Savvy construction recruiters understand the importance of ensuring candidates have a great experience during the hiring process. If you go on to hire the candidate in question, they will be excited to work for you and your firm. If you don’t hire them, they will still view your company and construction positively on the whole. This will help your overall reputation within the industry, as well as encourage more people to apply for your job openings.
One of the best methods of improving the candidate experience is by using feedback.
What Type of Feedback?
Prioritize getting feedback from candidates about your construction interview process. What do they wish had been different? What did they like?
Be sure to ask questions specific to the type of role and the process they went through. For example, construction firms may have a trial day for candidates in on-site roles to confirm their skills and give them an idea of expectations. If you do, ask what they would change about this day. If you don’t, ask if one would have been helpful.
Construction Recruiters Should Offer a Post-interview Survey
The best way to get feedback is to directly ask candidates while the interview process is still fresh in their minds.
Include at least a few open-ended questions, so candidates can provide whatever additional information they feel you should know.
Consider letting candidates know the importance of the survey or offering an incentive of some sort for completing it. Even the act of being friendly during the interview and asking for a quick survey should be enough to encourage many candidates to fill out the survey.
Read and Use the Feedback
Remember that gathering feedback from candidates is useless unless you actually pay attention to it. If your construction recruiters gather this information for you, have them share it. If you gather it via email or another form, share it with the construction recruiters.
The important thing is to make sure that the people responsible for the recruiting process make the necessary changes.
Of course, you don’t have to follow all of the advice in the surveys. Just be sure to at least consider it and evaluate its usefulness.
Give Feedback to Candidates as Well
Getting and implementing feedback from candidates is just one important part of improving the construction interview process. You also want to be sure to give candidates feedback. This will improve your reputation and the candidates’ feelings about the construction industry even if you don’t hire them.
If you decide not to hire someone, tell them why and offer tips for how they could do better in the future. If someone is not currently ideal but could change one thing to become a good candidate, tell them.
As you give feedback, be sure to be brief, professional, and kind.
Conclusion
Feedback in both directions can improve the candidate experience when you look to fill construction roles. Encourage candidates to give you feedback about the recruiting process after interviews. Also, give candidates feedback on their interviews. This helps you know what changes might be necessary to make and lets you ensure your construction firm maintains a positive reputation.
How can we help you?
Searching for an opportunity in the construction industry? Contact The Birmingham Group’s team of seasoned commercial construction recruiters today to discuss your career path or browse our open positions.
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