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Job candidates want tech-driven, fast, easy application process

By Jeff Clabaugh

WASHINGTON — U.S. companies continues to cite the difficulty in finding qualified candidates to fill the vacant jobs they have, but the hiring process may be partly to blame.

CareerBuilder and talent management company Silk Road commissioned a survey of both employers and employees across all company sizes and industries about job application, offers and hiring expectations, and found today’s job seeker expects to be treated like a consumer.

“We realize the customer’s journey doesn’t end with a purchase, nor does the employee’s end with an offer. By using technology throughout the entire employment journey, employers can intentionally onboard candidates and employees, keeping them engaged at key points over time,” said SilkRoad CEO Robert Dvorak.

Candidates want to interact with potential employers through technology and they are not willing to invest much time in the process. They want a fast and easy application experience.

Among survey findings:

  • Fifty five percent of job applicants will give up and move on if they haven’t heard from an employer within two weeks of applying.
  • Twenty percent of candidates give less than 10 minutes to a job application.
  • Twenty one percent believe any application they view on a mobile device should be less than three pages long.
  • Forty three percent of employees have applied for a position via a mobile device.
  • Fifty one percent continue looking for other jobs when an offer has been extended and they’re going through the background check process.
  • Sixty eight percent of workers believe their experience as a job candidate reflects how the company treats its people.

A bad experience in the hiring process can linger, even after an employee has been hired. Nearly one in 10 employees surveyed said he eventually left a company because of a poor onboarding experience.

On a scale of one to 10, 27 percent rated their most recent onboarding experience a five or worse.

The Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder and SilkRoad included nearly 2,300 hiring managers and full-time employees. It was conducted between June 21, 2018 and July 16, 2018.

Fairfax Co. seeks to exempt Potomac River to protect water if Va. declares drought emergency

By Neal Augenstein
Northern Virginia remains under a drought watch, and Fairfax County leaders want to make sure there’s enough drinking water to go around if Virginia declares a drought emergency. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized Chairman Jeff McKay to write to Governor Abigail Spanberger, to request that the Potomac River be excluded from a Virginia drought-specific declaration, since Fairfax Water is dependent on the Potomac as its drinking water supply.
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