Suffering from No-shows?

One of the most common frustrations employers face is when a seemingly interested candidate fails to show up for a scheduled interview without any notice. You've taken time out of your day, maybe even traveled, only to be stood up. So why does this happen?

In today’s job market, candidates have more choices than ever. It’s a job-seeker’s market, and top talent often has multiple opportunities to consider. If your job isn’t positioned as a top option, some candidates may simply choose not to follow through, especially if another offer looks more attractive.

To stay competitive, employers need to treat candidates like valued customers. That means providing a streamlined process, clear communication, and a respectful experience from start to finish.

Candidates may lose interest if the hiring process feels drawn out or impersonal. Multiple interview rounds or last-minute schedule changes can leave a negative impression. Review your process and streamline where possible.

Companies expect candidates to communicate with them, however, it doesn’t always work the other way around. Many candidates are left wondering what happened with their application. They would rather receive a rejection email than have the company go radio-silent on them. The candidate wants to feel important enough for some form of communication. Ultimately, staying in touch shows professionalism and keeps candidates engaged.

Interviewing for a new job can be stressful and nerve-wracking. It can make even the best candidates apprehensive. Due to this anxiety, many candidates will back out of an interview because they fear the unknown.

They don’t know if they will be interviewing with just 1 person for 30 minutes or 12 people for over half the day. Will they be required to work on a team to assess their skills?

Uncertainty around what to expect can lead to interview no-shows. Help ease nerves by sending a confirmation email with date, time, location, length of the interview, and who they’ll meet with.

Many candidates are turning to the internet to see what your online presence is and if any former or current employees have expressed an opinion about the office.

They are looking to see how the staff is treated, if there is room for growth and advancement, what the inside of the office looks like, etc. Glassdoor, Indeed, Social Media accounts, Google, and Yelp are all places the candidate will look. If they don’t find enough favorable information, they will look for an open position elsewhere.

Be active on social media and let candidates get a glimpse of what it is like to work for you. Keep track of any reviews that may be left by previous and current employees. Answer them professionally as you would respond to any review given to you.

Some candidates realize mid-process that the role isn’t right for them. While frustrating, it’s better they step away now than after hire. Don’t take it personally.

In some cases, candidates use interviews or offers to negotiate a raise with their current employer. While disappointing, it’s part of today’s competitive hiring environment.

This can be frustrating, but consider yourself lucky. At least this happened before they accepted your offer and you stopped looking. Remember: Always Be Hiring!

Transparency and proactive communication are your best defenses. Let candidates know what to expect and how cancellations or rescheduling will be handled. Here's a sample email to help set expectations:

Hi (Name)

It was a pleasure speaking with you. We look forward to meeting with you face to face on 8/4/2018 at 11 am at 123 Everywhere, Anywhere, MI 48362.

We are in the Any Time Plaza, next door to Always Boutique. There is ample parking. Please ask for me when you come into the office.

Our interview will be approximately 30-60 minutes. You will be speaking with me and members of our staff. If you are not able to come in or need to reschedule, please contact me. Not contacting us for cancellations or reschedules could affect future applications.

We look forward to meeting with you.

The key to reducing no-shows is creating a great candidate experience. Respect their time, stay in touch, and keep the process efficient. When you treat candidates like your best customers, you’ll see better engagement and better hires. Above all, communicate with your candidates every step of the way, even if it’s to send a rejection email.

If you have any additional questions regarding this article please feel free to reach out, we are here to help.

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