It’s a familiar story among so many of those using recruitment companies in Belfast: they had the perfect candidate applying for a role with their company, but skimming that CV a little too quickly meant losing them to a competitor. Or maybe you just didn’t respond quickly enough to snap them up, or failed to communicate as well as you could have done?

There are so many cautionary tales out there about the ideal candidate who ‘slipped through the net’. Can you guarantee that it won’t happen to your firm? Nope, but you can maximise the likelihood of getting the right person in post when they apply.

Communicate well with your candidates

Keeping a candidate interested throughout the recruitment process isn’t just about treating them well. It’s about being clear with your communication, and doing what you say you will do. Candidates should be kept informed of the latest opportunities that pop up, but they should also know the stage you are at in the process.

You will especially need to show honesty to the candidate if you are at an early stage of recruitment, so that they have a sense of when to expect a hiring decision. In the meantime, by providing them with useful and relevant information, you can maintain their interest.

Engaging the candidate through the process

It’s all-important to ensure continued candidate engagement by continuing to talk to them. Where candidates are convinced that you are presenting the ideal opportunity for them, as well as that they actually stand a chance of success, they are unlikely to spend much time, energy and emotion applying for alternative vacancies.

You will therefore need to keep updating them with the latest information, including about the selection process, when the next stage is likely to happen and when you will probably make an offer.

Ultimately, it’s the candidate’s decision

Throughout the process, however, the clients of recruitment companies in Belfast like Webrecruit Ireland should never forget that it is up to the candidate whether they actually want the job.

Nonetheless, charm can make a big difference to how they perceive your company, even if they ultimately go elsewhere. That only makes it more likely that they’ll apply for future opportunities with your company, in addition to recommending you to colleagues.

Of course, the right location, salary and career prospects may have a lot to do with their decision, too!