What is Candidate Relationship Management?

As a recruiter, you probably spend many hours looking for candidates. Once you find them, how much time do you invest in creating a relationship with them? Some people still take for granted that applicants will stay throughout the recruitment process. That is a mistake. In a scenario full of work opportunities, modern professionals can change their mind quickly. 

Here we notice the importance of a good candidate relationship management. Have you heard about this concept? At T2W we have an extensive experience in talent recruitment services and we are familiar with this concept. In this article, we’ll delve into candidate relationship management and the way it works. 

What is candidate relationship management? 

This is a recruitment perspective that focuses on creating a relationship between recruiter and candidate. As with any other type of relationship, empathy and frequent communication will be key. This goes in tandem with the idea of offering a good candidate experience. Additionally, a good candidate relationship management is beneficial when it comes to active and passive candidates. 

More than just a transaction 

As recruiters, we need to take a more human approach in our processes. Candidates no longer can be seen as variables inside a transaction. We can truly get to know strengths and capabilities of all applicants if we opt for a more empathetic approach towards them.  

Don’t forget that candidates are more likely to answer the call of a recruiter they know and trust. Likewise, building a relationship with candidates will give you a good idea of their personalities, which sometimes can define if a person is suitable for a position or not.  

If some of the current candidates you have don’t fit the position available, you can add them to your talent pool. This way, you will always have them at hand for the future. Even better, that relationship you build could give you one or more candidate referrals. It all depends on how well you take care of the relationship. To achieve that, you have to start by building a good relationship and maintain it in the long term. 

How to build a candidate relationship? 

One of the biggest benefits of creating a good relationship with your applicants is that it offers results over the short and long term. In that regard, candidate relationship management is great to catch the attention of passive candidates and engage them. Now, how can you build a good candidate relationship? With frequent interaction and empathy. 

Frequent interaction 

We all know that some recruitment processes can extend for several weeks, even months. This is particularly true when it comes to specific or technical positions. In those situations, you can’t leave your candidates waiting blindly with no interaction whatsoever. About 34% of candidates considers that a negative experience during recruitment could affect their decision to remain in the process. 

The candidate experience is built since the first time we contact the potential applicant. For that reason, it’s important to show an attentive personality and answer all their doubts. At the end of the day, that follow up is what sets you apart from the rest of organizations that will also be interested in the best candidates. 

Empathy 

One of the most important guidelines while building a good relationship with candidates is to follow the process from their perspective. We all have been candidates once. Nobody likes to keep waiting in a process that seems to go nowhere. Being left in that uncertain limbo is one of the most unpleasing feelings a professional can experience. That experience can affect negatively the employer branding. 

For that reason, empathy is key to identify the moments when you need to give some news about the process. Additionally, empathy is key when it’s time to offer feedback to unsuccessful candidates. On the other hand, you should also consider that contacting them every day would be counterproductive. That is the type of awkward relationship you need to avoid. 

Ideally, you can communicate with the candidate to offer a quick update about the recruitment process. If there is nothing new in the process, reaching out the applicant could be unnecessary. Of course, here you need to consider how much time has passed since the last communication. It would be a mistake to leave them for long periods without any news. You need to find a healthy balance between both perspectives. 

Technology for a good relationship 

While a good candidate relationship management makes us show our most empathetic and human side, we can use technology. In fact, it can help us have a more organized administration of the relationship. We are talking about candidate relationship management systems.  

This system can help you create and manage your talent pool, which is comprised of all the different professionals that have been in you processes. With this tool, you can communicate directly with candidates through text messages or phone calls. Since all candidates are inside the software database, communication is a lot easier. 

These are some aspects you need to consider regarding candidate relationship. In a world where candidate experience is vital, candidate relationship management can make the difference.  

At Talent2Win, we strive to align your company’s business objectives with the best Talent Acquisition strategies available. If you want to learn more about the services we offer, do not hesitate to contact us.