Josh TolanImagine you find a job candidate who seems perfect. Their resume lists all the right skills and experiences. On social media, they share articles about the latest industry trends. In the interview, their personality shines. It’s a no-brainer. You have to hire this individual.
But when they show up to their first day of work, it becomes clear they weren’t exactly who they seemed. While their resume had impressive titles, it turns out they weren’t successful in any of the roles. You feel deceived by their lack of honesty.
While you’re probably shaking your head right now, job seekers are feeling the same about the companies trying to recruit them. In fact, a 2018 Glassdoor survey found the No. 1 grievance job seekers have about the hiring process is a lack of information about compensation and benefits, among other key job details. In order to improve the candidate experience, 58 percent of respondents said companies should communicate more clearly and regularly. Additionally, 53 percent said they want clear expectations laid out about the hiring process.
Job seekers are demanding more transparency. If you want to attract and hire great talent, it’s going to take honesty. Here are four ways experts suggest you bring more transparency into your hiring process:
1. Perform self-assessments
Recruiters must tell job seekers about the expectations as well as the pros and cons of the job. While emphasizing the best parts of the position, recruiters should be honest about the day-to-day tasks. Candidates want the truth about morale and what employees like best about working for the company. However, if the company has not done self-assessments, recruiters will not be able to be honest and transparent about the workplace.
It’s essential companies perform self-assessments and 360 manager reviews — and then share this data with job seekers. If current morale is strong, it will attract new employees. Recruiters and HR should also be transparent about pay and bonuses, which is a key motivator for new hires. Invest time and resources into creating ‘public relations’ campaigns about the intrinsic value of the company. Companies should think about their values and accomplishments and include this type of information in the recruitment campaign.
Tara Stein, employment lawyer and HR consultant at The Law Office of Tara N. Stein, PLLC
2. Build your online presence
Transparency is important because it helps job seekers evaluate a company and gauge whether they’re interested in working for them. In this day and age, people aren’t looking for 9-5 roles that will simply pay the bills. Job seekers are looking for passion, fulfillment, and purpose in their careers. In order to determine if a company aligns with their personal values, candidates expect companies to provide transparent and honest information available about what it’s like to work for them.
In 2019, candidates expect companies to have an online presence that communicates their employer brand. A company’s online presence should feature information about their mission statement, company culture, and paint an overall picture of what it’s like to work for the organizations. Failing to have an online presence engenders a sense of distrust in candidates.
Mollie Moric, career advisor and hiring manager at Resume Genius
3. Rethink communications
Communication is the most important aspect of the hiring process, but also the biggest criticism against bad HR departments and recruiters. The more open and honest the team is, the better the company is perceived by candidates. Plus, it’s not as if trade secrets are being given away. Frequent and practical feedback are great signs of a company that is in tune with modern culture.
But there’s the mistake of giving the impression of transparency. It’s common to see companies saying upfront they won’t be able to reply to everyone or that incomplete applications will be ignored. This isn’t transparency. It would be very simple to set up a social media page or a mass email update just to keep candidates informed. It’s not as if we need to telephone each person or write them a letter and take it to the post box. With social media messaging, autoresponders, and email sequences, there’s no excuse to not keep candidates in the loop.
Jason Lavis, partner and head of marketing at drillers.com
4. Stop hiding behind shiny distractions
When people are looking for jobs, they look beyond the job posting. They’re going to check out your social media. They will look at your website — especially if you have content just for job hunters. The internet has made it much easier for people to understand the full context of each opportunity. If you don’t have much of an online presence, job seekers automatically miss out on that window into what life looks like at your company.
Yet, in an attempt to cater to an increasingly millennial audience, some businesses go overboard on showcasing ‘perks.’ If your recruiting and hiring processes are focused too much on free soda in the fridge and ping pong in the breakroom, candidates can sense that you’re covering up a less-than-stellar experience.
Instead, focus on how each team member contributes to the overall mission of the company. Perks are good, but they have to come with more substantial opportunities for growth, collaboration, and innovation.
Laura Simis, branding and communications manager at Coalmarch
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