Is your job search a positive experience at every step of the way?.

When you start your job search, are you confident you’re going to get a great customer experience? Are your expectations going to be met, or will it be somewhat lengthy and unsatisfactory, even if there’s a job offer at the end of it?

​Life today is all about an ‘I want it now’ culture where all customers want immediate results, whatever their goal. Time is at a premium and it is expected that with just a few clicks, on a smartphone, tablet or laptop, anyone can get the result they want, from buying the latest gadget to sourcing info on any given subject and this now applies to finding and applying for a job too.

It should be a positive experience at every touch point

We all remember those times when we’ve applied for a role online – do you ever hear back, other than just an automated ‘thank you’ message? The way in which digital has had an impact on all of us as consumers now means we expect so much more from the job search and application process. And as a job seeker you should expect your customer journey to be a positive one from start to finish.

So what can have a negative impact on your job seeking journey?

• A complicated online application process
• No response to an application or any contact with an organisation
• Excessive time lapses between interview and receiving feedback

Keep it real

The above are just a few examples of how it shouldn’t be done. However, it’s important to be realistic in terms of expectations once you’ve started your job search. It is a candidate driven market now the economic situation has for the most recovered and this makes it a competitive one. For those companies that are hiring now, there are many more applicants per role and many business plates to spin, not just recruitment ones. This means time becomes an issue and has an impact on responses to applicants, time to interview and in fact the length of the recruitment process in total.

Whilst companies are increasingly focusing on improving their talent acquisition strategies to accommodate job seeker expectations across the board, the process is not infallible and there is definitely still room for improvement.

What you should expect

So anyone involved in attracting your skills should ensure your job search journey is a positive one at every touch point. These touch points cover everything from the quality of online job adverts, social networking interactions and networking. And these are before you even apply! Once you do apply or enquire do you ever hear back? In a nutshell, candidates are looking for sufficient information in a job advert about the company, responsibilities and opportunities, followed by a simple and quick application process and backed up by regular and timely communication once they apply.

If you’re not currently actively looking for a new job, then recruiters should be utilising email and social media to engage with you, rather than just advertising jobs and waiting for the applications to flood in. The development of digital dictates that today’s job seekers want inspiration, incentive and regular engagement as part of the application process – expectations are way higher than ever before.

Park Street People place huge emphasis on ensuring your job search journey with us is a positive experience, from your very first interaction with us, right through to your consultant staying in touch once you’ve secured your new job!