Despite the looming shadow of Brexit, many UK organisations are still recruiting – albeit on a temporary rather than permanent basis. Many industry sectors are reporting that it is still difficult to find the right candidates with the right skills and experience, despite the fact that many people are out there searching for new roles right now; myself included.
Is it a matter of the right skills not being out there in the job hunting population or is something else at play? Here are a couple of examples to illustrate what I mean….
A friend, J, is looking for a new role and career change. Knowing this he is prepared to take entry level role with the right organisation as long as it gives him what he’s looking for. J likes being outside, getting up early and working autonomously – he thinks that being a Postman is just the new career for him. Then he tries to apply for a role with Royal Mail….. To cut a long and painful story short, J’s “candidate experience” is a very negative one.
Why, you may ask? This should give you a flavour and is not unique to the Royal Mail:
Applications have to be made via an online recruitment portal, which requires you to register, fill in your personal details and to complete an online assessment. Easier said than done…. J is fairly computer literate and his brother is an “expert” – they try and fail several times to register a basic application. There is no phone number, email address or help option for him or other applicants to help them with this labyrinthine application process.
If J wasn’t so keen he would give up now. Other suitable applicants may not have the “IT savvy” or the perseverance, so Royal Mail is losing out on a potentially large candidate pool. (how IT savvy do you need to be a Postman anyway?)
I can echo similar experiences to J’s and can add to the what not to do list further:
So in summary, many of the issues that are putting people off seem to be due to overly automated process with no “human touch”. Theoretically going for an automated, standardised recruitment portal should make recruitment slicker, cheaper and easier for your organisation – but what about for the candidates? The initial impression they get from your recruitment system can be extremely negative and it means you have lost them before you even know about them. Employee branding, good PR, your employer reputation and your brand recognition / values aren’t going to change that.
Is it time for a rethink and change to your recruitment approach? We can help……..