haley marketing logo
Search
Close this search box.

Candidate Resentment Is Stronger Than Ever: What Can Your Staffing Firm Do?

Share this:

I read this article on ERE.net and the first statistic made my jaw drop:

“Talent Board’s latest global survey of job-seekers shows that candidate resentment spiked 75% in North America in 2021, the largest increase the organization has measured in the past decade.”

A 75% increase in candidate resentment?!

Here’s what’s behind this disturbing trend – and how can your staffing firm can turn resentment into respect (dare we say love?):

What’s driving this spike in candidate resentment?

In the early days of the pandemic, job seekers were much more flexible and forgiving of a poor candidate experience – we were all going through extremely tough times. And people involved in the employment equation (staffing firms, employers and individuals) were generally more empathetic and transparent. As a result, candidate resentment rates were pretty low throughout 2020.

But candidates’ patience has worn thin. Over the past two years, many employers (including staffing firms) seem to have lost the empathy and careful, timely communication that was typical in 2020. Several other factors are amplifying job seekers’ impatience and frustration:

  • Cumbersome application processes
  • Communication vacuums (e.g., candidates not knowing their application status or next steps in the hiring process)
  • Employers or recruiters who completely ghost candidates (yes, it’s still happening – even in today’s recruiting environment)
  • Slow-moving hiring processes
  • Over-reliance on ineffective and/or outdated technology and processes

These factors and more have converged to create a perfect storm of discontent – and compound the recruiting challenges our industry is facing.

How much is candidate resentment costing your staffing firm?

The Talent Board offers this simple online calculator to help you estimate potential lost revenue.

A poor candidate experience impacts whether an individual will ever apply to another job with your staffing firm. It can negatively affect your firm’s reputation (disgruntled candidates may trash you privately to friends and family, or publicly on social media or review sites). And it can even contribute to lost business (a resentful candidate may dissuade a potential future client from working with you). Bottom line? Upset candidates are really, really bad for business.

Turning the candidate resentment crisis around

While conditions are far from ideal right now, your staffing firm can do many things to turn the tides and improve every stage of the candidate experience – from attraction through placement and even redeployment. Here are a few resources to help:

Candidates Bashing Your Recruiters? That needs to stop… This post shares practical tips to improve candidates’ service experience – by treating candidates like customers.

How Do You Quantify the Value of a Great Candidate Experience? This post links to multiple resources that will help you improve candidate loyalty, build your employment brand, attract better talent and more.

3 Must-Have Automations to Improve Candidate Engagement in 2022 Ideas (including sample verbiage) for customized candidate automations that keep applicants engaged and informed during your placement process.

Candidate Automations and Journeys: Where Are We Going Wrong? Missteps in candidate automation journeys that undermine candidate experience and satisfaction.

Need more help improving your candidates’ experience?

We have the advice and solutions you need – connect with a marketing educator today!

Share this:

Hey you! Don’t miss out…

WEEKLY INSPIRATION

Get our best marketing tips—one idea a week. You’ll also get invites to our webinars, and exclusive offers on our products and services.

You may also like