According to iCIMS, 56% of workers are less likely to be a consumer of a brand if they had a bad experience applying or interviewing for a job.
Informed by proprietary data from the iCIMS platform and a survey of 1,000 U.S. job seekers, the new report digs into what talent expects from employers during the job search, application and hiring processes – as well as internal mobility and career pathing – and how employers have pivoted to meet those expectations to achieve business success.
From finding a job to climbing the ladder, internal and external job seekers expect a seamless and personalized experience built with the right tools. Here’s what talent (actually) wants and how brands are meeting those expectations:
- An application process that doesn’t leave them in the dark. An overwhelming 80% of job seekers said that getting status updates during the application process would not only improve their experience but also their perception of an employer. Alternatively, respondents cited a lack of communication from an employer as one of the most frustrating aspects of the job application process.
- Personalized touchpoints with organizations that they are interested in. More than 40% of respondents described their last job search as frustrating and long, and a whopping 72% expect the job application process – from submitting the application to receiving an offer – to take 3 weeks or less. To minimize frustration and speed up the process, employers must provide candidates with personalized touchpoints, including relevant updates, recommendations for open jobs based on their skills and experience, recent news and employee videos.
- A communication process that meets them where they are. Like most healthy relationships, communication is a key ingredient between talent and employers. When getting in touch with talent, almost half (47%) say that texting is their preferred form of communication, while more than half (56%) ranked getting a phone call at the bottom of their communication preferences. Email isn’t dead, either: 36% of respondents said that they would be more likely to click on an email from an employer that included job roles that matched their skills and experience.
- An opportunity to tap into generative AI. As ChatGPT and its generative AI counterparts become mainstream, workers’ perceptions of the technology are evolving. 40% of people are open to the use of AI in the workplace, and about 20% of people are more open to using it than they were six months ago. In fact, 17% have already used it to write a resume or cover letter in their job search. Increased candidate interest in AI, coupled with recruiters’ need to streamline and enhance their efforts, signals an opportunity to bring more AI technology to the recruitment process.
- The chance to spread their career wings. When asked what would keep respondents happy with their current employer and prevent them from looking for a new job, 34% said support and guidance to grow in their role at the organization, 31% said opportunities to advance in a new role and 21% said opportunities to develop new skills. Yet, an overwhelming 64% of respondents said their manager does not proactively ask them about their career path and help them build their skillset and advance their careers.
“It’s not about ‘consumerizing’ the entire experience — it’s about humanizing it,” said Jess Von Bank, global leader, workforce technology, Mercer | Leapgen. “We have so much technology to help us do all of this; it’s baffling we don’t put it to good use. iCIMS shrinks time to apply, talks to people in the channels they prefer, lets organizational culture and employee testimonials shine through and treats job seekers like a brand community (which they are).”
