Ecommerce Recruitment Expectations in 2020

Sep 16, 2020 1:50:16 PM

What do ecommerce candidates expect of the ecommerce hiring process? Should the recruitment strategy be to hire as quickly as possible? Or should it be a well-planned, structured process that helps single out that potential star employee?

How ever your ecommerce hiring process is done, the candidates still have expectations...could you lose out on the best talent if these aren't met? Using statistics from our 2020 ecommerce salary survey & insights report, we're going to share what our questionnaire respondents had to say.

How long do candidates expect the ecommerce recruitment process to take?

It's safe to say, now more than ever, that ecommerce talent is in high demand. As seen in our feature with Retail Week, ecommerce played a huge role throughout the Covid-19 crisis. Candidates know this and are really inspecting closely when it comes to the perfect role.

How long would they expect this to take? We asked, from submitting a CV/application to receiving a job offer, what they think the time frame of the ecommerce hiring process should be...

  • Less than 4 weeks: 23% (N/A in 2019 as this was a new option for the questionnaire in 2020)
  • 4 weeks: 23% (taking a big drop from 41% in 2019)
  • 6 weeks: 24% (down from 33% in 2019)
  • 8 weeks: 21% (17% in 2019, so a slight increase here)
  • 10+ weeks: 8% (up from 6% in 2019)
  • Other: 1% (3% in 2019)

It seems that expectations have evened out since 2019, as a process of 4-6 weeks was definitely the most popular choice then. Now, with the results so close together, it does show people are willing to commit to a longer process if it ensures they make the right choice.

This should tell hiring managers that it's important to be efficient yet detailed throughout the hiring process. You might have an urgent hire to make, but candidates will want every piece of information they can possibly get.

TIP: Do you have an urgent hire, but don't want to put candidates off with a rushed process? Explore ecommerce contract recruitment to help fill those gaps in the interim! 

Why feedback is vital in the ecommerce recruitment process

While the ecommerce industry is worldwide, it remains a close knit community of professionals who are passionate about their field. So, giving feedback to your candidates is important because ecommerce professionals respect this. We asked our questionnaire respondents what they would do should the process take longer than expected...

  • Approach the hiring manager for feedback...31%
  • Only wait for feedback if I loved the role/brand...18%
  • Assume they weren’t interested in hiring me...16%
  • Would have applied for other roles to focus on...16%
  • Wait a week or two before applying elsewhere...9%
  • Move on - there are other roles out there...9%
  • Other...1%

Once again, approaching the hiring manager for feedback tops the poll! We understand that some roles either receive hundreds of applicants or have a high number of candidates who make it to interview stages. These are the candidate who will need the feedback...they are showing an interest in your brand and team, so they deserve to know why it might not have been the best fit after the interview. Who knows...that amazing candidate who waited by the phone for feedback just might be on their way to a competitor of yours! 

TIP: If you are using a recruitment agency, they can support your process if things are delayed. Keep them updated so that they in turn can keep the candidates happy if they’re getting a bit restless!

Are you hiring ecommerce talent?

If you have ecommerce hires on the horizon, speak to cranberry panda about how we can help your ecommerce recruitment process! You can also download a full copy of our 2020 ecommerce salary survey report, which is full of amazing insights to help you structure a winning ecommerce team.

Download the 2020 ecommerce salary survey & insights report!

download 

What do you think?

Share your thoughts on this post - whether you agree, disagree or have your own insight to share, we want to hear from you!

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