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5 ways Hong Kong job seekers were abused

Most HR professionals understand that the employee experience doesn’t start on the first day of work at orientation. It starts the moment job seekers fill out an online application, yet certain organisations have left job seekers in despair with unreasonably harsh and poorly planned recruitment processes.

Here are some of the abusive behaviours from local HR departments shared on Hong Kong Discussion Group. Is your HR team guilty of any of the following?

1.  Tedious online application Applicants were requested to submit an essay on their personal aspirations in no less than 500 words, share an unforgettable experience in no less than 500 words, and write another 500 words on career aspirations.

Applicants want to apply for a job, not enter an essay competition.

2.  Endless rounds of interviewsThe selection process started with filling in application forms and taking an aptitude test. Then candidates were required to go to an assessment centre for more evaluation exercises, followed by a meeting with the HR department and then the manager. After that, there were even more rounds of interviews with the CEO and other senior member of staff.

Can't blame the candidate for being impatient.

3.  No interview offered after going through testsCandidates had to complete an honesty test, a writing test, a math test, and a questionnaire. But even after all that, they were not guaranteed a chance to interview.

If candidates have to take a day off to do the tests without even getting a meeting, it is a complete waste of their time.

4. Re-run of job adCandidates were told they did well at the interview but the company decided to run the job ad again.

The company might not have had an urgent talent need and may have wanted to see more people, but candidates need a job now. Please stop giving them false hope.

5. The silent treatmentThe HR department contacted the candidate three months after the interview.

At this point, candidates probably can't even remember they applied for the job and very likely have moved on.

In an article on Forbes, Liz Ryan, CEO/founder of Human Workplace, also shared some behaviours no job seeker should have to tolerate.

Her list of job seeker abuse includes making an interview appointment without asking the candidate whether or not that time is convenient, and changing the interview date and the makeup of the interview panel without informing the candidate until really close to the interview date.

There are also dishonest organisations that present candidates with a lower than promised offer after telling them they were hired.

In today's candidate-centric recruitment environment, job seekers will not hesitate to share their bad interview experience online or on social media. As such, HR departments need to clean up their act to protect the company's employer's brand.

ALSO READ: Interview questions Hong Kong candidates hate

Photo/ 123RF

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