1. Forgetting or neglecting to email a candidate when the position he or she has applied for has been filled.

2. Telling a job candidate you will get back to him or her about a position that is a better fit for him or her, and then never getting back to them and/or having no intention to do so.

3. Having a multi-step or complex hiring process and not letting the candidate know where they are in the process.

4. Handing the candidate off to a different point-person without letting them know.

5. Sending a rejection email that seems unsympathetic or insincere, purposefully or unknowingly. (Guilty!) *Remember, emails don’t translate emotions well.

6. Asking a candidate to do an assignment of some sort, not acknowledging receipt of said assignment, and then sending a rejection email a few days/weeks later.

7. Being unclear about what position a candidate is applying for and/or its availability.

8. Intentionally ignoring questions regarding salary/benefits.

9. Giving a candidate incorrect information about interview times/locations/who the interview is with.

10. Having a drawn out interview process where a candidate is left waiting weeks at a time without any updates. *Similar to three, but different.

It is not news that many candidates say their experience with HR or a recruiter colors their experience with the company. Some job candidates will even take to Social Media and other avenues to explicitly articulate how horrible their experience was applying for a job with a particular company. This not only makes the company look bad, it also makes the HR department and/or recruiter look bad and seem unprofessional, even if some of these things were done unintentionally. Make sure your hiring process is organized and efficient so you don’t rub job candidates the wrong way!

(Also, top candidates will not deal with too much bs and uncertainty because they have plenty options and offers.)