Kristina FinsethFebruary 22, 2016
Topics: Candidate Experience

7 common job seeker stresses

Searching for a new job can be stressful for a job seeker mainly because of the high stakes. What's more important than finding a great fit that will improve your life?

The problem is that many job seekers let their stress and anxiety about finding a job get in the way of their ability to shine throughout the hiring process.

We've gathered a list of the top 7 stresses job seekers must face when searching for a job to help you better understand how to help ease the pains, make candidates feel comfortable and be able to shine throughout the hiring process.

1. Creating the perfect resumé

76% of candidates surveyed said that resumé writing was the most stressful part of the job search. Not only do candidates stress about the extreme detail that goes into creating their resumé, but also about how to best present themselves on paper. When interviewing candidates give feedback regarding their resumés. By pointing out things that are positive, you show candidates what you are looking for in a potential hire.

2. No feedback

Only 40% of job applications ever receive a response. Without even a simple automatic email response, employers are rejecting nearly half of job candidates without ever learning anything about them beyond their application. More than half (52%) of companies say they respond to less than half of candidates that apply. This unfortunate reality is that employers are under-estimating how much of an impact this has on a candidate's experience.

Job seekers are risking it all when they decide to make a change with their career. When candidates don't hear back from a company they become frustrated. One way to ease this frustration is to simply explain to candidates why they were not the right fit so they can move on and not wonder what else they could have done.

3. Not knowing the competition

When candidates apply for a job, they know that it's very likely that many other candidates with similar skills and experience have applied for the same position. Not knowing who candidates are up against can be stressful. It's a recruiter's job to assess a candidates strengths and weaknesses during the interview process in order to determine if the candidate fits the job. Let candidates know what you are looking for in a candidate so they can be prepared and confident when interviewing for the job. Both sides benefits when candidates are empowered to share their passions and recruiters can more easily judge whether a candidate would be suitable for a job or not.

4. Kept in the dark during the interview

The waiting game is one we all know and for job candidates this can be one of the most stressful aspects of the hiring process. The overall length of the hiring process can be different for every job based on the necessary assessments required to prove a candidate as a true fit. 86% of job seekers are employed while actively seeking employment elsewhere. Candidates have lives and this is why lengthy hiring processes are discouraging to many job seekers. To keep candidates engaged, keep them in the loop throughout the hiring process. Let candidates know your hiring agenda and keep them informed on how to best prepare for various rounds of interviews and assessments so they can be prepared and confident throughout the hiring process.

5. When and how to follow up

Candidates often hesitate to follow up after an interview. When a recruiter promises to follow up in a week and forgets to follow up with a candidate, they feel let down. Communicating well with candidates until the very end is important in order to build candidates' confidence and to also create genuine relationships.

6. Fitting in

When it comes to hiring, fitting in matters. Job seekers want a good fit as well as recruiters in order for everyone to be happy. Job seekers want to impress potential employers but also want to know that a company's culture is something that would make the candidates excited about going to work everyday. Provide candidates with relevant content such as job recommendations or in-house career content to allow candidates to see themselves in a position at your company.

7. The unexpected

In today's fast-paced world things are always changing. Things happen - from hiring freezes to unexpected mergers and buyouts there is always a chance that tomorrow an opportunity might disappear for uncontrollable reasons. Although the unexpected is unknown to the employer as well, employers should always be honest with candidates and do their best to answer questions regarding candidates' concerns.

Try not to overwhelm job seekers. Searching for a new job is extremely important for both job seekers and employers. Employers see hiring as a major business investment. By adapting your hiring process to ease job seekers' stress, you are giving job seekers hope and inspiring them to desire an opportunity at your company.



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