If you’re having trouble attracting and retaining talent, one major reason could be your recruitment process. It’s not just about candidates dropping out after interviews — you may also be experiencing bad communication, your time was disrespected in the process, or bad hiring manager interview techniques that never give candidates any feedback.

Or maybe all of these were issues at some point in your past — and maybe they still are today! It’s time to stop losing candidates in your recruitment process.

Evaluate your current process

If you're losing candidates in your recruitment process, it's time to take a step back and evaluate what might be going wrong. Are your interviews too long? Is there bad communication between the recruitment team and candidates? Take a close look at your process and make changes where necessary.

For example, check in with hiring managers, and get feedback from your team and even candidates. Feedback is what can help solve any hidden issues you may not be seeing,

Set up a communication flow that works for everyone

One of the main reasons candidates drop out of the recruitment process is poor communication. To prevent this, set up a communication flow that works for everyone involved. This means being clear about expectations, deadlines, and next steps. It also means being responsive to questions and concerns. Finally, make sure to provide feedback after each stage of the process.

The flow should start with an initial contact (whether a call, email etc.) followed by a clear first step that indicates what happens next. In addition, make sure each person knows where they stand at every stage of the process and when to expect the next step.

Provide Feedback even when there is none

'No news is still news' as Greg Savage says. Let your candidate know any news, so they don't feel unsure or lost. If they expect to hear from you after 2 days but you have no news, just tell them the truth and keep the relationship communication open.

Listen & remember candidates are people too

Always remember that candidates are people too. Just like you, they have feelings and emotions. And just like you, they don't want to waste their time.

Remain personable

One of the main reasons candidates drop out of the recruitment process is because they feel like they're just a number. It's important to remain personable throughout and make them feel like an individual. This can be as simple as sending a handwritten note after their interview or taking the time to have a conversation with them instead of just conducting a rapid-fire Q&A session.

Understand they may still go for a more suitable opportunity elsewhere, as would you

It's important to remember that just because a candidate has interviewed with your company, it doesn't mean they're fully committed to taking the job if offered. They may have other opportunities that are a better fit for their skills and experience, or they may simply change their mind about wanting the position. Either way, it's important not to take it personally if a candidate you've interviewed decides not to accept a job offer from your company.