KEY POINTS:
There's little doubt that applying for a job takes a lot of effort and care.
Unfortunately, it seems some employers and job agency staff aren't reflecting that effort when it comes to telling candidates they didn't make the grade.
Stories abound of people hearing nothing at all after applying for a job - some are left languishing for weeks until they have to assume they weren't successful. Other job hunters receive text messages along the lines of "srry u dnt gt da jb. Gd lck".
Roman Rogers, general manager of recruitment agency Hudson, says while texting is a quick and concise way to communicate, he wouldn't expect his team to use it unless the candidate says it is okay.
The way companies and recruiters let job hunters know their decision reflects on the company.
"It is the experience the job seeker has, at every point of the [job hunting] process that determines how they feel about the recruitment consultancy or company as a place to work at in the future," says Rogers.
He says although the employment scene has flattened in some areas, that doesn't mean employers can treat candidates with any less respect.
"While there is an increase in the level of unemployment, we don't see the increased levels of people looking for work fixing the long-term skills shortage that we have. There are still some critical skills shortages across multiple industries and job families that will not be appeased by the current unemployment rate.
"It is important that employers take a longer-term view and while there might be, through certain months of certain years, an increase of talent in the marketplace, from a New Zealand standpoint, we have a long-term skills shortage.
"We need to be constantly aware of what is our [employment] brand, how we are perceived and the way that we engage with job seekers through the application process - it can have an impact on the brand of the organisation - not only in the eyes of that individual but also their friends and families who will get to hear of their experience."
Rogers says communication with candidates is consumer-driven and that what is acceptable to them is acceptable to him.
"It is currently accepted that there are different types of ways of communicating back to a job seeker on whether they have been successful or not. And much of that is dependent on how much the job candidate invested in that application process."
He says if a candidate had an initial screening interview over the phone then a call back saying the application won't be taken any further is an acceptable practice.
"The old rules of communication still apply. If someone sends you an email then an emailed reply is fine. If it is a call then you respond by phone - it's a like-for-like communication."
He says it makes sense to provide feedback to applicants as to why they were not selected , or to be interviewed for it.
"It is common decency and professionalism. And for those that have been interviewed face-to-face then a phone call letting them know the decision is a minimum requirement."
Rogers says it is crucial that all job hunters walk away from the interview having learned something.
"So if they weren't successful, let them know why. Recruiters and employers should provide meaningful information to the candidate so they can take it on board and reflect on it, to develop themselves for future opportunities. And again, this comes back to building the brand of the organisation that is looking to hire people."
Perhaps one reason for the casual way in which recruiters and company HR departments treat job hunters is simply because they have no time to respond to people properly.
"It is tough. And as the market becomes more demanding - as it is now - with more candidates looking for jobs, there is a lot more anxiety and urgency in them looking for jobs. So the pressure on hiring managers and recruitment consultants is getting greater."
Carol Dallimore, general manager of recruitment firm OCG, says many firms simply do not have the systems in place to react professionally to job candidates.
"It is a resourcing issue. Many smaller firms won't have a database or a method of handling a list of job applicants. So when they find the perfect person, and focus on them, then all the others become a lesser priority. They just don't understand, particularly if they don't have an HR department, the impact of setting all those other candidates adrift."
Like Rogers, Dallimore says people talk about how the employer treated them and that it can have an effect on the employer's brand.
"In the grand scheme of things a firm may be in the business of making widgets. They are not in the business of recruiting people. To them it is important to fill a vacancy, but it can be a small part of what they do day-to-day. I don't think they understand the flow-on effect.
"Often a member of staff is landed with the job of handling applications and are doing that as well as three other jobs. I don't think hiring managers are intentionally rude. But it is bad manners not to give candidates feedback."
Having sad that, Dallimore admits that not all candidates want to hear why they didn't get their dream job "because they may not agree".
"But generally, people do want to know why because they may be baffled, thinking they were perfect for the advertised position."
And this, says Dallimore, can be caused by generic job advertisements that do not make it clear whom the employer is looking for to fill their vacancy.
"Recruitment ads these days have to be written quite generally. At one time you could advertise for someone that had exactly this many years' experience, around this age, exactly this and exactly that - well you can't do that any more."
It is this, she says, that leads to people applying for jobs they are either under or over-qualified for - because the advert isn't specific enough - which can overwhelm those charged with managing the recruitment process.
It can become an unwieldy logistical nightmare.
"The feedback we get [from job hunters] is that they apply for jobs with firms and often hear nothing at all," says Dallimore.
"People send off CVs and never get an acknowledgment, they get no feedback and if they are very lucky a 'no go' letter may eventually turn up.
"People should get feedback very quickly as to whether they are in or out of the race. It is just good manners - but it is very time-consuming. Which is why companies use recruitment firms."
* How to handle job applicants
If asking for applications by email, set up a dedicated email address with an auto reply function that thanks people for applying and sets out a time line for the process.
Set up a database of applicants so you can keep details of them in one place.
If you screen people by phone and decide not to interview any of them formally, call each one back to say their application won't be taken any further. Be prepared for questions and have a solid rationale for the decision. Perhaps offer some constructive feedback that will help the candidate.
Once you have appointed a candidate, contact all applicants as soon as possible to thank them for applying and break the bad news.
Your job advertisements and recruitment process are part of your company's branding. Treat candidates with respect. Don't turn them off wanting to work for your firm through slack recruitment processes.
