A little acknowledgement can go a long way. Companies should keep this in mind when people take the time to apply to a job opening. Unfortunately, many companies still tend to dismiss job applicants they don’t want to hire with the cold corporate voice of silence. These are missed opportunities to reach out to – and even win over – customers.
Silence can be deadly. Think about the person on the other end. What if they are loyal customers and brand enthusiasts? When they don’t hear back from your company after applying for a job, do you think they will still feel good about buying your products, shopping in your store or on your website?
What little thing could you do to show appreciation to the person who applied?
Many years ago, I heard that Cold Stone Creamery sent coupons for free ice cream to applicants the company turned down. Pretty sweet letdown, huh? If more companies did stuff like that, there might not be as many hard feelings when the job lands someone else.
There’s not a coupon for everything. And many HR departments’ recruiters don’t have the time or need help developing a plan for this. This is a good opportunity for Marketing or Corporate Communications to partner with HR and create a letter and coupon (if applicable) to give to turned-down applicants.
A template letter doesn’t have to be robotic as if it came from a cold-hearted R2D2. Just explain your company really appreciates someone took the time to apply and has interest in the business. Explain you hope they watch for future openings. When your company turns applicants away, it shouldn’t also be turning off customers.
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I agree that a lack of communication isn’t good for anyone. I think the coupon idea is great!