Singaporean jobseekers are turning down jobs with their preferred employer due to this major issue
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Long, complex recruitment processes are harming businesses’ chances of securing top talent, according to Robert Half.
According to a study of 500 Singaporean jobseekers, more than seven in 10 (74%) candidates have taken a second-choice job offer because their preferred employer took too long to give them an answer.
With more than seven in 10 (73%) jobseekers saying they lose interest in the role if the hiring process takes too long, the research has found that hiring managers are taking their time to get back to jobseekers.
Almost two-thirds (64%) of candidates have waited longer than a month to hear back about a role for which they have interviewed, while 37% have waited longer than six weeks – and 26% even over two months. Merely 1% got feedback on the same day.
This contrasts sharply with candidates’ expectations of the hiring process. The overall majority (90%) believe it is reasonable to wait up to one month – from initial application to getting a final offer. Only 10% think it’s acceptable to wait for over a month.
“In Singapore’s ongoing war for talent, companies are competing against one another to find the right skills and talent to take their business forward. In a candidate-short market, employers cannot afford to alienate potential workers with long drawn-out hiring processes,” said Matthieu Imbert-Bouchard, managing director at Robert Singapore.
“Jobseekers with specialised skills are acutely aware of their position in the employment market, so it’s concerning that so many of Singapore’s jobseekers are turning down their dream job because they’ve been left waiting for to hear back about their progress during the recruitment process.
Imbert-Bouchard added that although it can be time-consuming for hiring managers to narrow down the list of their preferred candidates, employers will need to adjust their recruitment process if they want to avoid the risk of losing out on top professionals.
