No matter what type of application you’re receiving, you’ve more than likely come across a fair share of ill-suited candidates. We see it for managers of grants, awards, scholarships, and even TV talent casting.
For some of our clients, this can be a relatively harmless annoyance. A client recently told us about a recruitment application they received with our software that boasted five years of accounting experience. Fabulous, for an accountancy firm. Not so much for tree surgeons.
For others, it was a hassle to manage. A fund seeking grant applications from SMEs with less than ten employees received heaps of applications. Unfortunately they were from organisations not meeting the minimum requirements. This results in complaints from candidates who pointlessly filled out a detailed form and administrative staff wasting time manually sorting through these.
Clients often tell us a block for them going online with their submissions is the fear that unqualified applicants will increase as a result. This is a fair point.
After all with Submit, candidates can submit applications from anywhere on any device. In response, here are three sure-fire tips to decrease the number of unqualified applications you receive using Submit are:
- Add a pre-screen phase to your applications
- Automatically score applications
- Automatically send rejection emails
Add a pre-screen phase to your applications
We’re firm believers in the power of multiphase submissions. We consistently see how clients have kept applicants engaged through lengthy submission processes using this approach. However, you can also use it to determine the eligibility of candidates.
Do you only have an interest in candidates from a particular location? With certain qualifications? Do you want to test their expertise or unearth their values? Using an initial screening phase will filter applicants as they submit. Applications which fail to meet these criteria aren’t deleted. They’re archived. Lying under the surface. Out of sight. You’ll always have access.
Ensure you keep this first phase short and sweet. You’re not looking for complexity so avoid using essay-style questions. Anything you need to review will slow you down. Remember to keep it quantitative, not subjective.
Your desired applicants aren’t negatively affected by this process. If their eligible they’ll automatically be invited to the next stage.
Auto score applications
Some questions are more important than others. A certain amount of supplementary information is needed. Yet, when push comes to shove you know which answers mean more.
For example, maybe you’re looking for new hire but would prefer highly educated candidates. You apply a higher score to those who have a master’s degree over say a bachelor’s degree. This is a powerful way to decrease unqualified applications.
With Submit, you can weight particular questions in terms of importance by applying autoscoring. Generate scores or points of qualitative values for specific answers. By ranking candidates based on answers to specific questions, you can quickly pre evaluate submissions.
Automatically send rejection emails
No one likes rejection, but it’s part of the job. It’s better to make it as painless as possible. You need to thank them for their time and effort in applying but make it clear why they’re not progressing. The last thing you want to do is leave them guessing. This will open the door to more questions. You want to decrease the time dealing with unqualified applicants. Not discover more ways.
Instead of spending hours copying and pasting the same email to hundreds of applicants, automate and send at bulk. And, if you employ a multiphase submission process and autoscoring this will all happen without you doing anything (bar initial set-up). The dream!
To help you along here’s a basic candidate rejection email template. Just remember to edit the bolded words with your own information.
Candidate rejection email template:
Email Subject Line: Your application to/for [Submission_name]
Dear [Applicant_name],
We really appreciate you taking the time to apply for [Submission_name]. Unfortunately, we will not be moving forward with your application this time around.
[It’s optional, but we’d recommend adding a line stating directly why they didn’t meet your requirements. Don’t write an essay. Just provide a little constructive feedback. It’ll help should they submit again in future.]
We would encourage you to apply for any future submission for which you feel qualified.
Regards,
[Your_name]
[Your_email_signature]
If you still feel you’re online application still isn’t up to par, check out these three easy ways to improve.
Do you want to learn more about streamlining your submission process? Talk to one of our senior solutions specialists today who will determine if Submit is the right fit for you.
