Dive Brief:
- Inappropriate interview question are job seekers' top deal breaker, according to more than half of respondents to a Harris Poll survey conducted for the American Staffing Association (ASA) Workforce Monitor.
- Others pointed to unrealistic skill expectations, misrepresentations of job tasks, aggressive behavior and unresponsiveness, among other things
- "Each touchpoint in the recruitment process vitally matters to job seekers," said Richard Wahlquist, ASA president and chief executive officer, in a media release. "In the tightest labor market in modern history, and facing fierce competition for talent, employers cannot afford to make costly mistakes that prevent individuals from applying for employment or accepting job offers."
Dive Insight:
Recent research continues to demonstrate the importance of a positive candidate experience. Recent PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) findings support the ASA's results. According to PwC, 49% of job seekers have rejected an offer because of a poor candidate experience. And an even greater number of said they discouraged family members and friends from applying for jobs at those companies.
Even in a less formal business environment, experts say employers can't opt out of acknowledging receipt of applicants' resumes, fail to communicate with candidates throughout the hiring process and avoid offering feedback.
Modern tech can make these tasks easier, "but checking in via phone or in-person goes a long way, " Brett Good, senior district president for Robert Half, previously told HR Dive; face-to-face interaction can be quite impactful, he said.
And when it comes to addressing that top deal breaker — inappropriate questions — talent pros can ensure that hiring managers have received proper interview training.
