Insights from Engagedly’s State of AI in HRM, 2nd Edition Survey.
Finding the right people and conducting frequent hiring drives are challenges that HR and recruiting managers frequently face. This can be a distraction from other important tasks and waste important time.
On the other hand, turning turned-down candidates into brand advocates might be a smart move to capitalise on their favourable impressions of your business and preserve your good name in the hiring community.
Continue reading to learn the top nine tactics you can use to convert unqualified applicants into passionate brand ambassadors for your business. Now let’s get started!
It takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to organize recruitment drives and reach out to potential employees to fulfill the hiring goals. Consequently, organizations often focus more on retaining existing employees and upskilling them.
Mentioned below are some reasons to consider rejected candidates for brand ambassadors:
Engaging with rejected candidates also shows that your business values openness, dignity, and ongoing development. In this manner, you may transform what would have been a bad encounter into a chance that benefits your business and the prospect.
As an employer, how you handle rejected applicants can play a big role in turning rejected candidates into employee brand ambassadors.
Here are some strategies you can implement to ensure the applicant has a positive candidate experience.
One of the most important steps recruiters must follow during hiring drives is to ensure each candidate, selected or rejected, is communicated the result in a timely manner. Additionally, rejected candidates must not be sent generic rejection emails.
The emails should be thoughtfully drafted and highlight the reason why the candidate was not selected. It is also recommended that employers express genuine regret for not being able to move the applicant’s application forward.
Recruiters must make it a practice to offer constructive feedback while rejecting an applicant. A thorough feedback system enables applicants to pinpoint their areas of weakness and concentrate on those that need work.
This not only shows that you value their professional development but also creates a long-lasting impression of support and interest in their achievement.
Very few recruiters and employers ask for feedback from applicants to develop a more effective and candidate-centric approach. When you ask for feedback, ensure you collect it on a qualitative rather than a quantitative scale. Qualitative feedback can enable you to identify particular areas for improvement and scalability.
You can also consider providing a platform or survey where rejected candidates can anonymously share their thoughts and suggestions about the recruitment process. This will help you gather valuable insights and improve your hiring process based on their feedback.
If an applicant is not selected, it is important to highlight future opportunities for them. This will keep them connected to the company, increase the possibility of reapplication, and foster a continuous relationship that benefits all the stakeholders involved.
This way, you can maintain a positive relationship with rejected candidates and keep them engaged with your company’s future opportunities. Also, you can consider providing them with resources or guidance on how they can enhance their skills or qualifications for future roles.
After the application process is finished, it is recommended that all applicants, selected and rejected, connect on social media.
This will establish a productive line of communication between the applicant and the organisation. Additionally, you may use social media platforms like Instagram reels, Twitter chats, LinkedIn newsletters, and more to tell prospects about the company’s accomplishments and highlights.
Add rejected candidates to your talent pool or talent network. They might be appropriate for chances in the future within your company, even though they weren’t the best fit for the current post.
You can keep your relationship going strong and make it more likely that they will become brand ambassadors in the future by keeping them updated about potential job opportunities and keeping them engaged.
Post employee endorsements on your website and social media pages. By showcasing the positive experiences of current workers, you may give rejected prospects a glimpse of your company’s culture and values and what it’s like to work there.
By doing this, you may keep their interest in your business alive and perhaps develop brand ambassadors who spread the word about your excellent experiences.
Providing appropriate upskilling and mentoring opportunities to rejected candidates is also a great way to provide them with a positive and fulfilling experience.
Additionally, it demonstrates your sincere concern for their success—even if it is outside of your company—if you offer to put them in touch with organisations or other resources that might better suit their abilities and career objectives.
This shows them that you are dedicated to being a helpful resource for them as they advance in their careers and can create a good impression that will stick with them, possibly making them become brand advocates for your company.
Converting rejected candidates into employee brand ambassadors is indeed achievable with the right strategies and practices in place.
By implementing the strategies mentioned above, you can turn what might have initially been a disappointing outcome for candidates into a mutually beneficial partnership.
Through these initiatives, rejected applicants can convert into vocal brand ambassadors who promote the company, recommend outstanding talent, and support an environment that values openness, honesty, and constant recruiting process development.
If you need help with converting rejected applicants into brand ambassadors, you can reach out to Engagedly. Renowned for their commitment to delivering positive experiences for both employees and employers through their smart people and strategy solutions, Engagedly can help streamline your processes, enhance productivity, and foster greater employee engagement.
To discover more about Engagedly’s offerings, connect with our customer service team or schedule a complimentary demo now!
A rejected candidate can be reached through a variety of methods, like social media interaction, regular company newsletters, and personalized emails. Some organizations also rely on recruitment software and applicant tracking systems they use to maintain communication with rejected candidates.
Ensure you provide a positive experience for the candidate to enhance their chances of reapplying. You can also ask them directly if they will be willing to come back, along with leveraging some upskilling and networking opportunities they will provide.
Rejected candidates can still improve your employer’s brand by advocating for your company’s culture and values within their professional networks, sharing positive experiences, and referring appropriate candidates.
Rejected candidates need to hear constructive criticism that emphasizes their strengths and areas for improvement. The feedback should be clear, applicable, and given with grace to support the candidate’s professional development.
Companies can maintain confidentiality by clearly and concisely informing rejected candidates of their data protection and privacy policies. Confidentiality and candidate privacy can also be preserved by using secure communication methods and anonymizing sensitive information during conversations.
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