 days to hire someone. This is just one of the reasons why it’s essential to keep candidates engaged throughout the duration of the hiring process and beyond. A company’s initial (and on-going) engagement with candidates will help to positively shape how they will view your company as a whole.

Of course, it’s easy to keep up engagement levels when your company has a few positions with only a handful of candidates applying. However, it gets harder when you may potentially have hundreds of applicants for one or more positions. No matter the number, it’s always important to facilitate and encourage engagement as best you can. Below, we explore a few ways to maximize your engagement efforts when it comes to recruitment and hiring: 

Make The Entire Application Process Easy 

Every step of the application process should be seamless––from the application itself right through to the job offer, it should be simple and easy to follow. Many job seekers state that they give up halfway through an application due to its length or complex nature. So, try to keep it short, sweet, and most of all engaging. This will ensure that you don’t put off any potential candidates with complex and disengaging applications.

Invest in Engagement Tools 

Most recruiting communications are not personalized. Nothing says “you’re just a number” than a generic email. We understand this can be time-consuming, so why not consider text recruiting software? At Loop, we offer a mobile recruitment platform that engages with candidates via text messaging. Research shows an increase in 42 percent of average response rates from candidates when they receive personalized communications. This initial personalization will help to create positive engagement between the candidate and your organization.

Always Keep Candidates Informed

Once you’ve decided to move forward with a candidate (or not) always, always keep them informed. Failing to do so could damage a candidate’s perception of your brand, and they may not consider a job with your company in the future. If candidates are displeased with the process they could write an unfavorable review of your company online, and negatively influence other future candidates. If someone isn’t a good fit right now, you may still wish to consider them down the line.

Follow Up When You Say You Will

If you say that you’ll let them know on Friday before noon. Do so. Even if you haven’t got an answer from the powers that be, tell the candidates that this is the case. And, as you can imagine, they might be checking their phone every five minutes in anticipation. It’s also a good idea to have a single point of contact assigned to each candidate if you have an HR or hiring team. This way, responding to individual candidates won’t slip through the cracks. 

Utilize the Time Between the Offer and Onboarding 

Often there is a bit of time between signing an offer letter and an actual starting date. In order to keep employees engaged and excited about joining the company, send them a welcome pack with important details and information. Or perhaps set up some digital intros via video or emails with fellow team members. This will help the candidate ease into the company culture and feel at home before stepping foot into a physical space.

Proper Onboarding is Essential

Developing an excellent onboarding program will really help to set employees up for success from the get-go. Research shows that employees who had a successful and engaging onboarding experience have a high regard for their companies, feel more committed to their jobs, and have greater role clarification. Remember, great onboarding includes training, face-to-face team introductions, and facility and office tours. For regular interaction and engagement, pair a new hire with a buddy for any day-to-day questions they have in the first few months. 

Continue with Employee Engagement

After onboarding has been completed, it’s important to maintain ongoing engagement with your employees. This kind of engagement comes down to regular communication and complete transparency. Be sure to explain how each employee is making a difference and contributing to the team, and, of course, the entire company. The sooner an employee feels as though they are making an impact, the more likely they are to emotionally invest in the work they are doing and the company itself.  Schedule regular ‘engagement’ meetings every month and check-in with new employees. Stay tune

We understand that finding and hiring the right type of talent requires time, resources, and money. This is why it’s vital to encourage and nurture ongoing employee engagement in any way that you can. Trust us, proper engagement practices will help to retain happy candidates that you’ve worked so hard to employ. 

To find out more about how Loop can help you engage with your candidates via mobile recruitment platforms, contact us today. Loop recruitment and engagement tools allow you to mobilize your brand and engage your mobile audience — anytime, anywhere.