when job candidates lack self-confidence

It is a very original and eminently topical piece of research, led by the sociologist Jean Pralong. He was interested in these candidates who prefer not to apply for a job advertisement, which nevertheless corresponds to their profile, because they believe that they have too many chances of being refused. 165 accountants, all job seekers, were confronted with real advertisements. Who had everything to please them: the skills and places of employment.

Result: less than half of the candidates, 46%, decided to apply. Among the candidates who give up, 80% believe that the probability of being chosen is too low. And of those who apply, two out of three believe they have a good chance of success. Three groups of candidates had been formed. Those who censor themselves the most are those who have choppy careers, with few salary increases and little training. Those who have had linear careers, on the contrary, do not hesitate to respond to advertisements.

Those who do not apply fear failure and do not want to be confronted with negative emotions caused by refusals. Contrary to popular belief, job seekers do not apply en masse, in volume. When they fear that the recruiting process will work against them, then they self-eliminate. Another factor of elimination, the opacity of the recruitment process. Jean Pralong, the author of this study, asks the question: “Who wants to participate in a game of which he does not know the winnings, the competitors, and the referee?”

Too many abstract speeches

To attract more candidates, Jean Pralong recommends that the ads talk less about the company, but more about the recruitment process. When will we respond? How many interviews will there be? Are we going to do tests? Who is in charge of recruitment? Concrete, while, according to him, the ads give pride of place to abstract speeches on what is called “the employer brand”.