Recruitment is a double-faceted process. While your HR team is eager to pick the brightest talents from the pool, applicants are also putting in a similar amount of enthusiasm to get hired. According to JobNet.com.mm data, vacancies in most competitive job functions, such as Customer Service, Accounting or Administrative receive over 100 applications each on average. Often too many applicants would not hear back from the company after submitting, and a large proportion of candidates would not be clarified about their status after interviews. This ‘candidate experience’ of job seekers throughout the recruitment process is a vital component of your employer branding. A satisfied candidate, even if rejected, would recall and share among their networks the positive experience and overall impression of the company. The followings are 6 tips that could enhance candidate experience for better employer branding of your organization:
1. Job Posting
As the first point of contact between candidate and company, job postings need to be clear and accurate, both in terms of content and channel of delivery. This is to attract and motivate the job seekers, so an exhaustive laundry list of requirements with unreasonable job scopes certainly would not help. There have been cases on Myanmar social media where ridiculous job postings were mockingly shared widespread, and you don’t want to be attached in that viral campaign.
Additionally, the postings should include relevant company information, salary range and benefits, while mentioning contact information and prospective supervisors. Place your ad on established job portals such as JobNet in order ensure maximum outreach with all the necessary information covered. We have elaborated specific tips for writing an effective job advertisement here.
2. Smooth Application
Asking too many personal details with multiple application procedures can confuse and turn off the applicants, especially for passive candidates who are somewhat undecided about switching jobs. A typical applicant spends about 3-4 hours preparing and submitting a full job application, and lengthy procedures would be deemed unworthy. Keep also in mind the mild digital literacy of many Myanmar applicants, and they may not comprehend complicated steps.
Provide in advance a clear list of required documents and information so that the applicants do not have to go back and forth. More importantly, try out the application yourself, either on your own career site or a job portal, and carry out evaluation and feedback from successful applicants. In Myanmar, smart phones are more common than personal computers for internet browsing, so make your application portal mobile friendly as well.
3. Transparency
Depending on industries, company culture and stakeholders involved, different companies are looking for different personas even for the same title. Let the job seekers know your expectations of an ideal candidate, and how the recruitment will be executed, such as the duration between each stage. This allows the candidates to be prepared and alerted, and is also a chance for you to highlight the uniqueness of your brand.
Silicon-valley tech giants have publicly disclosed ‘How They Hire’ articles where they mention the specific qualities they are looking for in a candidate on top of conventional requirements. This is something Myanmar companies can follow, for instance, by showcasing the testimonials of a top performing candidate in your firm. In a high context work culture like Myanmar where there are nuances between what is meant and what is said, transparency can provide satisfactory explanations to applicants regardless of application outcomes, and prevent possible badmouthing.
4. Be Punctual
Always stick to the original timeline mentioned in the job application at all stages of the recruitment, including communications for application receipts, interview appointments, and in unfortunate cases, rejections. Candidates have already invested time for job research, application and traveling, so punctuality is a way of showing appreciation to their efforts.
This on the other hand is a way of securing the top talents in the market who are always haunted by leading companies. They are likelier to accept the first of two similar offers, so the longer time you waste, the more competitive offers they will receive. Many Myanmar applicants may not have come across punctual and time effective companies before yours, so cultivate this opportunity to set yourself as a benchmark in the industry.
5. Showing Respect at Each Step of Recruitment
Showing respect is easier said than done, and ‘customization’ is the ultimate way of proving it. In place of automated messages from career@company.com, communicate via phone calls or personalized emails to confirm the interview availability and task understanding, if any, of the candidates. Give them a tentative agenda of the interview and attending personnel, give them full attention to their answers, and thoroughly respond to their questions.
In case, they follow-up with a thank you note, do acknowledge and reply with courtesy. In the event of rejections, however, emails are the best channel to deliver the bad news. For companies, the fight for talent attraction is harsh, but there is a fiercer battle out there for candidates, given the rising economic hardship in Myanmar. At the end of the day, let the candidates cherish the small but positive subtle recognitions you give, and let them spread the positivity via word of mouth.
6. Don’t Burn The Bridge
Silence is a horrible ingredient for candidates, and everyone understands that you cannot bring all applicants on board. As soon as after the deliberation, send out rejection emails timely, politely and professionally, and in ideal cases, include some detailed feedback about their strengths and areas for improvement. End the email with positivity and let them know that they are unfit for that specific job at this specific timing at this specific stage of their careers.
Myanmar job seekers have tendency to take these professional actions very personally with a strong emotional attachment not just towards the decision but also to the overall brand perception. To prevent any loss of customers and prospective candidates, offer them to stay in touch, and keep these ‘silver medalists’ engaged for future job openings that could be a perfect fit.