When Candidates Do Backgrounds Checks

 Recruiters are all up in social profiles, scoping out LinkedIn and calling former employers, but two can play that game. More and more candidates are doing background checks on companies that they are interested in, and for good reason. Not only do candidates do research in order to wow an interviewer; they need to ensure that this company is a good match for them.

Here’s what candidates are doing to scope companies out and make decisions for themselves:

Company Website

The company website should be considered the online face of your company. It is generally the first place that candidates will go to gather information. The company website (namely the career page ) should be easy to navigate and have very clear calls to action. This page should display diversity and be visually welcoming.

Additionally, with 77 percent of job seekers using mobile apps in their hunt, an up-to-date website means more now than ever before. Company websites need to be mobile friendly or have an app to keep up these days.

Candidates love to see employees. Encouraging employees, management or even alumni to blog, share pictures or testimonials is a great way to get even passive candidates’ attention.

GlassDoor

GlassDoor has quickly become the go-to site for job seekers to get the low down on employers. Considered the Yelp of company reviews, GlassDoor is where most prospective candidates will go for insight when they don’t have a contact who works, or has worked for the company they are researching. GlassDoor’s company reviews page is just one of the many reasons to create brand ambassadors and encourage employees to talk about their experiences in the organization. A positive employer brand is priceless, and it is easier to share now than ever.

Social Media

A strong PR initiative to share the employer brand via social media outlets is a cheap and super effective way to ensure that prospective candidates see your best foot forward. Use this opportunity to get in the candidate’s shoes. What would they like to know? What do you think they need to see? Who do you think they want to hear from? You know what questions candidates ask; answer them!

Use this opportunity to get creative with your communication. Short videos, blog posts or pictures are content that grabs more attention. Video is 53 times more likely to show up in a search and they are ridiculously easy to create. Apps like Instagram, Vine or Pinterest are easy and fast ways to share images and video clips.

LinkedIn

While this does fall into the social media category, candidates can get a little deeper in the search on LinkedIn. They can visit the company page and (hopefully) get a good idea of the company values and culture. They can also see if they might have any professional or personal connections within the company. This is a great way for candidates to solicit in depth info on the organization. Additionally, many serious candidates are visiting their interviewer’s profile page. They can gain insights about their strengths, values and skills. They can also find connections that they might have with the interviewer for even more intel.

The type of candidate that does this research is the type that companies need. They are the choosey types who are making this decision with eyes wide open. They realize that it takes both parties to make a match. These are hires who are interested in being happy with an organization for the long haul, and as we all know, retention is powerful metric in business.