What PAs and Secretaries say about the sector's recruitment process

75% of secretarial specialists are turned off by a long hiring process, according to the latest Insight Series Whitepaper recruitment specialists Robert Walters. In terms of specific timescales, 81% - if successful – expect to receive a job offer within four weeks of first applying for the role. But two-thirds (67%) of employers say an average recruitment process takes longer than this in practise. 

The Whitepaper, "Managing Your Employer Brand Throughout the Recruitment Process”, also shows a number of additional preferences among secretarial professionals when searching for jobs. These include:

• 84% expect a response to an initial job application within six days
• 76% expect a job offer after two interviews or fewer
• 85% say receiving enough information about the role at interview has a strong influence on their decision whether to accept a job offer
• 89% think meeting members of the team they will be working with (in addition to the line manager) during the interview process is important
• 90% have applied for a job and not received a response
• 60% have been for a job interview and not received any feedback
• 90% of secretarial professionals would also discuss their experiences of a recruitment process with friends and/or colleagues

Danika Jarmer, Head of Secretarial and Support Recruitment at Robert Walters, comments:

“Our survey results highlight a number of common preferences among secretarial professional seeking new jobs. In particular, the majority of candidates like the recruitment process to move quickly and – because of this – employers that are indecisive and/or do not communicate frequently with applicants are likely to miss out on the best talent. 

“The fact that 90% also talk about their experiences when applying for jobs shows the importance of employers managing their hiring strategies effectively. With secretarial professionals frequently networking with each other, word can spread quickly – so companies that don’t move quickly through the recruitment process can also damage their reputation in the marketplace.” 

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