Quickest Way to Fix the Hiring Process: The Rejected Candidate Survey

I think CEOs and BODs and would be stunned by the damage done to their company’s reputation and brand as a result of a poor hiring managers. In my previous post, I make the argument to remove hiring managers from the hiring process. But, if you really want to know what your hiring managers are doing to your company’s brand and reputation, send a “Rejected Candidate Survey” to every candidate who interviews with anyone who represents your company.

Hiring managers seem to be the only role in a company completely protected from “feedback.” That needs to change.

I’d recommend the following questions (Strongly Disagree <-> Strongly Agree)

1. The interviewers were prepared and engaged.
2. I had adequate time to present my skills and experience.
3. I understood the job’s responsibilities, goals, and how my work fit into the department/organization.
4. The interviewer(s) represented the company and brand in a professional and positive manner.
5. The recruiter/interviewers communicated with me throughout the entire recruitment process.
6. My time was respected.
7. I left with a positive view of the company, brand, and culture.
8. The on-line application process was user friendly.
9. I would consider other employment opportunities at the company.
10. I would recommend my friends or other associates to seek employment at the company.

Stop wasting your IT talent with stupid pop-ups in the middle of an on-line app, and annoying notifications asking me to evaluate your application’s web page! I’m not your QA ! Log on, parse some resumes, and do it yourself! Better yet, Mr. Hiring Manager, Executive VP, CEO, and HR director — log into your application site and (try to) apply. That’ll tell you everything you need to know about the application experience. What you don’t have is metrics on the interview experience – and that is a serious problem.

Your Brand and Reputation

Companies spend millions of dollars on marketing and branding. They host lavish sales conferences, publish brand guidelines, train and supervise sales staff during client interactions, and monitor external correspondence all to ensure that the company is on point, on message, and being represented in the best possible light.

However, these same companies allow anyone to interview!! What is overlooked in this external touchpoint is the irreparable damage that “hiring managers” can do to a company’s image, brand, and reputation.

According to a recently LinkedIn Poll, approximately 64% of all job applicants have encountered rude, distracted, or disrespectful hiring managers during their job interviews.

If you are hiring, you need to remember this: YOU represent the brand, the company, the culture. Every interaction, every touchpoint is a chance to build or damage the brand. In many cases, YOU are the only person that applicant will ever meet from that company. S/he will walk away from that interview with an impression of the company that is inextricably intertwined with their impression of YOU.

If CEOs, BODs and executives knew how hiring managers were KILLING their company’s reputation and brand, they’d end the practice of 1:1 hiring manager interviews immediately.

The idea that anyone at any time can represent themselves as an agent of the company to external resources and vendors with absolutely zero oversight or feedback is absurd! The only reason this ridiculousness has gone on for as long as it has is because “that’s the way it’s always been….”

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