ABC = Always Be Closing. Sales knows this term well. No deal is done until the paperwork is signed. Sometimes it still falls through. It’s the same with candidates. In a recent Jobvite survey, 30% left a new employer within 90 days. Why? Well, 43% said the day-to-day expectations were not as expected. This could mean there was a breakdown in the job description or during the interview process.

Let’s take a minute to talk about job descriptions. Most of the time job descriptions are based on the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do a job. Here is an example by Emplify on adding “A Day in the Life” to an Account Executive position. In this description, the applicant can review the description but also know a little about their day. On their way to the daily activity meetings, they can grab a cup of coffee and breakfast; once back at their workspace they will be building their pipeline, making calls, and having a little fun by playing “Pop-a-Shot” celebrate their team’s success.

Interviews are another story. LinkedIn’s recent survey stated that interviewing can take 2-3 months to complete with an average of 3 interviews during that time frame. There are few ways you can create efficiency, decrease time, and give a positive experience.

1. Make sure you have the right people on the interview team.

A bad interview can ruin the best candidate experience and cause someone to not accept a position. The team should always be advocates of the company culture, well-versed on the position requirements, daily expectations, along with an understanding of what their responsibilities are during the interview process.

2. Make the time efficient.

Communicate the schedule and interview team with the candidate so they are aware of the time commitment. Confirm with your interview team so everyone has accepted their time schedule, and have a back up should something come up and they are unable to attend. There should also be a deadline for giving interview feedback.

3. Follow up.

If the candidate is still in the running, tell them, but also give a timeframe on when they may hear or how they can follow up. If they are no longer under consideration, let them go. If you can offer constructive feedback do it. This will likely help them on the next interview and/or release them to other positions. Don’t leave them hanging if you don’t need to. Anyone who has interviewed knows the waiting game is no fun. Reminder: The candidate may not be a fit today but could be in the future OR could even refer a friend for the job. *Based on a true story.

Just remember, in this competitive market, candidates won’t wait around, especially if you’re hiring for technical roles. This may seem crazy, but during my time working in San Francisco, I worked for a company that would extend offers before the candidate left the building. We built our process with a consensus in the middle of the interview structure. This would allow time for the team to give immediate feedback. If everyone agreed it was a match, we would extend an offer and if not, we would end the process with an explanation of why we chose to complete the interview early. Candidates liked the transparency and the quick decision.

The bottom line is to remember that every interaction with the company can make or break a sale. Companies need to think about candidates as potential customers. If you have a good brand and experience, they will tell their friends. If they don’t, they still tell their friends, and maybe share it on social media.

If you’re interested in engaging Purple Ink for Recruiting services, we’re excited to start the conversation. Just contact us today to learn more.