Congratulations, you've got an applicant! Now it's time to reach out!

The sooner you get in contact with a candidate, the better! Many companies don't contact candidates right away, so reaching out quickly to get the ball rolling can make you stand out against your competition.

But I’m not ready to start scheduling interviews yet.

That’s okay! Even if you aren’t able to immediately start scheduling interviews, a courtesy email, call, or text when a candidate applies helps to build a foundation for a great hiring experience for both of you. This lets the candidate know you are an engaged employer who is actively hiring. Too often, we hear candidates saying they feel like they are wasting their time applying to jobs where they don't hear back from the employer for weeks or even never hear from them at all. This leads them to wonder if the job they applied for is even real. By reaching out to candidates immediately, you will not only stand out from your competition, but you can also help to reduce being ghosted by candidates throughout the hiring process.

I want to have a larger pool of candidates before I start interviewing.

If you are just attempting to establish a pipeline of candidates rather than being actively ready to hire, waiting to reach out to candidates may work for you. If you are ready to hire, however, consider the quality of the candidates that you have over the quantity. As unemployment continues to trend downward, there are more open positions than there are candidates applying. Reaching out to candidates when they apply and having them complete the assessment right away will help you find the right candidate for your role rather than just finding a large number of candidates who may or may not be right for the role.

But some of these candidates aren’t qualified at all.

It’s totally okay to tell them that! Professional and timely rejection of a candidate can go a long way in maintaining your reputation. Something to keep in mind is that a candidate who isn’t the right fit for your position or agency right now may be a fantastic candidate the next time you are hiring. They may know someone else who is a great candidate for you right now. Perhaps they are or could become a client of yours. If they never hear back from you when they apply, they may think it’s how you treat your clients as well.

Think of hiring as another networking opportunity for you and your business. Staying engaged with your candidates, even the ones you reject, will make you a standout employer.

Your IdealTraits account makes contacting candidates simple!

We have pre-loaded templates that you can use along with the ability to create your own that you can use to email candidates directly from your account.

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

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