Interview no-shows are becoming more and more common in recent years as we’ve moved to a digital age.

While utilising online job boards and websites is definitely a plus point, it does mean that passive candidates are easily tempted into taking another opportunity.

A passive candidate is someone who isn’t necessarily searching for a job, but is always open to new opportunities.

According to Google, an average of more than 15 million unique job-related searches are carried out every month in the UK.

This figure is around half of the working population.

But to say that a huge fraction of the UK is always actively looking for work seems wildly presumptuous to say the least.

In actual fact, a lot of these searches will be made by passive candidates who might just fancy taking a quick look at Indeed, Reed etc.

You see, humans are curious and want to see what possibilities there are waiting to be explored.

So in other words, just because you’ve got a candidate interested in a role and/or they’ve accepted an interview with you, doesn’t mean that they will actually go through with it.

In fact, sometimes candidates just accept an interview because they want to feel wanted and haven’t actually considered the role.

Then once they’ve sat down and thought about it, they soon realise that it isn’t really for them.

So what’s the solution? Stop headhunting?

Not at all. As a business, you want to find the very best talent in the UK to drive your company forward – hence why so many people use LinkedIn and email to send job specs to passive candidates.

The real answer lies in the way that you conduct your whole recruitment process. Sure, it’s up to the candidate to tell you if they can’t make it.

But in such a fast-moving world, it’s hardly surprising why you’ll experience the odd no-show or someone pulling out at the last minute.

To help you reduce the likelihood of this happening in the first place, try implementing some of these top tips.

Be personal

Katie Keller recently wrote about the growing no-show issue on LinkedIn, stating:

“I try and ‘humanise’ the process a bit, as I am more of a networker, not a recruiter. Grab a beer or a coffee with a candidate if they seem like a rock star, or if you really are interested in their skillset.”

The issue Katie is addressing here is the lack of one-on-one attention HR or recruiters give candidates. In fact, some may argue that it’s like talking to a robot.

Taking a different and unique approach to the whole interview process may just paint a positive picture of your company and help you stand out.

Make it quick and flexible

Flexibility is a massive factor in no-shows, especially if a candidate is already employed.

With businesses becoming increasingly demanding, giving candidates very little flexibility with the interview slots can result in them not being able to get the time off work.

To make sure both you and the candidate are happy, be quick in your response and open-minded.

Find a time which works for you in double-time and they will not only feel valued, but it will give them no excuse not to turn up.

Being slow to respond to a candidate can also result in them finding a different position in the process.

Another professional on LinkedIn, Kim Palomarez, said: If you are talking about entry-level positions, in a market like we have right now, then you have to move very quickly.

This is the biggest challenge I hear the most about when talking to my clients.

This is a job seekers market and they have many choices. If you call someone Monday to set up an interview for Wednesday, they are already working somewhere else by Tuesday”.

Make the interview sound great

Interviews aren’t the most exciting things to do for a passive candidate.

For some, it can feel like quite a daunting task which makes them feel anxious.

So instead of just carrying out a conventional process, why not jazz it up a bit?

Unless you’re Ikea or another large corporate brand, you’ll need to sell the idea of an interview to a lot of people.

Try ditching the typical smart attire quota and ask them to wear something they feel that represents them.

Or you could switch the boardroom for a coffee shop to keep things relaxed, informal and more personal.

It’s also essential that you give candidates all the information that they need to reduce any stress or anxiety beforehand. According to research, 61.8% of candidates only receive a date and location prior to the interview.

So let them know what they can expect from the process.

Things to remember

Overall, you won’t be able to stop every no-show from happening.

However, if you make the interview process more exciting and approach a candidate in a more personal way from the outset, there’s a high probability that you can significantly reduce them.

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