5 Steps to Improve Communication with Applicants

Building credibility with applicants is about one thing: communication.

As an applicant, nothing is more frustrating than submitting an application and not hearing a word back from any hiring manager. As a company, one of the best ways to attract higher quality applicants is by establishing a reputation of clear and frequent contact in the hiring process.

Emails, phone calls, and even texting applicants improve the two-way flow of communication to build your company's reputation. Applicants want constant updates to feel their application is being reviewed and they are still being considered for the job position.

Communication is important in each step along the way from applicant to new hire. We suggest contacting applicants at the following points when:

Submitting an application.
Making application status updates.
It is determined they are not qualified for the job.
Scheduling job interviews.
Extending job offers.

ApplicantPro's hiring software has the solution to allow you to communicate with your applicants every step of the way during the hiring process.

1. The "Thank You" Email for Submitting and Application

The first step is confirmation of a completed application. A simple email satisfies the worry of a job seeker who needs physical evidence that their application was received. ApplicantPro sends an automated, customizable email to each candidate as soon as he or she submits an application.

ApplicantPro also goes a step further to communicate with applicants in the process of applying for a job. An automated email is sent to remind job seekers who start an application, but did not submit the application, to log back in and finish their application. In this way, ApplicantPro even helps you communicate with those candidates who are not yet applicants.

2. Application Status: Shown to Applicants

Applicant statuses are a great way to organize your candidate flow from "reviewed" to "interview scheduled" to "hired." Yet most companies fail to keep candidates informed where they are in this application process. Applicants just want to see change in their status as proof their application is under real consideration.

ApplicantPro allows you to show a status to the applicants to inform them of applicant status updates. However these applicant statuses can be tied to your internal application status, but display different information than the status a hiring manager sees. It is the perfect compromise between giving hiring managers privacy in making changes on an application and satisfying the constant applicant demand for updates on their application.

3. The Applicant Rejection Letter

As any applicant knows a rejection email is more comforting with resolution than not receiving anything. A simple applicant rejection email will save you time from applicants constantly calling to follow up on their submitted applications. The email can also put applicants' minds at ease and set a future expectation when candidates apply.

ApplicantPro offers a simple solution to save time on sending rejection emails. Using email templates you can setup personal emails that be sent on a mass scale. You can send rejection emails to all applicants with a "not qualified" or "not selected" status and easily track the emails.

4. Scheduling Job Interviews

Scheduling a job interview in ApplicantPro goes beyond sending a email to the candidate requesting an appointment. The system also allows you to schedule calendar reminders and even integrate the events in your calendar management software. Keeping track of interviews has never been easier to schedule.

5. Job Offer Letters

Finally, extending offer letters are easily setup as email templates in the ApplicantPro hiring software. The information is tracked and recorded. Messages can quickly be personalized and modified to a specific applicant's offer. The seamless communication will give the applicant the best transition from candidate to employee, improving your company's work environment credibility.

Additionally there are guidelines to best practices when communicating with applicants that include: clarity in messages, frequency, and personalizing all emails and texts an applicant receives. Here is a full list of best communication practices.

Learn more on how ApplicantPro's hiring software can help you better communicate with your applicants.