Time to shine: The importance of focusing on your application process

In today’s recruitment market, candidates are equally interviewing and assessing the employer throughout their job search and application process, to assess the suitability as a suitable employer. It would be wrong of an employer to take for granted that an application means the candidate will accept the job if offered; that is far from the reality. The process and interview will play a crucial part in the candidate’s decision, be it withdrawing from the process or accepting the role if offered.

A smooth, streamlined and intuitive application process is crucial to the successful appointment of any candidate, as well as being an overall marketing tool for your business in terms of employer and consumer branding.

Writing a candid job description is crucial when going to market. It should be a key part of your recruitment strategy and should always be reviewed before posting. A well-written job description provides the opportunity to deliver clear expectations to the candidate of the job requirements & create healthy expectations of the overall workplace culture. Advertising an inaccurate and clear job description is only creating a false narrative to the candidate and setting up for a failed recruited campaign.

The key to writing a good job description is to know your audience

Starting with your advertisement:

No matter what method or platforms you are using to advertise your position, you need to re-evaluate the wording and the advertisement for each job, each time you post.

One size does not fit all!

The recruitment market is changing constantly, and therefore it’s crucial that you don’t use generic job descriptions that the company has being using for years, or even months. Not only is this damaging for your brand, but this is not inviting for candidates and can put them off from applying. From their perspective, not only does it looks lazy but it gives the impression that the job and its positioning within the company is not valued.

The introduction of the Hospitality Wellbeing and Development Promise emphasises the importance of employees having the right to feel happy and supported in their workplace; traits built on respect.

• Does your job description refer to this part of the commitment,

Or

• Does it refer to how team members will support others and be supported, and give them the skills and opportunities for professional development?

Terminology to avoid in your job description:

Terminology plays a crucial part in your job advert, is it inviting, echoes a positive workspace, does it reflect hours in line with the health and wellbeing promise? When you read the job advert would it stand out from the hundreds of other jobs out there? A good tip is to ask the person currently in the role to read over the job description, to ensure you are being transparent on the role when going live to the market. Transparency is key!

Here are some words to avoid and how in today’s world they are perceived:

Passionate: We want your time 24/7.

Family: Regrettably, many families are dysfunctional and this wording will trigger the wrong interpretation with some people. Also, candidates already have one family. The term also suggests spending a lot of time together, creating a negative image of the workplace culture.

Ambitious: Not everyone is ambitious and wants to move up the chain of command, so don’t put off potential candidate by using this term. Use this word wisely depending on the level of job, tasks, and overall job description. For Example, you will put off many market segments from applying who are seeking a job to earn extra money and/or meet people.

Creative monikers & Buzzwords: Using words such as: Ninja, Guru, Jedi, Master, Rock star does not make your job description more appealing. This type of terminology is geared towards the creative industry rather than the hospitality and tourism sector.

Likewise, Face paced, multitasker, self-motivated – are just buzz words and are meaningless in a job description. They are common clichés and don’t say much about the job to set it apart from the establishment using the same terms two doors down.  They are obvious requirements of any job and so are meaningless in a job advert; don’t run the risk of them reading as cold corporate spill.

You want to write a job description that will have a good balance of the role and the company. Keep all information easy to read and make sure every word you use counts.

As said above - always be transparent, as you don’t want to lose that hard-earned trust from the employment market, which will greatly impact future recruitment ability.

Managing the process:

Your process should be managed efficiently, showing you respect and value the candidates time throughout. When it comes to acknowledging their application, generic job interview emails aren’t inviting. This email provides a sense of how the company operates so don’t let it be cold or imply that it’s a copy and paste. Make a phone call to thank candidates for their application, ask their availability of dates and as much as you can, be inviting. Make people feel special. It takes a few extra moments but it can make a huge difference.

Remember than when you are inviting candidates to interview, you are hereby inviting them to interview you also, that’s the market we are in. Be prepared for interviews, and if you can, keep them to informal settings. Help the candidate feel at ease and let them experience the overall environment of your business. You will get more from a candidate who feels at ease with the surroundings.

Stuffy, formal & formatted interviews can put many people off, not only on the day but from applying again if they are unsuccessful.  Have a chat and incorporate all the questions you would like covered, over a coffee. This allows both parties the opportunity to explore, for the employer to discover the skill set of the candidate and for both to decide the suitability of the job.

Remember - the candidate sitting in front of you may not have the skills and experience for the specific role, but this industry is small, and you want the candidate to walk away having had a good experience, and feeling empowered to apply for other jobs within your business.

What did you think:

Finally, handle feedback in a proactive and constructive manner. Provide feedback if requested, help the candidate to understand, and leave the door open for the candidate to re-apply for other, more suitable roles within your business.

How you handle this process will impact and contribute to your employer branding, no matter what you say on your website, your application packs or job advert. It’s the experience the candidate has that will help form a successful outcome.