Study: Job candidates prioritize transparency, communication
Candidates looking for work have been in the driver’s seat in terms of choices and places to work. As a result, many employees and candidates are not being shy about their preferences.
The Lighthouse Research & Advisory report, Hiring is more Critical Than Ever: How Employers and Candidates are Evolving in the Current Market, says the most important thing to candidates during the hiring process is the starting hourly rate for the position they are applying for (more than 55%). Another top priority is a fast application process (more than 40%). Rounding out the top five priorities for applicants are transparency on the status of an application, a hiring test that lets the recruit show off their skills and finally a recruiter that makes the person feel appreciated.
And while it might be assumed that the trend toward transparency is driven by younger workers, that’s not necessarily the case, according to the report. Make it well into the hiring process only to find that their time was wasted on an employer that couldn’t match their salary expectations. And while pay transparency is important to all candidates, it increases in priority as candidate’s age (48% of 25-34 year olds, 61% of those 35-44 and 70% of those 45 and older).
Workers also care about the future. Eighty-three percent of candidates want to hear hiring leaders talk about career growth during the hiring process, while 63% of candidates said they prefer a hiring test or assessment that doesn’t just evaluate their current performance but their future potential.
Transparency on all fronts is key and, according to the study, candidates want to show off their skills and abilities during a hiring experience that closely mimics the actual job. In addition, nearly 2 out of 3 candidates prefer video interviews and hiring tests, which they feel “are better than resumes at helping me stand out from the crowd.”
Nearly 6 in 10 candidates (58%) are also backing out of job applications and accepted job offers before their first day. Why? The top three reasons are they accepting a different job offer, a lack of communication from the company/recruiter and accepting a counteroffer at their current job.
In addition, many candidates are juggling multiple offers, leading to an emerging acceptance that it’s OK to not show up for an accepted position if you get a better offer in the interim.
From an employer perspective, regular communication during that critical post-acceptance phase is crucial. Do not make any assumptions that the person is showing up for their first day of work, especially if you have had no contact with them since they accepted the position.
Finally, communication can’t be stressed enough. A key theme that runs through the report is the importance of timely communication with candidates, whether to keep them from ghosting or just to make them feel desired and valued during the process. In fact, 70% of candidates said they expect updates on their application status weekly or instantly.