Getting too many applicants?

Abstract: Too many applications received  is a problem that is stated by HR teams. A real paradox when it is all about getting the 'right' candidate. A  problem that digital platforms in some ways have created by making jobs accessible to more people - maybe!

We recently received the following complaint:  

" Dear MyjobsFiji,  when we advertise, we do not want to receive lots of CVs that are not relevant, and yet again, we are receiving just that how do we stop this....? "

Okay, we at MJF we have struggled with this question on many levels. We created the site to ensure that employers and candidates could find each other so, we do not see this as a 'problem'. The other thought is that this is a  paradox if we hear and see companies with values and mission statements aiming to hire the "the best talent".  Ironically,  if this level of exposure was given to an organisation in some other function e.g. sales or marketing this would not be a "problem" - imagine the problem of having 'too many' customers. 

At the same time we get this on many levels and from talking with many of you. Human Resource functions aren't geared up to handle large bumps in their work pattern. Over the course of the next few months we are looking to address this issue including highlighting the features within our platform.

Here are just some thoughts to get you thinking:

1. Just accept it and view this as an opportunity or the new reality. We all accept that the world is changing and put up with congestion and even bad manners.  We keep advertising in the same way and complain we don't get enough candidates. Doing the same things over and over is the very definition of insanity but here is an opportunity to change. Most of Fiji's younger generation is connected digitally. By receiving so many applications too you might have helped your own organisation's marketing and branding for free? 
2. Is your stated job criteria too vague or short? Stating "we are seeking people with good skills in MS Office and able to handle customer enquiries" is more vague than "we require Intermediate level skills in MS Office and proven experience in dealing with 20-50 customers a day". The last example of criteria won't stop people from applying but at least it might make them pause to think. We find there are certain roles (mostly office based) that are extremely popular and you will get lots of applications. Here is a post we made about potential points in writing a 'good' advertisement. 
3. What process do you have of screening applications? Many of our portal users complain they never hear from the employer. So, assuming you don't send out individual responses perhaps one way around so many applications is to just collect the applications in a separate mailbox and nominate a day to review them. Nominate the manager or even someone in your team to run a spreadsheet list and perhaps solicit their views on each of the applicants as a way of building their own skills. Then find time and work with them to sift through the applications. You build knowledge all round.

What are some of the MyJobs Fiji's inbuilt digital features to assist HR?

• A personalised employer dashboard. Once you have signed up you as an employer get a dashboard of how many views, how many applications listed according to each role you have placed.
• All applications are received in this dashboard (if you have nominated an email*). If you choose to not display your email within the advertisement all the applications come into this dashboard.
• Use  this dashboard to shortlist, reject or communicate with candidates by job. Drag the applicants names around to determine where they are in the process. Write to them from within the MJF dashboard.
• By not advertising the email within your publicly displayed advertisement you avoid overseas candidates (if that is your intent).

Let's leave this here. We hope you found this useful. Always look on the bright side - you might be getting too few applicants a somewhat worse problem and for which we wrote this article. 

* Many employers have their own websites. That is fine. We simply redirect candidates who click on the jobs to your website to use your process. You can still use our dashboard to view statistics and applicants. We get over 3,000 visits to our site and send out 35, 000 emails daily of jobs. Think of us as the big billboard around Fiji.