How to Diffuse a Disgruntled Candidate on Social Media

Social media can be both a blessing and a curse. It allows businesses to promote their brands, engage with customers and identify potential new hires. But since it is a public forum, much of what occurs there is outside your control. This is especially true for staffing firms dealing with unhappy candidates. It only takes a few minutes for a single person to trash your reputation by turning to Twitter, Facebook or Yelp rather than addressing their concerns with you directly.

So, how can you diffuse the situation and regain control of your brand?

Don’t delete the comment. Even if you are able to, people will notice and think you have something to hide. Leave the comment unless it is threatening or profane.

Acknowledge their pain. If you choose to respond to the comment, briefly address their disappointment and then immediately offer to take the conversation offline. The last thing you want to do is get into an online argument with someone who has nothing but time and resentment on their hands. However, by responding quickly to the comment online, other visitors to the site can see that you are at least attempting to address it.

Avoid future occurrences. Disgruntled candidates may have come into your office with unrealistic expectations. It’s important to reset those expectations in your first meeting. Don’t say that you’ll call if you won’t. Don’t offer false hope if you don’t typically come across positions that fit their skills.

Follow up with each candidate. Unhappy candidates are often created by unprofessional staffing agencies. Stay in touch with candidates to update them on their job prospects, let them know what an employer thought, or make suggestions that could make them more marketable. Taking a little extra time can pay dividends in goodwill.

Establish a protocol. If you don’t have one, draft a policy that ensures you deal with each candidate consistently and fairly. Share your policy with the candidates you work with so that they will know what to expect in terms of communication and results.

About Avionté

Looking for ways to improve your candidate interactions? With the help of Avionté Software, you can improve streamline your hiring and screening process, enabling you, your clients and candidates to work together more effectively.

As specialists in the staffing industry, we work with staffing and recruiting firms daily to help them solve business problems. To learn more about Avionté, contact us today.