Hiring managers will thumb through hundreds of applications, pay hefty advertising fees, and employ multiple internal and external recruiters in an effort to build the best team. All that work, when a simple thank you can often do just as much (if not more) for your hiring goals.

Hiring managers: you can interview as many candidates as you like, but if you aren’t expressing authentic gratitude during the process, you’re likely to lose your best candidates to your competitors.

The same can be said of candidates: if you’re not investing emotional energy in your future manager and recruiter, they’ll never fight to get you the best salary or benefits.

I’ve personally experienced the power of a simple thank you and I’ve seen what it can do for your professional development. Here’s how gratitude can transform your hiring process:

1. Happy employees don’t leave

Showing gratitude is the easiest way to keep your team happy, yet it’s the first thing to disappear when times get tough or you’re on a deadline. When it comes down to it, it involves nothing more than being engaged, polite, prompt, and showing genuine appreciation.

I’m telling you this not for my own benefit – honestly, recruiters do better when companies don’t retain team members. Those people you lose become our best candidates and back-filling their empty roles keeps our business running.

That being said, I want you and your company to succeed – even if it means you have less use for recruiters. From speaking with hundreds of candidates, I know that a lack of appreciation is a top reason people look for other career opportunities. As much as you might like to think it’s solely about pay, it’s not. Everyone wants to feel valued and to be thanked for their hard work. If you don’t give that to your employees, some other company will.

2. Candidates aren’t a dime a dozen

In the current market, finding your ‘perfect’ candidate can be tough. People have options, and they are no longer willing to be swayed by a ping pong table, on-site Masseuse, or unlimited PTO. Don’t get me wrong, those perks are great and often add to the overall environment. But on their own they won’t guarantee that you’ll hire or retain the best professionals – to do that you need to make people feel valued and respected.

Even if you are unlikely to hire a certain candidate, make an effort to build trust. The person you don’t hire today may be a great asset in the near or far future. So send them thank you emails, show your appreciation for their time, and take an interest in their career goals.

3. Recruiters do better as your partner, not your vendor

No matter your profession, we all have to make decisions about where we dedicate our limited time and attention, and that decision is not purely based on a monetary ROI.

When we as recruiters are treated as partners, we’re 10x more likely to prioritize your jobs. We’ll work harder to find you the best candidates and happily invest extra hours regardless of financial incentives.

We understand that what makes a ‘wow’ candidate is unique to every company. That’s why it’s so critical to openly communicate with your recruiting partners. Share the details of your team’s goals, tell us about the company vision, and include us throughout the hiring process. We want to help you find that superstar employee.

It’s easy to forget to express gratitude when life gets busy, but it’s incredibly critical to building a cohesive team. I’ve seen what happens when a simple thank you is regularly missing – recruiters are less motivated, candidates are less interested, and employees are less likely to stick around. Strive to make everyone you come in contact with feel valued, and I’m confident you’ll see the benefits. I’m happy to share more hiring best practices: send me an email directly or leave a comment!

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