Are you struggling to find sales and marketing talent for your agriculture business? You’re not alone. Many companies in the industry find it challenging to attract qualified, well–aligned candidates. But before you assume there isn’t enough talent in the market, it’s important to examine your hiring process – and that process begins with your online application. The wrong application process could actually be costing your company top talent.  

Application Abandonment Is Real  

According to CareerBuilder, 60% of job seekers abandon applications due to length and/or complexity, and many experts agree that the actual percentage is actually much higher.  

However, employers tend to believe that a lengthy application process will weed out poor candidates, but the opposite is true. Talented people don’t lack the motivation to fill out applications; they simply lack the time. Great candidates know their time is valuable, and they will not waste that time on disorganized or complex applications.

How To Improve Your Application Process  

First and foremost, sit down and apply for a job at your company yourself. Time how long it takes you from the second you pull up the job to the minute you press “send.” Are you frustrated by the amount of time it takes? If you aren’t sure, solicit a few employees to do the same. Get their feedback. If people say it takes too long, it probably is.  

Next, look for simple ways to streamline your process: 

• If you have an option to upload a resume, do not require candidates to manually enter their work history. It’s redundant. If your ATS doesn’t accurately pre-fill those fields, look into an upgrade.  
• Do not ask any more than 10 questions. Abandonment rates rise significantly over 10 questions.  
• Do not ask for SSN in the application. Candidates don’t know your company well enough to trust that you’ll protect their data. Collect that information from candidates later in the process.  
• Do not ask for references, you only need those from people you’re interested in hiring.  
• Allow candidates to save their application and return at a later time, even if you shorten your process.  
• Allow mobile applications because many people browse for jobs on their phones and tablets.  
• Allow applicants to one-click apply from LinkedIn or to connect a resume from Dropbox and Google Drive. Companies that have these features get much higher response rates.  

Are You Looking For Well-Matched Agriculture Candidates For Your Business?  

Streamlining your application process can take a lot of time. If you are looking for A-level  sales and  marketing talent for your agriculture  business and you need them quickly,  contact  the expert recruiters at  Morris Bixby  today. Our process is designed to deliver accurate matches efficiently and cost-effectively.