Are you working with recruitment consultancies or hiring direct? Are you seeing a lot of interview “no shows” or “dropouts”? If so this article might shed some reasons as to why this happens?
Essential to keeping dropouts to a minimum is to ensure that all candidates are screened to test if they “will they do the job” – consultants should be taking the time to make sure that the position is right for the candidate as well as checking their skills and experience. This includes: –
- Considering the full package, not just checking that the salary is right. What about soft benefits? How does the pension, bonus, life cover and medical plan compare for example?
- Location – how does the commute compare to the candidate’s current commute?
- Has the candidate seen the job specification and are the responsibilities in line with their expectations?
- Has the candidate been frightened off by the person specification? Sometimes candidates can see a list of requirements and worry that they are wasting their time if they don’t have them all.
- Has the candidate been sent an interview pack with confirmation of the time, job specification, directions / map, information on the company, details of the interview panel and interview format?
- Has the candidate been called the night before to check that the interview pack has been received and to address any last minute concerns?
- Are you aware of the candidate’s opportunity pipeline? Are they already waiting on the outcome of several second interviews?
- Have counter offers been discussed during the screening process? Some candidates set up interviews as a means to obtain salary increases.
- Have reasons for looking for a new position been discussed in detail? Sometimes candidates are just “keeping an eye out”. A genuine motivation to move needs to be present.
- Leaving too big of a time gap between application and interview can have a negative impact.
Finally, sometimes they just do! There are many variables when dealing with people and with the best will in the world nobody can control them all.
At Sigma Recruitment we train our consultants to screen candidates on all of the above. If you are getting lots of “dropouts” or “no shows” why not talk to us for a fresh approach to your recruitment process.
