Whether you are a recruiter or a candidate, the selection process can sometimes turn out to be complicated, tedious, and even trying.
On the recruiter side, there are many challenges: they must identify and attract the rare gem who will perfectly fit the team. But, above all, they need to make sure they are selecting the right profile, since the wrong recruit can cost thousands to a company.
As for the candidate, he has quite a lot to worry about too: finding a nice working environment with the right working conditions and salary is not that easy. Targeting the wrong company can turn out to be a total fail.
Luckily, there is a simple yet great solution to everyone’s problem: asking employees to be a part of the recruitment process!
In this article, we will explain why promoting “employee advocacy” among your organisation can definitely be a great option to attract and recruit new talents!
EMPLOYEE ADVOCACY: A GREAT SUPPORT FOR YOUR EMPLOYER BRAND
Facts are facts: before applying for a job, every candidate will transform into an FBI agent to check your company’s background and practices. Why? Just because they want to know if they really belong in your team . It is no longer a secret for anybody: job interviews work both ways!
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study carried out by Epoka et Harris Interactive among young people aged from 18 to 30 years old shows that good working conditions, corporate culture and employer branding are the main criteria young workers rely on to choose a future company.
Hence, it is not surprising to see that specialised company-rating websites such as Glassdoor, Indeed and Choose My Company are so popular among job-seekers.
In short, if you want to attract new recruits, you should ask your current employees to support you! After all, why would you miss the opportunity to benefit from your employees’ influence. Did you know that
82% of the people would definitely trust a message published by a person over a company’s.
EMPLOYEE ADVOCACY TO IMPROVE CANDIDATES’ EXPERIENCE
On paper, applying for a job seems easy. Well, we are sorry to break it to you, but actually, it is not. For the candidate, this actually involves a lot of work.
First, he must write a personalised cover letter, one that will match both your job description and the values of your company. Then he has to adapt his resume and highlight the best skills required for the job. In addition, he also has to do in-depth research on your company. And finally, he must succeed in standing out
among all the other candidates.
If he ever gets to the job interview stage, he will have to prepare for it. And, knowing there is rarely a single job interview in a selection process, this preparation will take place at least a coupe of times.
For this reason, it is essential to make all possible efforts to ensure that the candidate’s experience is as pleasant as possible during all stages of recruitment, even if their profile is not selected. A good way to achieve this is to put him at ease by giving him the opportunity to chat more informally with some of your employees.
There is one thing we tend to forget: when it comes to young graduates or students, not all of them have had the chance to experience the professional world before entering the job market. They are therefore not all necessarily familiar with corporate codes and these interviews can be a real source of stress.
Organising more laid-back meetings to talk about company culture, for instance, can be a good way to allow the two parties to see if there is a match or not. These talks allow companies to see more of the candidate’s soft skills which is always useful.
EMPLOYEE ADVOCACY: IMPROVE YOUR RECRUITS’ LOYALTY
Another reason why you should definitely involve your employees in your recruitment processes is that, aside from improving the candidate experience, you will strengthen your employees’ feeling of belonging, as well as, give even more meaning to their work.
This point is not to be taken lightly.
90% of employees consider it important or essential that their company gives meaning to their work, and 85% expect their company to make them feel useful to others.
By being part of the selection process and having the opportunity to talk about their daily life within your company, their profession or the reasons that motivate them to work within your company, you give your employees the power to become ambassadors for your business.
And you would be right to do so because the voice of your employee is much more powerful than a simple job description. In fact, your employees are in the best position to promote your company among future recruits and help them picture themselves into their future work environment!
