Imagine that you are a hopeful candidate. You send out resumes, or get part way through the interview process and then… silence. You hear nothing back.

The unfortunate nature of the recruitment industry can often leave candidates disappointed or frustrated with their experiences. Many recruiters neglect to show the appropriate level of respect, dedication and care to their candidates once it becomes clear that they have been unsuccessful.

Quality recruiting will maintain a high standard of care and service for the entirety of the candidate's experience, so that even if unsuccessful, a candidate can look back positively on the experience they had with you as a recruiter.

Follow the tips below to minimise your unsuccessful candidates' frustration.

Respond quickly

This is extremely important. It is vital to respond as promptly as possible to all points of contact. Whatever it be, CVs, online applications, phone calls, tweets even, responding quickly grabs a candidate's attention and provides encouragement. It also begins to demonstrate your professionalism and stand-out qualities.

Moderate expectations

It is important to strike the right balance between encouraging a candidate and raising his or her expectations excessively. Obviously, you want to make sure that the candidate is interested in you and the role you have, but you also don't want to dash their hopes should they be unsuccessful. Provide subtle, moderate encouragement to achieve this.

Be honest

Most candidates will appreciate frank, open discussion when it comes to their progress. If they've been unsuccessful, tell them quickly so they're not wasting time. Candidates will not appreciate going through a long, drawn-out process only to learn of their failure. Maintaining transparency with your client is key to minimising candidate dissatisfaction in an unsuccessful outcome.

Listen

Take the time to learn about the candidate and what they want first off. Don't be tempted to try to fit them in a role they're not really suited for. Listening presents an opportunity to assess, realistically, whether they are ideal for the role from day one, and can save time and minimise disappointment in an unsuccessful outcome.

Be respectful

Remember that candidates are people too. Say thanks, give advice and follow up quickly; essentially the other tips in this article, and you will make a stand-out impression. Showing some small courtesies such as these will go a long way towards reducing frustration should things go pear-shaped.

You may be wondering...

Why should you care about an unsuccessful candidate's feelings? Well, quite simply, because if a candidate is dissatisfied with the experience they had with you as a recruiter, that will create a negative impression of recruiters in that person's mind, the cumulative effect of which will ultimately damage the recruitment industry.

Show all your candidates respect and dedication from start to finish (no matter the result), and you will both leave that candidate more satisfied and distinguish yourself as an elite recruiter.

In the job market? Call Carlie for an outstanding professional recruitment experience. (03) 8606 0313.