Attracting employees to your vacancies can be tricky, but many employers are actually putting people off submitting their CV by insisting on a complex application process.

Now of course you want to get as much information as possible from the candidate before you begin sifting through applications, but you might thoughtlessly be scaring away those star candidates by making it time consuming and difficult to actually apply for the role.

Here’s a few ways that your application process might be scaring away potential candidates:

Asking too much
It’s pretty much standard practice these days to ask for a CV and covering letter to accompany an application, but some companies have even done away with the letter to make things easier for the candidates.

However, you still see some job vacancies insisting on all the above plus copies of academic qualifications, or even that applicants answer questions on their experience and why they’d be a good fit for the position.

This can put some candidates off applying for the role as we’re now used to providing further details and proof at interview and no at the first stages of the application process.

Also, sifting through all this information will dramatically increase the time you spend shortlisting candidates, so it’ s best to leave asking for evidence of skills & qualifications to the interview stage.

Complex applications
Make it easy for candidates to apply and your application rates will significantly increase. Many online jobs boards offer an ‘apply now’ function where the candidate simply uploads their CV and these have been proven to yield strong numbers of applications.

If you’re not using a recruitment agency or utilising any jobs boards for your vacancy, make sure that you make it as simple as possible for individuals to apply and make sure you add a phone number should they require any help.

Unrealistic timelines
All good candidates worth their salary will take the time to read your advert and job spec and tailor their CV to showcase how they’d be a good fit for the role, so just bear in mind that these things take time.

A deadline for applications is always a good idea, but just make sure that you give candidates at least two weeks from the date your advert is published and ensure you take into account any public holidays.

For more expert insight on how to make your application process user friendly, call the Appointments team on 01782 338787 today.