Effective Methods Resurfacing Past Candidates [Template]

#1 Avoid any potential awkwardness

Every interaction you have with a candidate, even if they are not yet an employee, impacts their perception of you and your image of the organization. Everything matters your timely messaging, your friendly, interactive demeanour, the time between stages, setting expectations, a whole shebang.

Making a good first appearance on the applicant may boost their interest in working for you. If you choose another person for the employment, the applicant may be disappointed. Still, they will be responsive if you tell them you'd like to keep their job application on file for future potential vacancies with the company.

 

#2 Make it clear that it is not a "rejection"

Nobody wants to be rejected, whether it's an expression of affection, constructability, or an application form. Although it is an applicant market, it still hurts to tell a candidate, "Sorry - you were excellent, but we proceeded with another person instead."

It is important that you do it correctly. You can utterly reject the applicant, and they'll storm out in a huff, never to be heard from again. Alternatively, you can explain that they aren't being rejected; rather, they aren't the right fit for the specific role you are hiring for.

However, you want to keep their submission on file because your company will hire more people soon.

 

#3 Allow candidates to choose themselves in

When hiring on a large scale or rejecting dozens of candidates during the evaluation interview stage, you might not have the opportunity or time to interact with everyone using the two tips above.

This is where you may include an alternative in the application form that allows candidates to personally ask for future possibilities with you. This could be a checkbox, a verbal agreement, or anything else. Due to privacy laws, this may be required in some jurisdictions.

 

#4 Examine notes on candidates

Keeping clear and consistent notes on applicants after an engagement with a candidate, whether via email, interview, screening calls, or perhaps another form of communication, is a good practice for members of the hiring team. If those notes are thorough, you'll know whether applicants are interested in a particular role with your organisation or in being a part of your team.

Maybe you're looking to fill a similar position (for example, another sales opening), or you're hiring in a different field entirely. Either way, these notes will help you predict their interest in exploring a new opportunity with you.

 

#5 Only hire the best candidates

Finally, you will not provide false hope to those in the middle who wouldn't have succeeded in getting the job anyway. You're wasting their time and yours if you do this. This results in a negative experience and may affect your employer's brand.

It's best to reach out only to the top candidates you believe will be excellent fits for the new position. When you're looking at resurfaced candidates, consider whether you'd hire them right away. If the response is yes, contact them. If the answer is no, proceed.

 

#6 Clearly communicate messaging and expectations

This is likely the most effective best practice. You should never deliver a clumsy message to a wronged candidate, leaving them with more concerns than answers. It's even worse if you ignore that you turned them down the first time.

Instead, use straightforward language to ensure the applicant has all the information required. You can, for example, cover the following topics in a friendly email:

• Your previous relationship - includes brief information about the past workplace, who they communicated with, and how the process ended.
• Why you're contacting them now - include details about how they decided on potential prospects and that you have a new position available that they might be interested in.
• Details about the new job - include the job description, who reports to/works with the position, salary (if applicable), and other relevant information.
• Why they're a perfect candidate for the new position - this one is crucial. This is also your chance to address concerns about lower pay grade levels, different responsibilities, and any other concerns the applicant may have.
• A timetable, ideally with set dates for interview sessions and decisions.

 

Here's an example of how to address all of that in a short, catchy email:

 

"Hello [candidate], I hope this message finds you well. We previously discussed job X with you, and you showed an interest in keeping in touch.

We chose another applicant for job X, but we'd be delighted to speak with you again regarding job A and in our company. Honestly, it's a different income grade/has various responsibilities than job X. However, there are aspects of this new job that we believe you'd enjoy.

The job specification is attached, and the position will directly report to our Chief Marketing Officer. We anticipate making recruitment decisions by Thursday, January 21.

If you're interested - and we hope you are - please schedule an appointment with me through [calendar link]."

 

Keynote

Remember, you're both professionals discussing a business transaction. You're both mutually interested parties; if you approach it correctly, you'll attract those applicants and hopefully win them over quickly.

Finding candidates for a position is no longer as simple as posting an ad. You could now market your organisation and role to them, find new candidates and contact applicants already in your system.

For more HR-related content, visit our HR Library!