This is condensed from an earlier post “The Candidate Experience – Part 2: People Interacting with People†from May 30, 2012. It was edited to tie in with the series on business ethics because in justifying our relationships with job seekers it becomes a matter of just doing the right thing when it is not required. A quote from former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.â€
By definition, a candidate “experience†will happen whether it is planned or not. Employers who do not focus on the entire process of the hiring cycle will be doomed to fail. Recruiting costs will increase as a result of disillusioned job seekers who are turned away or ignored entirely. The bottom line of the business may depend on the perception of the company’s ethical actions or lack of them. The recruitment brand of a company is unmistakably glued to the company brand and either can have an adverse impact on the other. Planning the moves in the employment chess game is essential, but it is the people who must make it work. The aggregation the ethical foundation of the company rests with those who are outward facing ambassadors for the company message. Everyone involved in the process has something to add and must take their responsibilities seriously.
- Business Management – From the top down, emphasis must be on making recruitment a priority. Being fiscally responsible is important to the bottom line, but being overly frugal with regard to the employment functions negates any savings that could be seen. Lost productivity due to unfilled critical positions or high turnover is measurable and should be factored into the equation. Trimming costs associated with the technology required and expertise needed to make the business function introduces inefficiencies that are time consuming and costly.
- Line Management – Those not directly involved in sourcing candidates still have a responsibility to make time for the candidate experience. A functional manager in an area other than human resources can pretend that it is someone else’s job, but there must be total buy-in that building the best organization with the best talent is key to success. Often overlooked is the fact that interviewing is not just a probing into the skills of the candidate as interviewees are also probing into the heart and soul of the company. Ultimate professional ethics is the minimum standard.
- Recruiting Management – It is important for those responsible for management of the process to be well rounded and knowledgeable about the business and the ethical standards that make it work. Establishing programs to promote corporate goals and providing necessary training for those in the recruiting trenches is essential. In order for the recruiting function to offer a good experience to candidates, the necessary resources and tools must be evaluated, justified, funded and provided for use. Listening to the pulse of the company and candidates triggers an alarm if trouble is spotted.
- Recruiters and Sourcers – This channel is the funnel through which all communications flow upward and outward. Being proficient in the technical skills of the job is necessary, but all of that is secondary to one thing: setting expectations. Committing to management that something can be delivered means that there is an expectation that their communication has been heard and understood. If not, then it must be fixed here. Dialog with job seekers also requires setting expectations with regard to all aspects of their interface with the company.
Much of the advice stated here is really just common sense and not quite as mechanical as it may seem on the surface, but there is no harm in attacking the problem of candidate experience from any angle possible. Because there are so many different perspectives on corporate ethics, it will always be a constant topic of discussion.
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