A new report released by recruitment firm Hays has found that 46pc of employees surveyed have left a job within 12 months because the role did not meet their expectations.
Imagine the scene: you’ve gotten the call after exhaustively interviewing for positions, and are told you’ve finally landed a job. What’s more, this job is one that sounds like an ideal match both for your existing skillset and lofty career ambitions.
Everything’s rosy and you start the new job bubbling over with excitement and enthusiasm. However, it isn’t long before the cracks begin to form on what seemed like a picture-perfect opportunity.
As it turns out, the job isn’t what you thought. It could be that you expected to receive on-the-job training only to find that it never materialised. Perhaps the job just doesn’t align with what was outlined on the job posting. Disheartened, you eventually realise that this new organisation is not going to be a good fit and you take your leave within a year of starting with the company.
Does this sound familiar? Well, according to professional recruitment group Hays, this is an unfortunate circumstance that has befallen many jobseekers in their time – 46pc of them, in fact.
Hays Ireland has released the 2018 edition of its What Workers Want report, in which it surveyed 1,800 workers to see what kinds of factors negatively affect employee retention.
The report finds that a poor application process and interview experience will not only deter employees but can make them more likely to leave a job.
Almost half (47pc) of those surveyed said that they have come into a role where they failed to receive the on-the-job training they expected their new employer would provide. Meanwhile, 40pc said that the job advert itself was misleading.
First impressions matter
It seems a lot of employers have made massive blunders during the interview process that turned off prospective hires as a result. 62pc said that they want to meet their direct managers during the interview process but find that few employers (only 11pc) actually facilitate this.
Almost half (45pc) said that they were deterred from a role due to a negative experience in an interview. When asked to expand on this, workers cited lack of interviewer preparedness (39pc), an overly long and cumbersome interview process (34pc) and poor communication of the interview process (33pc) as primary factors.
Almost two-thirds (64pc) said that they were deterred in the early stages of interviewing because the organisation seemed unwelcoming. Additionally, 37pc said that the receptionist or staff seemed unwelcoming.
Company culture was also found to play an important role, with 28pc of those who left a job saying they did not mesh well with their fellow employees or their organisation, and that this inspired them to leave.
Optimising the interview process
Commenting on the report, managing director of Hays Ireland, Simon Winfield, said that employers need to be more critical of their hiring process.
“As Ireland nears full employment, the market is very much a candidate-driven one. In this context, a poor application process and interviewing experience not only harm employee attraction, but also retention.
“As the market becomes more competitive, this requires employers to continuously review their recruitment processes to ensure they are fit for purpose. If a company’s hiring process was designed even five years ago, it may no longer deliver within the current candidate market.
“Our report also shows that candidates value the actual experience of the interview in many different ways. How they are welcomed into your office, who they meet, and how you interact with them before and after all subtly influence their opinion of you.
“Equally, meeting the boss is another important step in this interview process and one that too many employers overlook.
“Neglecting these steps can be the difference between hiring an excellent employee and losing one.”
