“Students are told too little about enrolment and interview procedures, so they are not fully aware of what awaits them”, said Katarzyna Kordoń, CEO of K&K Selekt Personnel Advisory Services.
Due to negative impressions gained during the recruitment process it is more often the students and alumni (55 percent) than specialists (46 percent) who decide not to purchase the products or services of their would-be employer – This is the conclusion of the 2nd edition of the Candidate Experience survey, conducted on the initiative of the Coalition for Friendly Recruitment.

 Why do young people, who are just beginning their careers, display a much more demanding attitude than experienced professionals? Perhaps this stems from young people’s often unrealistic image of the recruitment process.
“Students are told too little about the enrolment and interview procedures, so they are not fully aware of what awaits them. Young people expect more than they can get while experienced specialists, who are no strangers to recruitment interviews, know what to expect and thus have different expectations”, explained Katarzyna Kordoń, CEO of K&K Selekt Personnel Advisory Services.
“Moreover, students tend to be more emotional about the recruitment process. They are terrified and stressed-out. These are new things, about which they do not learn at universities”, she added.

 Job interviews are also different when it comes to students and experienced workers.
“Recruiters cannot ask alumni technical questions about their experience or qualifications, as they are only beginning their careers. As a result, some questions may appear strange to young people”, she explained.
K&K Selekt’s CEO also highlighted that first interviews are often unsuccessful. Young people make mistakes. They are only acquainting themselves with the recruitment mechanisms. However, they can also benefit greatly from this experience, if they get some feedback.
According to the 1st edition of the Candidate Experience survey, 73 percent of candidates were never informed why they were not hired, or what they should improve to apply for a job in a similar position in the future.
“Every company should provide applicants with feedback, irrespective of the result of the recruitment process. If you don’t do that, you demonstrate your own negligence and lack of professionalism. A short reply and a thank you will suffice; however, young candidates benefit from a short justification so they learn what to work on to improve their chances of succeeding in the future”, said Kordoń.

 Young people who negatively assess the recruitment process may eagerly vent their anger by posting on internet forums. Perhaps it is also frustration that makes them abandon buying the product or service of a company for which they wished to work. Maybe HR officers should pay more attention to the recruitment processes they conduct.