Job hunting: an opportunity for businesses and professionals

The first contact between the applicant and the employer is more than just a formal requirement; it is an essential step in getting to know certain aspects of the person applying for a post. It is important to bear in mind that this initial impression can either boost or derail the applicant’s prospects, ranging from their personal appearance – including their choice of clothing and grooming – to their body language, the confidence with which they conduct themselves, their public speaking skills and their command of the language. All these factors help jobseekers to succeed in their search for employment.

The applicant must make the most of this first meeting to demonstrate a range of attitudes and aptitudes which, far from acting as barriers preventing anyone from entering any field, represent a means of selecting the best candidates in an increasingly competitive world, where preparation and knowledge are essential, given the educational opportunities available in any field of study. Knowing how to apply selection criteria has become a tool of paramount importance for companies; however, such tools must not undermine the legitimate aspirations of so many people or serve to stifle the dreams and hopes of each and every one of them.

People are sensitive to the value judgements made about them, and rejection is one of the actions that can most severely undermine self-esteem, even leading to frustration. Therefore, sensitivity, sound judgement and respect for the human dignity of applicants must be the primary focus of recruiters or whoever is responsible, a role generally associated with a company’s human resources department.

Dealing with people is a very delicate matter, and even more so when one is at the centre of a recruitment process amongst so many peers.

This leads us to reflect: in the job search, are candidates the only ones who must prepare themselves and adapt to what companies require? Well, no. Both candidates and companies must prepare for that first contact, that first impression. Companies must change their mindset and start viewing candidates as customers; they must therefore update their recruitment processes so that, rather than subjecting applicants to gruelling tests, they focus on offering an experience that makes candidates feel at home and allows them to freely demonstrate who they are and what they are good at. The key lies in understanding how a professional looking for a job feels and thinks.

Today’s market moves at breakneck speed, and companies find themselves in a ‘war for talent’ to capture the attention of the best professionals on the market. In this sense, the job search is also an opportunity that organisations must capitalise on, and the recruitment process is the moment for mutual understanding, for capturing attention and turning the vacancy into an aspirational role for candidates.

With globalisation and the digital transformation of today’s world, it is vital for companies to make a good impression, as through word of mouth and online communication (the internet, social media, WhatsApp), candidates will share with the world their perception of the company and the experience they had during the selection process. Consequently, that first point of contact can either catapult an organisation to success or ruin its reputation, thereby causing it to lose a battle in the fierce ‘war for talent’ in today’s market.