As a recruiter, it is crucial that you treat all candidates as you would a customer. The focus should be on building relationships and communicating with candidates, not just viewing them as a resume. The recruiters’ actions weigh heavily on the branding and the future growth of the company.
Whether it is for this position or the next, the candidate can become your customer. A candidate should not be disregarded or treated less than, just because they may not be the perfect fit for your current role. When you are looking for candidates to fill a position down the line, you want to make sure that you still have those connections and have not burned any bridges, you never know when they may become your ideal candidate.
Not only can they become your customer, but they can become your source for new talent. Word of mouth is a big part of growing your business. A candidate who has developed a relationship with their recruiter and has had a positive experience will be apt to tell refer your company to others. Other than referrals, they can also contribute to your company’s reputation, through reviews and testimonials on various platforms. However, if they are treated poorly, not only will you lose them, but you will also lose the potential of prospects that they could have brought you.
To build a relationship with your candidates, it is important to keep in touch. This can be as simple as thanking an applicant for submitting their resume. As the relationship builds, you may want to reach out with feedback or just check in from time to time to see how their job search is going. Another good way to maintain a relationship is to keep candidates in the loop with current job openings you think they may be a good fit for, or just making sure they are on the list for the company’s monthly newsletter. The more frequently you have contact, the more they are going to feel valued by you and your company and trust you in their search to seek employment.
If you are interested in working with ESPO and our top recruiters, be sure to contact us at the form below or give us a call at 630-789-2525.