The Value of Authenticity as a Recruiter

Every recruiter knows that to keep clients and candidates happy, you need to have a good quality of hire and low turnover rates. A way to achieve this is through smart hiring — going beyond recruiting a qualified candidate and matching the right applicant for the right job and the right company. To help you create a more positive experience for your job candidates, your authenticity as a recruiter can be a positive factor.

Considering how competitive the workforce market is, showing genuine concern towards candidates and potential employees can play a huge role in acquiring and retaining top talent. Studies show that 63.3% of companies say that it is much harder to retain employees than to hire them, at the same time, 10 out of every 100 hires quit their jobs because of unmet or misaligned job expectations within the first 30-60 days. As a recruiter, these are statistics you wouldn’t want under your credentials.

In hindsight, matchmaking in recruitment is a two-way street: the company and role should fit the candidate just as much as the candidate should fit the role and the company. Attracting the right candidate goes beyond just getting applications from qualified talents. It’s connecting with an applicant that can resonate with the vision, fit in the company’s culture, and deliver the needed skills for the job. And there’s no other way for both of you to truly know what each other has to offer unless you exemplify authenticity throughout your recruitment process.  

Authenticity in a Nutshell

Authenticity is being genuine and being what you actually say you are. Most recruiters hard sell their positions as perfect opportunities for talented candidates without laying down the real expectations and being authentic about the company culture. They give what a talent wants to hear without considering what they need to hear to make properly informed decisions. 

Although this strategy can result in an influx of applications from qualified candidates, it doesn’t help filter out the right ones they need. This process is both counterproductive and inefficient as it increases the possibility of onboarding an employee that might jump ship once reality sets in. 

The number of talented candidates that will apply won’t matter if they won’t be in it for the long haul. Smart hiring is what reduces turnover, and authenticity is the key element of this. Don’t just use your hiring brand as a magnet—use it as a filter, too.  

Exemplifying Authenticity as a Recruiter

2021 has seen an increase in job openings but a decrease in qualified candidates’ participation. This means attracting and connecting the right candidate won’t be easy. Competition is fiercer now more than ever. With a wealth of options to choose from, the candidate experience they will have from you will play a large part in determining whether they will feel at home with you or not.

Be honest with your job descriptions so that candidates know what exactly the job is. 

According to the 2020 Retention Report, the number one increasing reason employees leave within 30-60 days is because of unmet expectations on job characteristics. These are candidates who would not have taken a job if they had a full understanding of the role. This mistake is costly, yielding little to no return on the investments placed in hiring them because the job expectations set during the recruitment process are not a true reflection of the actual work. 

So, when writing job descriptions, always opt for the honest route about all that the job entails. Authenticity can make the difference between hiring a candidate who would have regrets versus someone who will thrive in the position. Watered-down descriptions will not only build misaligned job expectations but will also lead to candidates’ distrust. That’s why it’s important to be authentic and always consider transparency. Keep in mind that realistic job descriptions and responsible selection assessments go hand-in-hand with reducing turnovers.   

Consider this a litmus test: Do the things you tell your candidates accurately match what you are hiring for? 

Be transparent about your company and culture, so candidates get an insight into what it’s like to be a part of your team. 

Skill match isn’t the only thing that you need to assess. Culture fit plays a vital role, too. These days, candidates place high importance on the kind of environment they want to be a part of. In fact, 90% of millennials and Gen-Z prefer companies that have a more diverse and inclusive culture than one that doesn’t. So, make sure you are transparent and provide them enough information about the company culture for them to better gauge if it’s something that fits them.   

Does the company provide flexible working arrangements, prioritize personal development, or foster a good work-life balance? Does the team comprise highly competitive or laid-back members? Are they mostly millennials or multi-generation? These are some of the things they need to know. Transparency will go a long way in determining the right fit, and it starts with providing candidates the right insights into the organization’s culture.  

A good example of transparent communications on company culture is Unsplash’s company introduction:

Our team is made up of people who enjoy making things people love. We care about details and we care about quality. We do more with less. We’re open and transparent about everything we do, both internally and externally... We designed our company in a way to get as much of the stuff that’s not the creative work out of your way, so you can do your best work. We don’t believe in a top-down, shoulder-tapping, 9–5 type culture. At Unsplash, you have the autonomy to manage yourself. We don’t work set hours. We respect flow. We believe you should be able to structure your days for what makes you feel the most energized and creative. 

Be personal and implore a conversational approach when interviewing candidates so that you can genuinely know each other better. 

The traditional way of interviewing entails identifying the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses, assessing their answers and reactions, and interpreting their body language to cut off those who are not good enough. But authentic recruiting entails the opposite; it’s about an open, organic discussion.  

When the interview feels more like an honest conversation instead of an inquisition, candidates feel more at ease to elaborate on their perspectives or opinions. The absence of intimidation results in a more inviting and honest environment that encourages the talents to elaborate about themselves, their goals, and motivations instead of just giving generic answers that sound rehearsed or sugar-coated. 

The value of authenticity lies in an environment where both you and the candidate have room for genuine exchange. Using a more personal approach is more likely to yield a more honest and in-depth interview than a more stringent, scripted one.  

Elevate your candidate experience with transparency

Having an authentic or genuine hiring brand goes beyond delivering an accurate message. It is having a brand perceived as credible and trustworthy by your target audience. You can boost your credibility by letting authentic candidate and client reviews do it for you. That is why here at Great Recruiters, we make it our mission to help capture the genuine traits of every recruiter and their brand. A recruiter’s genuine trait is among the five elements of a GREAT recruiter.

As a recruitment reputation and experience management platform, we can help you capture honest feedback from your candidates and clients and turn them into testimonials that reflect what your brand truly represents. 

Want to find out how authenticity and transparency can step up the game for your hiring brand? Send us a message now to request a demo.