There’s no denying new hiring tools have made our lives easier, especially in the retail and hospitality industries. Instead of sifting through a hundred paper résumés a week, basic software can process the same information in seconds. 
But how do these jobseekers feel about this technology?
If your hiring process is overly automated from the jobseekers’ perspective, it will be hard to keep them engaged. To create a hiring process that balances your need for efficiency and jobseekers’ expectations, you need to understand how today’s jobseekers feel about different hiring tools.
When They Apply, Hold Off on Complicated Tech
The hiring process can drag on for a long time, and jobseekers know this. But they don’t want to invest hours of time on a first step they might not get past.
In fact, my company’s latest study revealed 50% of retail and hospitality jobseekers want the first step of the application process to be a simple way to upload their résumé. In addition, 14% want a one-click option that fills in their information from their LinkedIn, Indeed, or other existing profile. Only 3% said they’d be willing to do something more involved like a personality assessment.
When considering hiring tools, make sure they make the first step easy. After you receive jobseekers’ initial information, the following steps can become more involved. But at this point in the hiring process, jobseekers don’t want to jump through difficult tech hoops.
If your company uses a customized application—27% of the jobseekers we surveyed said they preferred this when applying—track the page analytics. What percentage of jobseekers are completing the application? Is there a certain page with an extremely high dwell or drop-off rate? If so, simplify that part of the application, or get rid of it altogether.
When You Communicate, Get Personal
If a candidate has proven he or she deserves to move on in the hiring process, he or she expects to be treated as someone you value rather than a faceless applicant.
In fact, 33% of jobseekers we surveyed prefer to receive a personalized phone call when they’re invited to move on in the hiring process. And 31% want a personalized e-mail.
This is not the time to automate. Sure, sending out a hundred automated responses is easy, but if it turns away a third of your candidates, what’s the point? Instead, make the effort to personally contact each candidate. The key here is to start building a relationship.
When customizing communications with candidates, don’t just rely on a template and swap out the candidate’s name. Include why you’re interested in him or her. Find something from his or her cover letter or LinkedIn profile that aligns with the organization. This is your chance to create a meaningful connection with him or her.
When You Assess, Use Tech Shortcuts
Just because candidates expect customized communications doesn’t mean they’ll wait around forever for it. In fact, 40% of jobseekers in the retail and hospitality industries want confirmation that their application was received within 24 hours, according to our survey.
If you’re going to meet these expectations, you can’t spend days assessing and deliberating over candidates. Use hiring tools that can quickly narrow down your options for a job interview.
But know that after a job interview, 50% of candidates we surveyed want to know if they got the job within just 3 days. So, you need technology that can help you compare candidates in an objective, but speedy, way. Use ATS systems that allow you to rank skills and add notes after each interview. The more factors it can incorporate to recommend a decision, the better.
When Trying New Tools, Look to the Future
It can take people a while to get used to new technology. This is why, in addition to considering what’s most popular with jobseekers now, you also need to think about what’s trending toward the future.
For example, retail and hospitality jobseekers between the ages of 18 and 35 are more likely to prefer doing a prerecorded video pitch than a live video interview, according to our survey. As more of this young talent enters the job hunt, there will be a higher expectation that companies use these technologies.
If you’re unsure what hiring tools will gain popularity, try different options out. Sign up for free trials, and see what types of jobseekers you get. If the candidates tend to be younger, that’s a good sign the technology will continue to attract talent for a while.
| Ray Gibson is the co-founder and CEO of StartMonday, an innovative recruiting platform for hospitality and retail designed for mobile-generation candidates and time-strapped recruiters. |