Brand reputation at risk as too many employers ‘waste candidates’ time’, insight reveals

Employers are losing potential talent and damaging their reputation as an employer of choice by putting candidates through unnecessary assessments and ‘wasting their time’, according to global talent acquisition and management firm Alexander Mann Solutions.

In insight revealed at its recent Catalyst event – which featured HR and talent experts from the likes of Credit Suisse, Santander and SAP – Alexander Mann Solutions highlighted that organisations are focusing too much attention on finding as many applicants as possible, to the detriment of the candidate experience.

In light of the firm’s recent 2016 Global Recruiting Survey which revealed that a staggering three quarters of those considered for a job do not even meet basic role requirements, this latest insight outlines that a lengthy assessment and interview process is being required of individuals that could have been ruled out of the process earlier on.

Alexander Mann Solutions has urged employers to assess individuals more efficiently and at an earlier stage so as not to waste candidates’ time and therefore improve the applicant experience.

Jeremy Tipper, Consulting and Innovation Director at Alexander Mann Solutions comments:

“It’s all too common to see large numbers of candidates subjected to lengthy assessment processes only to discover that they are not right for the role as they don’t fit with the culture or are lacking certain technical skills. Given advancements in technology it is entirely possible to quickly measure these attributes very early on in the hiring process, but it appears that very few are doing this. The result is an unsatisfactory candidate experience that will put individuals off engaging with a brand both as a potential employee and a customer in the future.”

“Added to this, the financial investment in putting such a large amount of applicants through the assessment process is simply not viable. Instead, organisations need to think smarter about their approach and ensure they are implementing a quick assessment process that leaves all users with a satisfactory – or preferably exceptional – experience.”