Candidates want you to communicate with them. They told us so themselves. CareerBuilder’s 2017 Candidate Experience Study found that 81 percent of job seekers say that employers continuously communicating status updates to them would greatly improve their overall experience.
That’s a fair enough request. But here’s the kicker: 78 percent of employers feel they already do a good job of setting expectations upfront and communicating through the hiring process. Unfortunately, only 47 percent of candidates agree.
What gives?
It seems that it’s not just the act of communicating, but instead how—and when—you reach out to candidates that determines whether or not candidates will be likely to reply.
So what’s a well-meaning employer to do?
Email campaigns are the easiest way to communicate with candidates and keep them engaged with your company — but they need to be executed correctly. To do so, you’ll need the right content delivered to the right people at the right time.
Today’s technology solutions offer the ability to target qualified candidates and deliver the information they want at a time that is most convenient to them. Check out how:
Target specific candidates. Your candidate pool isn’t one-size-fits-all, so don’t treat them that way. New technology solutions allow you to segment your talent network even further based on factors such as experience, education, skills and industries. Candidates can grow frustrated by a company that sends them irrelevant information, so make sure you’re personalizing your email content as much as possible.
Analyze email performance. Sending out emails at random times and hoping for the best is not a sound engagement strategy. If you want to increase engagement—and the likelihood that a candidate will respond—you want to make sure you’re sending out information at a time when candidates are most likely to be receptive to opening and engaging with job opportunity you’re providing. To uncover this magic time, consider adding technology solutions that allow you to track your email open rate by day and time. Learning more about how candidates consume information will help you provide it when they are ready to receive and act on it.
Want more tips on how to improve your recruitment email strategy? Check out our recruitment marketing checklist.
