Big thanks to Chad Sowash for appearing in this week’s comic strip.
I have a renewed respect for the candidate experience…
For those who don’t know, I have been seeking a new career adventure for a couple of months now. I have had a lot of great conversations and discovered some really great opportunities. Obviously, it has not worked out for me yet, but I am hopeful. One thing I have gained with this trial is a renewed respect for the candidate experience and the companies who go the extra mile. More often than not, its the little things that impress me. Things like thanking me for my time and notifying me that I did not get the job in a humane and courteous manner.
I think some companies forget that candidates are people too, and in their passion to put butts in seats, deny candidates some basic courtesies. For example, I had 4 interviews with a certain tech company that I was very excited about. We were at a point where we were texting one another about the future. (True love.) However, a few days before the holidays, they halted all communication. No biggie, its the holidays. After the holidays, and to date, nothing. No returned emails. No returned texts. No phone calls. Every now and again I look on LinkedIn to see if they are still in business (sarcasm) and that the people I interviewed with are still there. Their LinkedIn profiles all say they are currently employed there. So why not just tell me “its not you, its me” and I can focus on other options. Sigh. Its college dating all over again.
That not withstanding, there is something else in the candidate experience that has really irked me. Its when applicant tracking systems ask you to upload your resume then ask you to fill out forms that request the EXACT same information that’s on your resume. OMG! I hate that. I bet a lot of other jobseekers do too. Now, have these applicant tracking systems given me a negative perception of the company? Yes, in a way, because I am associating my present day angst with an employer brand. Months later when I am in a position to buy certain products or services on behalf of my employer, will I think of them first? And if I do, will I want to do business with them out of spite? Am I really that petty? Hmm… I hope not. Yet, I suspect other jobseekers are. Sigh. Please people, do better. (And just in case you are curious, click here for insights on opportunities I’ve been targeting. Let me know if you learn of something interesting. Thank you in advance.)
Happy New Year!
Jim
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