Awaiting a “YES” or “NO”

Relishing an evening cup of coffee in a not so crowded but a happening coffee joint, my friend answers a call from one of the many hiring companies where he had recently taken up a job interview. I have been watching him carefully plan his career progression, selecting companies, considering job vacancies, applications, interviews and the most important “follow ups”.

Assuming that he has been selected because of his relaxed smile, I extend my congratulatory greetings to him. With a sheepish smile he goes on to explain  that the recruiter whom he spoke called  up to inform him about his non selection adding that he is happy with the prompt response from recruiter/hiring company on his application , interview follow ups and wishes to reapply with them in future too.

As someone who is bridging the applicant-employer gap, it strikes to me that while we appreciate the thank you notes or emails from job seekers, we many a times  fall short of responding like wise. It would be a good practice to inform the job seeker on his application and interview process regardless of his selection not just because the two way recruiting process calls for it but because the person deserves to know the result of his time invested and also because he valued and considered us of the so many other options available to him.

Also, this way we build up a passive interested job seeker whom we may find a fit in future who is persuasive of applying with us just because of the thought “that if my application is treated so sensitively then they would treat me so much better as an employee”.