Rebuilding Trust in HR: The Recruiting Process

 

As I navigate social media, I frequently encounter discussions where individuals, particularly employees, express negative sentiments about HR. As an HR professional that is passionate about their craft, these perceptions are deeply concerning. While I don't intend to single out any specific HR function, I want to delve into the root causes of these negative views and, more importantly, explore actionable strategies to enhance HR's reputation and impact.

To begin this journey, it makes sense to start at the very beginning: the hiring process.

If you’ve spent any time on Reddit’s r/recruitinghell, and even on LinkedIn, you’ll find story after story of frustration, anger, and disappointment with the recruiting process. The grievances are consistent and widespread:

Job Postings That Don’t Reflect Reality or Even Exist:

Candidates often apply to jobs only to find out the position doesn’t exist, has been filled, or is wildly different from the description.

For example, at one point in my career, I had an executive-level hiring manager who bypassed me and instructed my recruiters to post a job that did not actually exist. When I discovered this, I approached the hiring manager to understand their reasoning. They explained that they wanted to gather wage data to see how much candidates in a specific market would request.

I firmly, yet politely, reminded the hiring manager that we already had reliable salary data for that geographic area and explained that posting a non-existent job was, in my view, both unethical and damaging to our employer brand. After some discussion, I was able to convince them to remove the posting. Unfortunately, by that time, several people had already applied, and HR was left to manage calls from applicants inquiring about the status of their applications.

As HR professionals, we must take a firm stance with hiring managers to ensure that such practices are not deemed acceptable. Posting fictitious job listings not only undermines trust but also harms the organization’s reputation.

Excessive Interview Steps:

Interviews sometimes stretch into 4, 5, or even more steps, leaving candidates drained and frustrated.

I’ve personally experienced this and have come across stories from others that were likely even more challenging due to lengthy homework assignments and other nonsensical requests by the company. In my case, I was interviewing for a position and had to go through five separate interviews. The first, third, and final interviews were with the hiring manager, while the second and fourth were with team members and an executive. The entire process was incredibly exhausting as each interview was 1-2 hours in length and stretched over the course of two months.

Ghosting by Recruiters:

One of the biggest complaints is recruiters failing to follow up, leaving candidates in limbo.

It’s safe to say that many of us have encountered a recruiter who promises to follow up by the end of the week, only for us to never hear from them again. In one of my personal experiences, a recruiter asked for my availability to schedule an in-person interview with the hiring manager but then completely disappeared without any further communication. On other occasions, I’ve received rejection emails several months after my interview. While these situations are amusing in hindsight, they do little to improve the negative perception of recruiters and the HR profession.

These issues erode trust not only in the recruiting process but also in the HR function. When candidates have these negative experiences, they often view HR as indifferent or inefficient. This first impression can taint their perception of HR throughout their employment journey.

How HR Can Fix These Issues?

HR professionals have an opportunity to rebuild trust in the hiring process and, by extension, the HR function itself. Here are actionable steps to address these common issues:

Improve Job Postings

• Ensure job descriptions are accurate and up to date.
• Avoid the practice of “ghost job” postings—advertising positions that aren’t actively hiring.
• Clearly outline salary ranges, benefits, and key responsibilities to manage candidate expectations.

Streamline the Interview Process

• Evaluate the necessity of each interview step. Does the process need five rounds, or can it be condensed?
• Be respectful of candidates' time by communicating the timeline upfront and adhering to it.
• Train hiring managers to conduct efficient and meaningful interviews.

Follow Up Consistently

• Implement a follow-up policy to ensure candidates are informed of their status at every step of the process.
• Use technology wisely. Automated responses can acknowledge applications, but personalized updates show care and respect.
• Even if the decision is a rejection, provide closure. A simple email explaining the outcome can make a big difference.

Foster Transparency

• Be honest about the hiring timeline and challenges. If there’s a delay, communicate it.
• Share feedback when possible. Constructive feedback shows candidates that their time and effort are valued.

Create a Candidate-Centric Experience

• Treat candidates as customers. Their experience in the recruiting process can influence your employer brand.
• Conduct regular surveys to gather feedback from candidates and recent hires and leverage their insights to continuously refine your hiring process.

The Ripple Effect of a Better Recruiting Process

When HR professionals take these steps, the impact goes beyond just hiring. A positive recruiting experience creates goodwill that candidates carry into their roles as employees. It sets the tone for their relationship with HR and fosters a sense of trust and respect. On the other hand, when HR fails to address these issues, it perpetuates the negative view of HR as disconnected and uncaring.

By focusing on creating a fair, transparent, and respectful recruiting process, HR has an opportunity to change the narrative one hire at a time. This isn’t just about filling positions; it’s about demonstrating that HR truly values people from the very beginning of their journey.