4 Musts for Engaging Job Candidates and Giving the Position Just the Right Amount of Hype

04 May 4 Musts for Engaging Job Candidates and Giving the Position Just the Right Amount of Hype

No matter the talent market, the right candidate can be hard to pin down. Employers want someone who will make an impact while matching up with the internal culture and team dynamics—the more refined a skillset, the tougher the find. And when you start talking to candidates, time is of the essence. According to research, 36% of top candidates accepted a different offer instead.

There are ways to keep top talent engaged throughout the interviewing process and differentiate what your role and organization offer. These are more than just best practices, too; they should be musts that your Human Resources and Hiring Managers alike leverage on the regular.

Let’s review some musts for engaging job seekers and hyping positions—just the right amount:

1. Don’t oversell the position in an outreach email.

Maybe you’re asking, “How can I oversell it?” But pushing a candidate too much too early in the recruitment process can come across as desperate, overcompensating for an employer’s shortcomings, or worse, a scam or phishing email. Phishing emails to job seekers are on the rise, and experts warn recipients to be wary of postings that sound “too good to be true.”

2. Bring up benefits early in the hiring process.

Benefits can set organizations apart for job seekers, their personal goals, and their families. It’s essential to advertise perks like childcare coverage, fertility insurance, paid maternity and paternity leave, 401-K matching, and restricted stock units (RSUs) early in the process. The complete benefits package with all the frills should come into clear focus on the first call, along with covering the base salary range. Is there a bonus? Do remote employees receive a monthly work-from-home stipend? What about holiday-week company closures and unlimited time off? These benefits can help your employer rise above other companies.

3. Keep communications timely and consistent.

To a job candidate, the hiring process may seem to move about as quickly as court proceedings—more on that in a second. If they stop regularly hearing from a recruiter, they may count your company out entirely and prioritize other potential employers. It’s critical to build trust and rapport with candidates by emailing them about updates and responding to their inquiries promptly. Pop in with a phone call every couple of days for priority candidates following interviews to see how they felt it went and how they are feeling about the position.

Most importantly, give candidates who don’t get an offer closure. If they’ve been through multiple rounds of interviews, opt for a phone call over a canned email. Be prepared to diplomatically explain why the winning candidate was stronger in certain areas if they ask. Whatever you do, don’t “ghost” them or leave them hanging without closure. That can keep them from applying to your company in the future and lead to a savage Glassdoor review warning peers in the Interview rating sections. Breaking negative news is never fun, but it’s an integral part of the process and the right thing to do.

4. Streamline the interviewing and decision-making process.

If you’re interviewing and hiring and the process is taking weeks, you are losing good candidates to other companies that give candidates and teams more momentum. Limit the number of interviews you’re scheduling, especially for positions under a V-or-C executive level. After your initial recruiting screening, limit interviews with the hiring manager and teams to 2-3. Asking the right questions can help them assess the strength of candidates. Coach them on what questions to ask and which to avoid for legal reasons. Make sure the candidate isn’t going more than two business days without interview feedback and the next steps, if there are any, at the time.

Need more best practices? Staffing Strong is fluent in the latest hiring approaches.

At Staffing Strong, we help your organization stand out throughout the hiring process with strategies that give your business a competitive edge over other employers. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Meet the Author

Evelyn Vega is the Founder and President at Staffing Strong and the Past President of the Phoenix American Marketing Association. Since 1999, she’s made her career about supporting her clients in building meaningful careers and partnering with businesses in finding quality hires. In her free time, Evelyn sits on various advisory boards and enjoys practicing on her drum set!