Great candidates often see job postings but don’t apply. They’re interested in the opportunity, but they hesitate to take the next step.
I often hear from these reluctant professionals: “I would absolutely be interested in this role. I had actually been looking at this opening a few days ago, but had not yet applied” or, “I was about to apply and might do so within the next week or so.”
Why don’t they act? Why do they procrastinate?
- They don’t want word to get around that they’re ‘looking’.
- They know people at the company and fear that applying for a position might create awkwardness.
- Their skills aren’t perfectly aligned with the job description which is often more flexible than they know.
- They want to avoid possible rejection.
- The most common. They don’t want to invest time and hassle with application forms when there’s no guarantee of an interview.
Excellent candidates are often open to change, but they’re only going to expend a limited amount of energy exploring new options.
- Avoid a hiring process that contributes to their hesitance.
- Keep their application confidential.
- Make the application process simple, fast, and easy.
- Consider setting aside the formalities of the application process until after mutual interest has been established.