As HR professionals and hiring managers at larger firms, we have seen our fair share of online job applications. While these platforms can make the hiring process more efficient, there are some dirty secrets that applicants may not be aware of.
Automated screening processes
Recruitment is a key role for HR professionals because acquiring talent is essential for an organization to meet its goals and to succeed in a rapidly changing marketplace. All recruiters who weighed in on this article stated that mass copy-and-paste outreach is extremely obvious and should be avoided. Garcia encourages candidates to focus on quality over quantity by dedicating more time to research when contacting a recruiter on LinkedIn.
If you’re someone who’s on the hunt for a new role this year, your ability to effectively find and approach recruiters on LinkedIn can have a direct impact on your job prospects. With LinkedIn recently crossing 1 billion users globally in 200 countries, it firmly remains the world’s most popular and powerful online professional network. Here’s a recruiting update template that a recruiter can send to a hiring manager during the hiring process to keep them updated. If your company is known for always putting its people first ‘ for instance, through its peer coaching, mentoring, or employee wellness programs ‘ this will positively affect your reputation among jobseekers. Having a team L&D strategy in place is a plus when interviewing candidates, as the hiring manager can share future development opportunities. Once the job requisition is approved, the recruiter sits down with the hiring manager to understand as much as possible about the vacant position.
For example, posting open positions on an employer’s careers website and commercial job boards assumes that interested job seekers are looking for these messages, thus making this strategy appealing to active and not passive job seekers. HR’s role in recruiting often depends on the size of the organization. A large company may have one or more HR professionals devoted full-time to the task of recruiting. In a small organization, an HR generalist may need to recruit on a sporadic basis.
Both methods can be an effective source depending on the level and type of role that is being recruited. Contrary to popular belief, I will actually read your cover letter, but only after speaking with you. So make sure it’s good, because it’s one of the things I will use to narrow people down at the very end. “As a potential employer, we also want to know your career goals and what motivates you to determine if you and the company are aligned so that you can be successful working for us,” Rahm said. You should also ensure your LinkedIn profile is crafted in a way that stands out to recruiters. And if you’ve ever wondered whether putting the ‘Open To Work’ photo frame around your profile photo makes any difference, it can.
On the contrary, they’ve become harder as employers are taking extra precautions, especially when they meet with candidates online only. Questions are different, challenging, and designed to accurately decipher your skills and personality. Participating this fully in the process each time the potential employee interviews helps the manager begin to build a relationship with the candidate. This is the first step in long-term employee retention, which starts before an employee even begins their new job. Think of your message as a short conversation opener rather than a full story or job application. He says a LinkedIn message is just not the right place for a candidate’s full pitch.
One dirty secret of online job applications is the use of automated screening processes. Many larger firms use software to filter out resumes that do not meet certain criteria, such as specific keywords or years of experience. This means that even if you are qualified for a position, your resume may never be seen by a human if it doesn’t pass through the automated system.
Many employers prefer to conduct internal recruitment first and turn to external recruitment only if internal efforts are unsuccessful. Internal recruitments are less expensive because there are little to no recruiting fees, and they generally don’t require extensive training, referral bonuses, or travel and relocation costs. For an internal hire, the process may be completed within a few weeks.
Lack of personalized feedback
Another dirty secret of online job applications is the lack of personalized feedback. Oftentimes, applicants receive generic rejection emails that provide little to no insight into why they were not selected for the position. This can be frustrating for candidates who put time and effort into their applications, only to be met with a form response.
Highly competitive nature
Online job applications also have a dirty secret in their highly competitive nature. With the ease of applying to multiple positions with just a few clicks, hiring managers are inundated with hundreds of applications for a single job opening. This can make it difficult for qualified candidates to stand out among the sea of applicants.
Bias in the selection process
Lastly, one of the dirtiest secrets of online job applications is the potential for bias in the selection process. Studies have shown that algorithms used in screening resumes can inadvertently perpetuate bias against certain groups, such as women or minorities. It’s important for HR professionals and hiring managers to be aware of this issue and take steps to address it in their hiring practices.
In conclusion, while online job applications can streamline the hiring process, there are some dirty secrets that applicants should be aware of. From automated screening processes to lack of personalized feedback, it’s important for HR professionals and hiring managers to be transparent about these issues and work towards creating a more equitable and inclusive hiring process.
