Lengthy hiring practices and slow feedback from potential employers are among the biggest frustrations for jobseekers.
According to a poll of 1,000 jobseekers by recruitment firm Robert Half UK, 52% were concerned about slow feedback, while 44% said poor communication about the steps required of them was a frustration.
The research also discovered that 39% were unsatisfied with delayed decision-making, while 35% were frustrated by lengthy hiring practices and having to go through multiple job interviews with the same employer.
Recruitment selection
Matt Weston, director at Robert Half UK, said timely communication throughout the application process was important in keeping potential candidates interested in the role on offer.
He said: “With increasing concerns around a growing skills gap and top talent in short supply, businesses can’t afford to alienate prospective employees with drawn-out interview processes.
“A company’s recruitment process needs to be balanced against the expectations and frustrations of jobseekers. Companies should be thinking about how they can streamline application and interview processes to ensure that frustrations such as delays in providing feedback and poor communication, don’t cost them the best candidates.”
More than a third (38%) of jobseekers said they did not receive any feedback at all about their performance in an interview, while 46% claimed they were not told the reasons why they had not been offered a job.
Around half (52%) claimed they would not recommend a company as a potential employer if it had been slow to update them on progress or had failed to give them any feedback.
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About 36% of people suggested they would consider withdrawing their application if they had not been given an update about its status.
Weston added: “Disengaged job applicants who have had a negative experience with a company are not only more likely to withdraw their application, they could potentially speak negatively of the organisation at hand, jeopardising the attractiveness of the company as an employer of choice and even potential business.”
