The ecommerce recruitment process: Candidate expectations in 2017

Aug 16, 2017 1:54:44 PM

Are you hiring ecommerce professionals in 2017? If the answer is yes, you might want to know candidate expectations of the ecommerce recruitment process. At cranberry panda, we want to know everything there is to know about the ecommerce industry so we can share this knowledge with you.

Knowing candidate expectations is integral to a smooth recruitment process - you can plan your hiring process in advance, keep top candidates engaged and secure the right talent in perfect time. We asked respondents of our 2017 ecommerce salary survey & insights report what they expected from the ecommerce recruitment process and how they act if it takes longer than anticipated.

With the post summer hiring rush fast approaching, we thought now was the perfect time to share these key insights.

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

When we posed this question regarding the ecommerce recruitment process, we stated that the hiring period is from job application/CV submission to receiving a job offer. Here’s what our respondents had to say…

ecommerce-recruitment-process-expectations

 

As you can see, there has been a significant increase of ecommerce professionals who expect the recruitment process to take 4 weeks from 2016. There has also been quite a shift in the 30% who believed the process would take 1-12 weeks in 2016, with only 9% expecting it to take this long in 2017.

For the 3% who selected other in 2017, expectations included:

  • Less than 2 weeks
  • 1-2 weeks
  • 3 weeks
  • As long as it takes if it’s the right position
  • One phone call (freelance respondent!)

It seems some respondents expect the ecommerce recruitment process to take even less than the most popular answer of 4 weeks, while some are willing to wait if the role feels right for them.

We should acknowledge that hiring processes do vary depending on internal process, role seniority and the time of the year. However, it’s still important to understand expectations so that recruitment within the ecommerce team can be the best it can be. You don’t want to miss the best candidates because of a delay, which brings us to our next point…

What would ecommerce professionals do if the recruitment process took longer than expected?

During the ecommerce recruitment process, it’s likely that candidates are speaking with brands like yours and recruitment agencies. To ensure your process is seamless and appeals to the best candidates, there are many things you will need to address throughout the process.

Our survey respondents told us* what they would do if the process took longer than anticipated. Take a look at their responses below…

*Please note that respondents were welcomed to give more than one response for this question, so responses do not total 100%

“I would have applied for loads of roles – I’d probably have forgotten what the role was even about.”

12% of our respondents said that this would be their reaction…would you really like to be the company people ‘forget’ about because the hiring process wasn’t executed well? Stand out from the crowd and sell that role so people can’t forget it.

“I would approach the hiring manager for feedback.”

With 30% of respondents stating they would approach the hiring manager in charge of the ecommerce recruitment process, this was the most popular response. Interview or CV feedback should always be given, no matter how busy the recruitment process might get. If you are working with a recruitment agency or speaking with the candidate directly, a full procedure for candidate feedback must be in place before you begin the process.

“I would only wait for feedback if I really loved the role/brand.”

20% of our respondents would take this action…and it’s quite surprising! Is enough being done in the ecommerce recruitment process to sell the role or brand enough for candidates to ‘love’ it? Engage them in interview process with relevant tasks, immerse them in the company and tell them how much of a difference the role will make! If there is a delay, you have at least made steps to engage the candidates fully. Of course, there should still be a process in place to keep candidate updated if decisions have been delayed.

“I’d probably move on (there are loads of opportunities out there!)”

This is quite a similar reaction to the first response, with 7% saying they would simply move on. Again…do not be the brand people forget about!

“I’d give it a week or two, then look elsewhere.”

Only 10% of respondents would be willing to wait a week or two beyond their expectations of the ecommerce recruitment process. A higher percentage would suggest that ecommerce professionals are remaining engaged throughout the process, so if great candidates are waiting beyond their expectations you should be keeping them updated and answering their questions/concerns.

“I’d assume the brand wasn’t interested in me.”

18% would simply assume silence is their application feedback. As stated above, feedback is crucial in the ecommerce recruitment process as it sets a benchmark for the kind of candidates you want to see working in your team.

2% of our respondents selected ‘other’ for this question, and their responses include:

  • Ask why there is a delay – An interesting one…rather than ask for feedback, this respondent wants to know why the process is taking so long.
  • Call the recruiter – So this candidate works with recruiters and would want them to get to the bottom of the delay. As mentioned, it doesn’t matter who you’re providing feedback to…it must be delivered one way or another.
  • I would assume they weren’t serious about hiring – Any company should hear alarm bells if candidates believe they don’t take the recruitment process seriously!

The cranberry panda recruitment process

Thanks to our client relationships, we are happy to say our process is in line with candidate expectations. Our average time to fill a role* for a client (from taking the job description to offer acceptance) is 4 weeks, with the majority of junior to mid-level roles resulting in placements in 3 weeks, on average.

*Figure taken from internal marketing research in July 2017

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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