In this recent webcast for HCI, I spoke about improving selection in talent pipelines through the implementation of strategic candidate feedback initiatives. For those who were unable to join us, the concept draws from marketing practices of measuring customer loyalty, which research shows is a key driver of business profitability.
The topic raised some excellent questions from the audience, many of which required significantly more time than we had in the webcast to address fully. For example:
- Why is it important to measure the satisfaction of those who aren’t hired?
- What are the implications of treating internal vs. external candidates as customers?
- What is the best way to get feedback from candidates that were not hired?
- What specific feedback should be collected to address the problem of high turnover?
- Is it important to collect feedback when we’re not actively hiring?
- How does availability or lack of talent influence the need to collect candidate feedback?
- What are some best practices regarding the types of questions to include in a candidate survey?
- Do most companies develop their own candidate surveys, or are there pre-packaged resources available?
- How should small companies implement a feedback strategy?
- Where and how does one start a candidate feedback initiative?
- Which demographics are important to collect with the feedback?
- How does anonymity fit into a feedback model that stresses transparency?
There’s some really good stuff in here, don’t you think? As a result I’ve moved the discussion to this forum, and in the coming weeks will address each of the questions in a blog post of its own. In doing so I encourage your participation through comments and further questions, which only improves the learning for all. Thanks in advance for playing.
Why is it important to measure the satisfaction of those who aren’t hired?
In short, because expectation, experience, and perception (those elements which engage and engender loyalty), are common to all candidates, not just those who are hired. And measuring the perception of one group without considering the broader context of all creates a fertile ground for assumptions and ignorance – two very dangerous business management principles.
The conversation with candidates begins at the moment an individual becomes aware of your company - either as a potential employer, or as a provider of products and services. Keep in mind that in many industries the role of candidate and customer are interchangeable, which only adds complexity to this discussion.
The conversation continues for candidates as they choose to engage with your company in a series of predictable hiring checkpoints: when they apply for a job, at the interview stage, as an offer is extended, and after onboarding is complete.
These earliest stages of contact provide fuel that feeds the scope and quality of your talent pipeline: the people who will ultimately influence, either directly or indirectly, the satisfaction and loyalty of your customers and the profitability of your business. Measuring and managing satisfaction of all candidates in this stage ensures that your company competes more effectively for the best talent, and that you continue to positively influence the perceptions of those who are not selected for hire. The growing influence and viral nature of mobile and internet technologies only add compelling reasons to manage employer brand intentionally at this stage.
Take off the blinders.
Context is the answer to this question; without it, you learn only part of what you need to know to attract, acquire, and retain the very best employees for your company. You also take big (and, I might add unnecessary) risks in allocating resources to meet your hiring objectives, and further hinder your ability to manage employer brand beyond the simplest of good intentions.
What are your thoughts?
Additional resources:
Customer Loyalty: How to measure it, understand it, and use it to drive business success
Involved, Interested, then Applicant: Candidate-Friendly Recruiting Technologies
About the author:
Claudia Faust is the CEO and Head of Products at Improved Experience, a software-as-a-service provider that helps companies measure and leverage feedback to engage and retain employees and customers. Learn more here.
From a logistical perspective, this issue is critical as it is often the 'un-selected' that are communicating with the gatekeeper or coordinator of acquisition. The recruiting team must not forget nor dismiss these free-agents that become valuable points of reference or even critics of a company's brand. The goal is to ensure your candidate is given the most wholistic experience before, during and after the interview process...
Posted by: Llewella Dowling | January 17, 2011 at 01:14 PM
HR needs to educate hiring managers and executives before the economy takes off. There's never been a better time to get meaningful market research on your employment brand.
Posted by: Mary Kay Baldino | May 25, 2010 at 05:29 PM