I have a prediction for 2022. Candidates will still hate recruiters.
OK, “hate” is a strong word. I get it. So here’s my prediction: Candidates will still hate recruiters.
And they likely always will. If that sounds pessimistic, I believe it’s just realistic. The majority of job applicants get turned down. A good candidate experience might mitigate the accompanying hurt, but ultimately, people will still come away bruised.
Thing is, when people feel slighted, many need someone to blame (other than themselves, naturally). The easiest targets are recruiters. All of which is to say that recruiting is not a profession for those who live for the applause. Yes, it can be gratifying to connect people with jobs, but at the end of the day, it’s too much to expect that a positive candidate experience will automatically neutralize negative feelings experienced by rejected candidates.
This is not to say that delivering an optimal candidate experience isn’t important. It is. My point is simply that we shouldn’t pretend that doing so is the key toward turning around stereotypical perceptions of recruiters.
In other words, you shouldn’t create a terrific candidate experience to help people like or appreciate you or your company. You should do it despite all of that.
With that in mind, here are top ERE candidate experiences stories of 2021:
A Traumatic Job Search: “I Was Rejected for Embodying Company Values”
Are You Failing at the Easiest Way to Improve the Candidate Experience?