Hiring ecommerce talent: why candidate feedback is crucial

We’re back with another #PandaPounds exclusive, all about hiring ecommerce talent! Following on from part one, which looked at the importance of making sure the recruitment process is as succinct as possible, we’re now going one step further.

It’s all in the planning – when you know you have a vacancy to fill, you should plan each stage so that the process runs smoothly once it kicks off. You absolutely need to make time for providing feedback to candidates – it’s important to maintain a professional and fair culture, even with people who may not succeed in the interview process.

Why is candidate feedback so important?

Again, it comes back to how you represent your brand and handle the candidates experience. The industry is fast paced but is very close knit also. If an ecommerce professional speaks of a negative recruitment process, it can put others off if they have heard bad things.

Feedback, even if it’s to let the candidate know they haven’t been successful, is greatly appreciated in the ecommerce industry. In our 2019 ecommerce salary survey & insights report, 62% told us that learning new skills is a big goal for them this year. It just shows that learning is important to ecommerce professionals, and feedback helps them move forward and improve.

Tip: Even if you are waiting for feedback from other team members or managers who met the candidate, it is better to let the recruiter know you are waiting rather than saying nothing. That way a constant feed of updates can keep the candidate in the loop and feeling valued.

Not providing feedback whether they got the interview/job or not doesn’t just look bad on you, it puts a mark on the whole brand that you do not value new employees.

What would candidates do if the process took longer than expected?

In the first part of this blog, we revealed that 41% of ecommerce professionals expect the hiring process to take 4 weeks. 33% expect a process of 6 weeks, so a process of 4 – 6 weeks is expected by the majority. To find out more about these expectations, we also asked our respondents what they would do if the process took longer. Here’s what they told us…

• 32%: I would approach the hiring manager for feedback
• 20%: I’d assume the brand wasn’t interested in hiring me
• 20%: I would only wait for feedback if I really loved the role or brand
• 13%: I would have applied for loads of roles – I’d probably forget what the role is about
• 10%: I’d forget about it – there are other roles out there
• 3%: Other (Keep in touch with my recruiter, reach out to my own network of recruiters and contacts and carry on applying/searching for other roles.)
• 2%: I’d wait another week or two before moving on

These answers speak volumes – a small number of respondents would wait a bit longer, while the rest would move on in some way or another. With the majority saying they would approach the hiring manager for feedback themselves, it’s clear feedback is valuable to job seekers.

Below are a few more reasons why feedback doesn’t just help the candidate…it helps you too!

• First impressions count! Ensure from the meeting stages, speaking on the phone and consistency of quality feedback you keep those ideal candidates engaged. Do not forget to let those unsuccessful professionals aware and provide feedback as you never know who they will speak to or if they will be suitable for a future role.
• This is a big one if you have your eye on any candidates you have met with. The last thing you want is them to presume you are not interested, when the reality is the complete opposite.
• Candidates applying for other roles causes problems down the line when it comes to the offer stage. Instead of them being set on your brand, they may be in other interview stages that they want to see through to the end. This will inevitably delay your recruitment timeline.

A quick email with feedback or a phone call to keep your recruiter in the loop takes a few minutes out of your day. It will make the world of difference to not only your reputation, but the brand you want to bring candidates into. A smoother recruitment process will solidify the relationship with the lucky candidate and your recruitment agency.

Stay tuned for more #PandaPounds exclusives

We’re excited to share more ecommerce hiring insights from the 2019 ecommerce salary survey & insights report! Make sure you download a copy now – you can also get a copy of our ecommerce hiring guide, all about setting up your interview stages. Click the link below and make your ecommerce hiring process a success!