New research reveals many employers are failing to monitor candidates' experiences when it comes to recruitment.
Up to 60 per cent of HR professionals are doing nothing to monitor the impact of their hiring experience, even though 70 per cent understand the importance of this factor to the recruitment process.
Some 64 per cent of those surveyed in the CEB Global Assessment Trends Report for 2014 said it would become more difficult to hire candidates within the next 12 months, meaning a company's image could grow in significance in as part of a successful recruitment process.
HR Review reports that nearly half (49 per cent) of candidates are left with a negative view of an organisation in a traditional recruiting process. One in five of these people will expose the business to reputational risks by complaining to family and friends or airing their grievances on social media platforms.
Ken Lahti, vice president of product development and innovation at CEB, said that while recruiters realise the importance of a positive candidate experience, very few are actively measuring candidate reactions.
He added that the recruitment process can be an important marketing tool and can have an impact on future candidates and customers.
"Unless companies invest in actively monitoring candidate experience and improving their hiring processes, the candidates they approach today may negatively influence the people they want to attract tomorrow. A poor reputation – born of bad candidate experience – can stifle the talent pipeline for the future," he said.
The difficulties in attracting suitable candidates anticipated by those surveyed in the CEB report were highlighted in the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's recent Report on Jobs.
It revealed the number of applicants available for jobs declined at its sharpest rate for 16 years during May as the number of vacancies continues to rise.
The availability of temporary and contracts staff, as well as those available for permanent positions, declined sharply. The greatest demand for staff was experienced in the accounting and financial sector.