With the vast majority of job applications now being sent online, it’s more important than ever that you have a smooth, efficient online process in place to make it easy for candidates to apply. While you might expect that to be a given, the annual What Workers Want Report by Hays found that a huge number of employers are struggling to get it right. In fact, the figures show that half of all online applicants rate their experience of the online application process as somewhere between neutral and very poor.

With that information in mind, what can your business do to make sure your job application process doesn’t alienate the best candidates? Here are five handy tips to improve the process and make your business more applicant friendly.

1. Improve the functionality of your application process

90 percent of job applicants want to be able to submit their CV as part of the process. Rather than having to rehash their CVs, they want to be able to attach the document electronically to their application to save time. They also want to be able to save, revisit and edit their application before they send it off and be able to access their application form on their mobile phone.

2. Shorten the process

These days, many candidates are simply not willing to spend several hours completing a single application form. In fact, 71 percent of candidates said they would not complete an application form if it took longer than 15 minutes. As an employer, you’d be wise to review your application process and streamline it as much as possible.

3. Provide a human point of contact

69 percent of the respondents to the Hays survey said they’d like to have a human contact they could ask questions about their application and who could provide updates about its progress. Making sure someone is on hand to provide the personal touch if necessary could be a great way to attract candidates to your organisation.

4. Don’t leave applicants hanging

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the majority of candidates wanted to know sooner rather than later whether their application had been successful. 58 percent of applicants said they expected to find out in three days whether they would progress further in the process; however, 33 percent of employers admitted the process typically took more than one week.

5. Ensure the application process accurately represents the role

It’s not uncommon for the application form and job description to be an inaccurate representation of the role. 49 percent of employees said they had left a job within the first year because the role was not as described. There’s no point in spending time and money hiring the perfect candidate if they’re going to leave the job a few months down the line, so make sure your description of the role is accurate.

Need help attracting talented bilingual candidates?

At Linguistica Recruitment, we have an existing database of hundreds of in-demand bilingual candidates looking for their next opportunity on the English south coast. Read more about our process or call 02392 987 765 for assistance today.