You post a position. You’re bombarded with resumes, many of which are from completely unqualified candidates. Sound familiar?

So are there really that many desperate people out there, applying for any opening they come across? Or are you actually repelling the good candidates?

You don’t have a lot of control over unqualified candidates submitting resumes. But, as an experienced recruitment firm in Houston, Texas, we know there are some common recruiting mistakes employers make that drive away good candidates, including:

Tedious job ads.

You’re not writing a novel. You’re writing a job posting – and less is more. A candidate doesn’t need to know every single detail about your company and the position. What they do need to know is the job title, an overview of the position, some brief information about the company, the job requirements, and how to apply.

Not using specific language.

It’s important to use specific language that will immediately dissuade unqualified candidates from applying.

For instance, if you’re posting a job for an administrative assistant, don’t just say that the right person must be knowledgeable about Microsoft Office. Instead, state that one of the requirements is to “know how to create formal spreadsheets in Excel as well as how to conduct mail merges.”

A sloppy career website.

If the information on your career website is sparse and unprofessional looking, then high quality candidates won’t take you seriously or want to work for your company. You’ll also turn candidates off if you require them to complete an online form just to see the entire job description on your career website.

A difficult application process.

If you’re approaching the hiring process with a fortress-like mentality and making the application long and convoluted in order to fend off weak candidates, you could actually be repelling the good quality candidates, as well.

No communication.

As a Houston, Texas recruitment firm, one of the big frustrations we hear voiced by job candidates is the lack of communication from the hiring company. While it’s impossible to call up every applicant who sends a resume to you, you can, for instance, set up an auto response for email submissions, acknowledging receipt of their resume. After all, in today’s day and age, if one candidate has a really bad experience with your company, it can go viral, impacting your brand.

And if you need help finding top talent, give us a call. As recruitment firm in Houston, Texas with more than 23 years of experience, we know how to recruit and screen quality candidates for a range of positions. That’s why we’re a trusted resource and partner for many of Houston’s most dynamic companies. Contact us today to learn more.