Jobseekers getting frustrated at delays in recruitment process

Wednesday, 27 June 2018

Candidates are being put through more rounds of interviews.

New Zealand jobseekers are less happy than they once were to wait to find out whether they have got a job.

Recruitment agency Robert Half said 82 per cent of the chief financial officers it surveyed said candidates were becoming more impatient about the process of applying for a new role.

The main reason they were less willing to wait was that the number of interview rounds candidates were put through had increased, employers said. That was followed by a general shift in attitudes, probably caused by more competition for staff.

The employment market is tight – New Zealand's unemployment rate has fallen from a total of just under 11 per cent in the early 90s to 4.4 per cent. In 2012, it was just under 7 per cent.

Employers were also seeing an increasing number of counter-offers.

Megan Alexander, general manager of Robert Half New Zealand said: 'Because companies want to make sure they're choosing the right person for the job, they tend to extend the duration of the hiring process. However, as jobseekers are confronted with longer hiring processes, they are less likely to wait around if they haven't received a timely response before accepting an offer elsewhere.

'In order to secure the best talent for the role, hiring managers need to act fast, streamline their hiring practices and extend the offer to the candidate once they have found a match – or else risk losing their preferred candidate to the competition.'

Jane Kennelly, director of Frog Recruitment, agreed delays were a significant source of frustration. 'Candidates will drop out of the process.

She said candidates at all levels were being left even without a response to their initial application.

Most would be able to accommodate delays if their expectations were managed appropriately, she said.

New Zealand's unemployment rate has fallen to 4.4 per cent.

Employers were lacking a sense of urgency. It used to be common for businesses to be willing to interview potential staff at the weekend to get a deal done, she said, but that rarely happened now.

Alexander's tips to avoid frustration

Don't leave the interview until you have a clear idea of what happens next and when.

'Making sure the hiring managers have all the information they need allows job applicants to address any concerns the employer may have about them before they have a chance to make their decision. Asking for confirmation on next steps can also set a clear timeframe for when they can expect to hear an update on their application.'

Follow up with a thank you note within 48 hours.

'Communication goes both ways, so if a jobseeker hasn't heard back from the hiring manager after a week, they should pick up the phone and call them. If the employer has no update, they can ask when they can expect to hear back and again stress their interest in the role.'

Make it clear that you'll be looking for other opportunities in the meantime

'Setting clear expectations to the hiring manager helps to send a clear signal that candidates are not sitting idly and waiting by the phone forever — and it lets the employer in question know they're not the only business competing for their talents.'