'Simply taking antiquated methods of hiring and placing talent and bringing them online will not suffice'
It’s high time employers optimize the hiring experience for candidates.
That’s because 75 per cent of generation Z candidates have dropped out of a job application they were interested in because of poor hiring processes, reports Bullhorn, a software company dedicated to the staffing industry.
By 2025, gen Z employees are forecast to make up 27 per cent of the global labour force, according to the report.
“Work has become commoditized for younger generations, and enjoying a consumer-grade experience throughout the entire hiring journey has become just as important as the work itself,” says Andre Mileti, product evangelist for talent experience at Bullhorn.
“Talent are abandoning job applications and interviews at the same rate they abandon online shopping carts in search of a better deal, or faster shipping. They apply to numerous jobs in the time it took earlier generations to find and apply to one.”
Lack of communication
The most common reason cited for giving up on a potential job application is receiving a better opportunity while waiting for the other hiring process to finish (31 per cent), finds the survey of 1,000 gen Z candidates based in North America throughout the summer of 2022.
However, many also complain about a general lack of communication from the recruiter (17 per cent), along with the process taking too long (14 per cent) or being too complicated (13 per cent).
Overall, the majority (85 percent) concur that the entire job search and placement process is outdated, resulting in two out of five abandoning an opportunity between application and interview, and one in three giving up before even submitting an application.
This calls for employers to focus more on the hiring experience, says Mileti.
“If you don’t invest in a mix of modern digital marketing, recruitment, and user experience best practices, you’ll have a hard time attracting, engaging, and retaining digitally native talent.
“If the job application process is not as easy as scrolling through Instagram, you will lose. Simply taking antiquated methods of hiring and placing talent and bringing them online will not suffice.”
Having poor hiring practices can also hurt an employer’s reputation, according to David King, Canadian senior district president of Robert Half.
“Companies with long and arduous hiring practices open themselves up to negative consequences, including online complaints that can damage their credibility,” he said. “By creating a positive recruitment experience, organizations can avoid losing skilled candidates while strengthening their reputation as an employer of choice.”