Resolve to choose kindness and treat all jobseekers with dignity

When did it become acceptable to treat jobseekers so awfully? (Warning – rant coming). 

Indignities run rampant through the application and hiring process. This holds particularly true for hourly employees, who make up the vast majority of the workforce. Considering the millions laid off as a result of the pandemic, miserable hiring practices add insult to injury in a year we’ll all be happy to see the back of. 

The usual suspects 

In a world of convenience and consumerization, recruiting feels like it’s getting harder, less personal, and more frustrating. Here are just a few all-too-common offenses that sap the life out of job seekers: 

• Submission “black hole” – not hearing back on an application it took more than an hour to do
• “We’ll get back to you” – the absolute minimum effort (while jobs are obviously unfilled)
• Overkill app – why do you need my mother’s maiden name and life history again? 
• Chatbot hell – no, you did not answer the question to my satisfaction

Little surprise then that only about one-quarter of hourly candidates (27%) are satisfied with the application process, and even fewer with interviewing and screening. For a more detailed look at the sheer magnitude of these issues, check out more research in our series on The Forgotten Workforce. 

Conditioned for acceptance

We’ve become so used to this status quo that we lull ourselves into believing it’s not worth the effort to change. It’s like standing in the airport immigration queue (if you can remember back when international travel was a thing). No one likes standing in line for two hours for a 30-second transaction. But inefficiency and incivility are just to be expected, right? Not when it comes to hourly hiring… or it shouldn’t be. 

Upstream and downstream impacts

There’s good reason to revamp hourly hiring, not just for job seekers but also for the people who hire and manage them. Managers of hourly workers are perennially overworked and overwhelmed. 

When the customer always comes first, recruiting often gets put on the back burner. There’s pressure to settle for candidates who are “good enough,” rather than those who are best suited to perform, engage, and inspire. 

When store and site managers have more time and energy to invest in recruiting, the benefits radiate up and out:

• People feel seen and appreciated, rather than ignored and disrespected
• Managers make personal connections with talent (instead of questionable hiring decisions)
• New hires ramp up more quickly and stay longer
• Frontline brand ambassadors are happier, which shows in customer engagement and sales 

Choose kindness 

It’s high time for a more human-centered approach to hiring. When we treat every candidate better—and recognize the honor they’re paying us by applying for our jobs—we build people up rather than knock them back. 

We owe it to hourly candidates, who after all are likely current and future customers and managers, to personalize the hiring experience. To answer their questions quickly and thoroughly. To give them constructive feedback. To build their confidence, even when they’re not selected. 

In case you didn’t notice, I’ve got strong thoughts about giving job seekers the dignity they deserve. If you’re interested in rethinking your hourly hiring process or want to continue the conversation, let’s talk. Connect here or email me directly.