On behalf of the recruiting industry, isn’t it time we apologized to job seekers everywhere? They’ve put up with challenges and complications associated with finding a job for too long. They’ve been jumping through hoops to land the perfect job, and frustration is mounting! We’re listening, and we’ve taken note of their biggest concerns.

Where do I start? 

They think top job boards like Monster or CareerBuilder are the best places to start.  But, because these sites charge to post, many employers don’t list all their openings.  And with thousands of job boards and career advice sites, there’s no central location for quality information and career services.

Applying takes too long!

Automated online applications require candidates to repeatedly upload their resume and fill out lengthy forms every time they apply.  These antiquated candidate tracking systems totally disregard job seekers’ time.  They end up driving the best candidates away, in search of a job application with an easier process. 

How do I maintain all my resumes?   

Job seekers might keep up to six versions of their resume.  But, with no cloud solution to manage them, they only sit on their computer’s desktop.  Sure, they might use sites that let them create a profile.  But, these programs force all users into the same template and lack the flexibility to highlight accomplishments, or be creative with the style.

Did they forget about me?  

They feel like their resume fell into a black hole.  Hiring managers don’t tell candidates where they stand, nor do they keep them informed of next steps.  Post-interview silence is worse. They rarely know if timelines have changed or if the position was canceled.

The process is completely impersonal!

If they even get a response, it’s an automated one.  They prefer to hear from an actual person, even if it’s just to inform them that they’ve selected another candidate or taken the position in a different direction.

The pressures of a slow economy and shortage of jobs create enough stress for job seekers.  At Ascendify, we are rallying around ways to improve the candidate experience because we feel the job search process shouldn’t cause further angst.