Businesses have more reason than ever to pay closer attention to their recruiting process: new research reveals that some rejected jobseekers are so disillusioned with their experience as an applicant that they no longer do business with that firm. The Talent Board's 2011 Candidate Experience Survey (download it here) polled some 12,000 participants and discovered that over half had negative job-application experiences. What's more, 8 percent harbored so much resentment and anger that they stopped being customers of that company altogether.
This resentment doesn’t just stem from not getting the job. Survey participants specifically called out the way a company’s personnel interacted with them during the interview process. From the Wall Street Journal:
A sampling of the responses shows that applicants felt they were treated without respect for their work experience and largely ignored. “I have never felt like such a non-person in my whole life,” wrote one participant.
A job interview isn’t just an opportunity for a business to search for and vet talent — it’s also an opportunity to reinforce company culture and retain or win new customers. As Melana V. Doyich of Ask the Headhunter points out, applicants will talk about their experience with friends and family regardless of the outcome of their interview. That makes them perfect evangelists for your firm and its mission. “Treat all candidates so they’ll want to work for your company, even if they don’t get this job right now,” she advises.
Have you ever had a negative job-application experience? How did it shape your impression of the company?
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