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If you have a high volume recruitment project approaching or if your demand for staff is rapidly increasing, it’s likely that your HR Team are going to have their hands full.
With this added pressure to fill spaces within your company, it might seem tempting to rush the first stages of selecting candidates, such as initial telephone screening. However, with an increased focus being placed on employer branding, conducting yourself appropriately during this early stage of the recruitment process is more important than ever.
It’s vital to keep your employer brand and values at the forefront of your mind at all times, not just within your written communications but through the way you verbally engage with candidates, right the way through the selection process.
If you’re in the middle of developing your employer brand or you’re looking for ways to strengthen it in the early stages of your recruitment process, read Cygnus Resourcing’s tips to help you along your way.
1. Ensure that your team are all on the same page
Planning is key. Sit down with your HR Team and discuss your goals, what you want to achieve and how you’re going to achieve it.
Make sure that each member of your team is well versed on the details of each vacancy and, most importantly, is passionate about your business and able to confidently promote the right aspects of working for you.
It’s likely that the telephone screening stage will be the first human contact that candidates will have with your company. Therefore, it is important that your HR Team act as your ambassadors and conduct themselves in a manner suited to your brand.
Think about what you want your business to sound like – consider the small things, such as the voicemails that you leave candidates, the use of certain words and finding the best way to describe what you do.
However, while it’s important for your team to be on the same page, don’t make it sound like your team are reading off a script. Be personable and professional at all times (not robotic!)
2. Focus on your core values
During the initial selection process, make sure that candidates are aware of your brand values. If they join your business, they will be expected to display these qualities so embedding them as early as possible is key.
It might sound simple but it’s all about practising what you preach. If your organisation focuses on honesty and trust, withholding important information from candidates will not reflect kindly on you as an employer or your overall brand.
Likewise, if your company prides itself on teamwork and collaboration, explain your team-focused culture to candidates and perhaps ask them during telephone screening for examples where they have collaborated with other employees effectively.
3. Provide an excellent candidate experience
Nothing can tarnish a company’s brand and reputation like providing poor customer service – and, in the case of your HR Team, your candidates are your customers.
Ensure that all applicants are treated with respect, ensure that you answer their questions and act professionally at all times.
Even when dealing with unsuccessful candidates, it’s important to provide constructive feedback. Not going back to an applicant with feedback after you’ve spent 20 minutes talking to them on the phone can leave a negative impression of your company.
Don’t forget, even if a candidate is not right for a particular position, they could be perfect for another role so it’s important to maintain good relationships at all times.
The selection process is a vital time to make a positive impact on candidates – this is a period when they’re not completely embedded in the recruitment process yet and could be more likely to drop out. Therefore, providing a great candidate experience is key.
4. Make sure that your communications are consistent
It’s important to maintain consistent candidate communications at all times to reinforce your brand values.
If candidates receive different communications from several members of your HR Team and all communications have a slightly different tone, it’s likely to look unprofessional and candidates may be left feeling confused about your brand.
Ensure the tone of all written correspondence is the same, as well as the visual elements of emails, such as signatures, your company logo and any fonts or colours that are used.
Remember, it’s not just about your written communications – think about how your team is communicating verbally. If you’re currently on a huge recruitment drive, it’s likely that there will be more than one person in your team conducting telephone interviews. Make sure that all team members are consistent in the manner in which they speak to candidates and there is consistency in the questions being asked.
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Still unsure of how to reinforce your brand values during the screening and selection process? Speak with your Marketing Team. They can help you to effectively convey your brand message and will assist you in perfecting your communications.
Alternatively, contact our team at Cygnus Resourcing. We partner with organisations looking to attract, manage and hire talent, by reducing the pain points and frustrations associated with getting the people in the first place. Find out more.
Article by Cygnus Resourcing – empowering through partnership
