85% of Gen Z candidates view the application process as "slow and complex"

It's a startling headline.

It comes from a recent article discussing how 75% of Gen Z candidates are abandoning the application midway through the process. If you want to read the full article you can do so here, otherwise here's short summary of the headlines.

• The quality of the application process was the main driver of abandonment.
• If a candidate finds the application too stressful and complicated, they can simply drop it and move to the next.
• The candidate-driven market has tipped the balance in the favour of the candidate.

What can be done?

1. Automation: improve the flow of applications and remove bottlenecks caused by manual processing. The research found that firms who adopt automation increase their fill rate by 64 per cent and put forward 33 per cent more candidates.
2. Communication: Gen Z heavily values convenience. Around one in five (17%) Gen Z candidates cite bad communication as a major reason for giving up on an application. Therefore, it is crucial that firms get this right.
   1. Context: Each stage of the process has to mean something. A roadmap provides clarity for the candidate, knowing what will happen and when. 
   2. Channels: Raised in the Digital Age, they expect employers to know what channels they are likely to respond on – they might even ignore messages sent to the wrong one.
3. Messaging: Authenticity is key here, especially when it comes to portraying your brand values. It is no time to be clinical or contrived, candidates will just move on to the next application. 
   1. Hook interest by using a compelling company story.
   2. Provide real incentives, talk about career progression, showcase the company culture, and make job descriptions more inclusive.

Of course, it's not all about Gen Z, all candidates would appreciate these improvements. Recruiters need to keep up with the pace of change demanded by candidates in order to offer the best talent experience at every stage of the hiring process.

Further help - retaining younger staff

Julie Brewster of HR Support 4U Ltd has developed a mentoring programme that supports young people in their first 90 days, so they are more likely to stay, contribute to your organisation and give you a return on your investment in them. Contact Julie for more information here.

I'm more than happy to chat with anyone looking to recruit who doesn't know where to start, or wants some help with salary benchmarking, writing compelling job ads and interviewing advice.