Practical tips to manage high volumes of applications, even before they've applied
With the credit crunch hitting the job market, organisations are receiving, or are expecting to receive a greater number of applications than normal. This can present a number of challenges for organisations. So what can you do to avoid being inundated with applications for every role you advertise? And how do you manage the applications once you have received them?
These potential challenges in managing large volumes of applications broadly fall in to two categories: how to manage application numbers before receiving them and how to manage application numbers after they have been received.
What are the potential challenges?
With large numbers of applications, has your organisation got the capacity to fairly sift them?
Will your organisation's old sifting process still be able to fairly and effectively manage these large volumes of applications?
How can your organisation spot the best applicants at the same time as ensuring the process is fair?
Also, how can your organisation distinguish between those who really want the job from those who are just applying to whatever job they can find?
There are a number of sifting processes that your organisation can use, but which would be the most effective?
As each stage of a recruitment process typically becomes more costly per candidate, how can your organisation narrow the pool of candidates significantly at the beginning of the process without incurring high costs?
Managing applicant numbers before applicants even apply
If your organisation is in the early stages of a recruitment campaign, there are a number of ways to try to reduce the likelihood of receiving high volumes of unsuitable applicants.
The key is to provide the applicant with plenty of information about the organisation and the role, including any challenges they may face, in order to help candidates make a more informed decision about whether they are truly motivated by (and suitable for) the role before they even submit an application.
This is also known as self-selection. It aims to reduce the number of applications from unsuitable applicants, and consequently the amount of time spent sifting applications from individuals who are unlikely to progress very far through the selection process. This in turn saves the organisation time and money.
There are a number of relatively cheap ways that organisations can encourage self-selection behaviour in potential applicants:
Ensure the advert includes a realistic job preview, so applicants have an accurate idea of the role.
Create a microsite which provides potential applicants with plenty of information about the organisation, the role, and the upcoming assessment process. To encourage self-selection, applicants can complete a questionnaire, which allows candidates to explore whether they find specific characteristics of the role appealing in a job. This pushes candidates to think about whether they are suitable for the role and decide whether they would like to pursue their application. Feedback from both candidates and clients for previous microsites that we have developed, indicate that using such a site can raise the calibre of individuals applying for the role(s), and reduce the number of unsuitable candidates applying (compared to previous recruitment campaigns).
Hold an open day to provide the applicant with information about the role and also give the applicant an insight into the organisation. In doing so, it can also help to promote the organisation, and attract suitable candidates for the role. Both open days and a microsite ensure applicants have some interaction with the organisation before they even apply.
When candidates apply for the role ensure they complete a standardised application form.
a. It can discourage applicants who are just sending CVs to any organisation that is advertising for a job, as they are required to commit some time to making an application
b. Including biodata and competency questions standardises the application process, and ensures that candidates provide evidence which enables organisations to assesses whether they are right for the role.
c. Including a motivation section to assess applicants' motivation for the role at this stage will also ensure that only those applicants who really want the job progress.
d. Is also of benefit when sifting applications (see below).
Managing applicant numbers, once applicants have applied
Although the above options will go some way to encouraging unsuitable applicants to select themselves out of the recruitment process, your organisation may still face a larger number of applications than you are used to dealing with. So how do you sort the best from the average or not so good? How can you further reduce the number of applicants down to a manageable number, before inviting them to attend a more costly and resource-intensive assessment event or interview?
Below we provide further options for enhancing your selection process:
-
Alongside the application form, use a standardised sifting tool. Sifting is a way of screening out candidates during the earlier stages of a recruitment process, with the aim of reducing the number of applicants down to a manageable number before inviting them to the next, typically more costly stage(s) in the selection process. A sifting tool is designed and developed to assess whether applicants have the required skills and capabilities for the role.
Such a tool is typically based on a thorough analysis of the role or job that an organisation is wishing to recruit for. The sifting tool will:
a. Allow an organisation to assess candidates against clear, pre-defined criteria, ensuring the process is fair across all candidates.
b. Help relieve the load on your organisation in terms of the resources and time required to sift as you are clearer about what evidence you need to look for
c. Help to screen out unsuitable candidates, ensuring only the highest quality candidates that possess the skills and characteristics required for the role progress further.
d. Reduce costs, as using an effective sifting tool ensures that the costs and resources associated with further assessment of poor candidates are avoided.
Online testing: for example psychometrics (e.g. ability tests) and Situational Judgement tests are efficient ways of reducing candidate numbers without the need for many resources. Although costs of the online tests may be high, in the long run organisations will save time and money as only the best candidates will progress to the more resource intensive and costly stages in the recruitment process. Online tests can also be used before applicants apply, although organisations will need to weigh up the costs and how they will manage the numbers completing it.
Telephone interviews: can be used to explore motivation, as well as other competencies, before face to face contact with the applicant.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, there are fair and effective ways to handle these challenges, which are arising from the potentially large volumes of applications due to the current employment market.
There is no one approach to managing applicant numbers. Every organisation needs to consider what works well for them, the nature and level of the role, and what resources they have available.
In addition, no matter what sifting tools organisations decide to use, all those involved should receive appropriate training to ensure they make fair and consistent assessments of candidates.
If you and your organisation would like further information or help with your sifting, we are currently working on a free resources pack/toolkit to help and guide organisations through these difficult challenges. Call us 020 70149440, or alternatively email info@mendas.com and we will make sure you receive a copy once ready.
Article written by Mary Wakefield, Junior Business Psychologist, Mendas Ltd
