A recent poll run by People
Management showed that 81% of voters believe that organisations should give all
job applicants a response http://bit.ly/T7VA9L
Of course, this poll does not
reflect at what stage the voters believe a response should be given, but for
the purpose of this blog, we will assume that it is at the first stage, prior
to any interviews being held.
A commonly heard complaint these
days is how so few companies bother to reply to the
bulk of job applications.
Is this an unrealistic expectation
of applicants given the number of applications made per role these days? In
some instances, from our experience, organisations can receive up to 600 applications
for one role or recruitment campaign.
How do organisations manage with
responding to upwards of 100 applications and in some cases nearly 600? Companies
who have not embraced some form of recruitment technology or system may find
this response a very daunting task.
The consensus is that even when
it's bad news, a short but courteous letter or email never goes amiss.
Of course the problem then is
candidates would like more than a standard email response but personalised
feedback, which of course is a perfectly valid request and for those that want
to learn from their rejections is a very useful tool in the job seeking
process.
Apparently this went to an extreme
when a US based company sent out an extended eight page, 3000 word bullet point
rejection letter. This of course is not the standard and in fact could be deemed
as downright insulting, so is there a middle ground to be had?
Here at networx, we believe that
all our candidates should be given feedback and strive to go that extra mile in
ensuring we do this above and beyond the expected by always acknowledging
receipt of each and every application as well as informing candidates of the
process and provide them with a dedicated point of contact. We deliver regular
feedback to keep candidates informed at every stage of the process. Not only
this; we ensure all unsuccessful candidates are notified on the outcome of
their application with the option to request further feedback if required
through their dedicated point of contact and provide interviewed candidates
with individual feedback, communicated by telephone.
It’s tough out there; upwards of
600 applicants for 1 role means a lot of rejections need to be made. Let’s not
forget that feedback is a nice thing to have, and a first stage especially, it
is important to remember that an organisation doesn’t have to give you any
feedback and it is a luxury in today’s job market.
Another angle to consider is that
it might be time to possibly review your CV and the way you complete
applications forms?
