Contemplate this state of affairs: you had a job opening a number of months in the past that attracted 30 stable candidates. 5 of them made it to the end line earlier than you made that job supply to at least one fortunate finalist.
It was a tricky resolution in the long run, in fact, however that now means you might have 4 high-quality candidates that you could possibly take into account for one more, related position in your group.
The advantages of resurfacing previous candidates
The worth of resurfacing previous candidates could also be already clear, however let’s rapidly stroll by way of these tangible advantages one after the other:
1. Candidates are already pre-vetted
The candidates in your system have already been evaluated – particularly the finalists – even when it was for one more, totally different job. Your hiring workforce is already acquainted with them – and notes may be shared with new hiring workforce members. Briefly, these candidates are already pre-vetted, enabling you and your workforce to get a head begin on evaluating them for a brand new position.
2. Your time to rent is faster
As a result of candidates come pre-vetted, the time it takes from that first software to the primary day of the brand new job can be markedly shorter. Chances are you’ll not even need to submit the job advert once more – simply begin reaching out to these previous candidates and shut the loop on the entire course of.
3. It may be a greater candidate expertise
It’s an incredible expertise for candidates, too. Jobseekers who’re contacted for brand new alternatives with you’ll be inspired to know that they received’t need to undergo the entire analysis interval once more from scratch. That’s very engaging to candidates exploring a number of alternatives or are weary of the job search.
Plus, it’s all the time good to know you’re needed. That’s a strong message to a candidate.
4. It saves money and time
The recruitment course of may be time-consuming and costly. All the prices related to posting a job advert and different tangible bills, mixed with the variety of hours invested within the course of by members of the hiring workforce, can add up.
You’ve seen our tutorial on tips on how to calculate the ROI of an ATS. A few of these bills can apply right here as nicely to point out the ROI of resurfacing previous candidates. There’s an enormous period of time and assets saved by recontacting candidates you’re already acquainted with.
5. You understand they’re
These are candidates who’ve already gone by way of the method with you. They’re already extra acquainted with your organization now, and should you’ve communicated your facet nicely, they clearly wish to give you the results you want. In any other case, they wouldn’t apply, proper?
The dangers of resurfacing previous candidates
With each new answer, new challenges come up. There may be dangers in reconnecting with previous candidates. Let’s undergo these dangers one after the other.
1. Reconnecting may be awkward
It’s identical to if you break up with somebody – and you then textual content them later to test in on them and see about occurring one other date. Awkward, proper?
The identical applies right here. The ego of a rejected candidate could also be bruised they usually might really feel postpone by the truth that you’ve simply contacted them once more for one more position.
Truthful sufficient. Put your self of their footwear. You’d really feel such as you have been the “second selection’ as a result of the opposite particular person didn’t work out or one thing like that. Not good for a candidate expertise, and doesn’t bode nicely to your employer model.
2. The brand new job is ‘much less’ than the previous one
It’s potential that the brand new opening you’re reaching out to candidates about is at a decrease pay grade or requires much less expertise than the unique job they utilized for. That’s not an incredible message to ship to a candidate: “You’re not ok for that position, however maybe this lower-paid, much less attention-grabbing job in the identical firm can be a greater match for you.”
Would you go for a possibility like that? In all probability not.
3. There are information privateness points
Due to social media, outbound advertising and marketing efforts, and different developments, information privateness laws – and consciousness – is popping up in every single place. At finest, folks may be cautious and really feel invaded when contacted out of the blue. At worst, they could be suspicious as to how you bought their contact info and problem you on that time even publicly. Once more, not a very good search for your model.
One of the best practices of resurfacing previous candidates
OK, now that we’ve been by way of the nice and the dangerous – let’s go to the most effective practices. How will you do it in a approach that wins the most effective candidates to your workforce? Let’s begin:
1. Preempt the potential awkwardness
Each interplay with a candidate – regardless that they’re not but an worker – impacts their impression of you and your employer model. All the things counts – your well timed messaging, your pleasant, participating method, the time in between phases, setting expectations, the entire bit.
Making a powerful constructive impression on the candidate may very well improve their willingness to give you the results you want. If you find yourself deciding on another person for the job, the candidate could also be disenchanted however responsive if you inform them you’d like to hold their resume on file for potential future openings with the corporate.
2. Make clear that it’s not a “rejection”
Nobody likes to really feel rejected – whether or not you’re turning down an expression of affection, a undertaking proposal or, in fact, a job software. It might be a candidate market proper now, however that doesn’t imply it doesn’t sting if you inform a candidate, “Sorry – you have been nice, however we went with this different particular person as an alternative.”
It does matter the way you do it. You may outright reject the candidate, they usually’ll stroll away in a huff, and also you’ll by no means hear from them once more. Or you’ll be able to flip it round and clarify that they aren’t truly being rejected – it’s simply that they weren’t the correct match for this particular position that you simply’re hiring for. However you’d like to hold their software on file as a result of your organization can be opening up extra roles very quickly (see above).
Associated: Discover ways to reject candidates with out burning bridges
3. Enable candidates to self-select in
Whenever you’re hiring at scale or turning away dozens of candidates within the screening/first interview stage, you might not have the time or alternative to interact each one in every of them utilizing the above two ideas.
That’s the place you’ll be able to embrace an choice within the software type giving candidates the chance to self-select in for future alternatives with you. This is usually a checkbox, a verbal settlement, or one thing else. Observe that this can be a requirement in some jurisdictions because of privateness legal guidelines.
4. Take a look at notes about candidates
An excellent follow for members of the hiring workforce is to maintain clear and constant notes on candidates after an interplay with a candidate be it an e-mail, interview, screening name, or one other type of communication. If these notes are complete, that’s the place it’s best to look to get a very good understanding of whether or not candidates are focused on a selected position together with your firm or in being a part of your workforce total.
Learn extra: Tips on how to doc interview suggestions to your hiring workforce
Perhaps you’re trying to fill an analogous position (i.e. one other opening in gross sales) otherwise you’re hiring in one other space altogether – a method or one other, these notes will allow you to massively in predicting their curiosity in pursuing a brand new alternative with you.
5. Have interaction solely the top-shelf candidates
Lastly, you don’t wish to give false hope to these middle-of-the-road candidates who in all probability wouldn’t have gotten the job anyway. In case you try this, you’re losing their time – and yours as nicely. That results in a poor expertise and will mirror badly in your model as an employer.
It’s higher to solely attain out to these star candidates who you sincerely assume can be nice suits for the brand new position. Whenever you’re these resurfaced candidates, ask your self should you’d rent them on the spot. If the reply is sure, attain out to them. If it’s no, then transfer on.
6. Set clear messaging and expectations
This finest follow might be an important. You don’t ever wish to ship a careless message to a jilted candidate and go away them with much more questions than solutions. It’s worse should you skip over the fact that you simply rejected them the primary time round.
As an alternative, be clear in your language so the candidate has all the data they need and wish. In a pleasant e-mail, you’ll be able to cowl the next factors, as an illustration:
- Your earlier relationship – embrace fast particulars in regards to the earlier job, who they communicated with, and the conclusion of that course of
- Why you’re reaching out to them now – embrace details about how they opted in for future alternatives and that you’ve a brand new position they could be focused on
- Particulars in regards to the new job – embrace job description, who the place reviews to/works with, wage (if relevant), and different associated particulars
- Why they’re an incredible match for the brand new position – this one is very necessary. That is additionally your alternative to deal with points round decrease pay grades, totally different tasks, and different query marks the candidate may need.
- A timeline – ideally with preset dates for interviews and a call.
Right here’s an instance of how all of that may be addressed in a brief, punchy e-mail:
“Hello [candidate], I hope this e-mail finds you nicely. We talked with you beforehand about job X, and also you expressed your curiosity in staying in contact.
Whereas we ended up going with one other candidate for job X, we’d love to fulfill with you once more about job Y in our firm. I’ll be trustworthy – it’s at a decrease pay grade/has totally different tasks than job X, however there are components of this new job that we predict you’d be very enthusiastic about.
The job description is connected, and the position will report on to our CMO. We’re trying to make a hiring resolution by Thursday, January 10.
In case you’re – and we hope you might be – please guide a time with me at [calendar link].”
Bear in mind, you’re each professionals speaking a few enterprise association in the long run. You’re each mutually events; should you go about it proper, you’ll appeal to these candidates and hopefully win them over in fast time.
Getting candidates for a job is now not so simple as posting a job advert. Now you can market your organization and position to them, you’ll be able to supply new candidates, and you will get again in contact with candidates who’re already again in your system.