With low unemployment, some employers feel that they are in the driving seat when it comes to recruitment and don’t feel the need to fully engage with job applicants; however, it is more important than ever to make an effort. Candidates can leave reviews on a number of websites and a couple of bad reviews can put people off, while good candidates will always find jobs and may even be headhunted. Recruitment tracking systems in the UK are so good that you can use them to make it easy to engage with your candidates and make them want to apply again if they don’t get the first job.

Use your tracking system to showcase your organisation. Most will let you put employee stories on there, so use these to show how much people like working for you. Stories that show someone going from a junior position to a more senior role are always good.

Recruitment tracking systems

Good tracking systems will be able to automatically email applicants. If they are not going to be invited for an interview, it is polite to let them know as soon as possible. People put a lot of work into applying for jobs. If you want to interview them, it is even more important to let them know promptly. Most people will apply for more than one job – even if yours is the one they really want, simple economics may mean they find something else while you are contemplating your next move.

Personalise your messages

Something that really makes a difference is personalising your messages; after all, we all want to feel that we are special. When you invite candidates to interview, make sure you tell them who will be conducting the interview, who to ask for – and their extension number – when they arrive, and anything else that will be useful for them. It goes without saying that you should ask the candidates whether they need any adjustments because of a disability.

Keep it simple

Make your application process as simple as possible. Whilst it may be important to have a detailed application if you are applying to be a nuclear physicist who will also be carrying out microsurgery on nematode worms, this is unnecessary most of the time and will probably put some people off. Keep the online part of your selection process simple. If you feel you need more than just an interview, do this later when you have shortlisted.

At the risk of upsetting overworked recruitment teams everywhere, telephoning shortlisted applicants – even if just to confirm some of the interview details – is a nice touch that is usually well-received. If they really don’t have time, ensure that you provide full details of the location and perhaps even give the candidates details such as the nearest stations; after all, it is all about candidate engagement.