Your Process Feels Amateur to Candidates

I had a rather uncomfortable conversation with a brilliant product manager last week. She'd just withdrawn from a recruitment process with a well-established tour operator - not because she didn't want the role, but because the hiring process had left her questioning whether she'd want to work for a company that operated so unprofessionally.

Her experience isn't unusual. In my twenty years working in travel recruitment, I've seen countless exceptional candidates walk away from opportunities simply because the recruitment process gave them a poor impression of the company. It's heartbreaking, really, because these are often fantastic businesses with passionate teams - they're just letting themselves down at the first hurdle.

The harsh reality is that your recruitment process is often a candidate's first real insight into how your company operates. If it feels disorganised, unprofessional, or disrespectful of their time, they'll assume that's how you run your business overall. In today's competitive market, the best travel professionals have choices - and they're choosing companies that demonstrate professionalism from the very first interaction.

The Warning Signs Your Process Needs Attention

I see the same issues repeatedly across the industry, and they're costing companies some truly outstanding candidates. The product manager I mentioned earlier? Her experience included a two-week delay before anyone acknowledged her application, followed by a hastily arranged interview where the hiring manager clearly hadn't read her CV. When she asked thoughtful questions about the company's expansion plans, she was met with vague responses that suggested no real preparation had been done.

Other red flags I hear about regularly include job descriptions that are so generic they could apply to any travel company, interview panels where different people ask the same questions because there's been no coordination, and feedback that takes weeks to materialise - if it comes at all.

One sales director recently told me about withdrawing from a process because the company kept rescheduling interviews at short notice, then seemed surprised when he questioned their organisational capabilities. His reasoning was simple: 'If they can't manage a recruitment process professionally, how can I trust them to manage client relationships or supplier partnerships?'

What Professional Candidates Expect

The travel professionals I work with aren't unreasonable - they understand that businesses are busy and that hiring takes time. What they do expect, however, is basic professionalism and respect for their time and expertise.

They want clear communication about timelines from the outset. If you say you'll provide feedback within a week, do it. If circumstances change and you need longer, a quick email explaining the delay goes a long way. Remember, these candidates are often taking time off from their current roles to interview with you - they deserve to know where they stand.

Professional candidates also expect interviewers who've actually prepared. This means reading their CV thoroughly, understanding their background, and having thoughtful questions ready. I've lost count of how many talented individuals have told me about interviews where they felt like they were explaining their own experience to people who should have done their homework beforehand.

They're also looking for consistency in messaging. If your HR person says one thing about the role and the hiring manager says something completely different, it raises serious questions about internal communication and company alignment.

The Hidden Costs of Poor Process

Beyond losing great candidates, amateur recruitment processes damage your reputation in ways you might not realise. The travel industry is remarkably small and well-connected. That product manager who withdrew from your process? She's already shared her experience with colleagues at two other companies. Word spreads quickly about which employers respect candidates and which ones don't.

I regularly have conversations with candidates who've had poor experiences with certain companies, and it genuinely affects their willingness to consider future opportunities there. You might have the perfect role for someone, but if they've heard from peers that your process is disorganised or disrespectful, they won't even entertain a conversation.

There's also the internal cost to consider. When your hiring managers are unprepared or your process is chaotic, you're not just wasting candidates' time - you're wasting your own team's time too. Poor processes often mean making the wrong hiring decisions, which then creates the need to recruit again six months later.

Simple Changes That Make a Real Difference

The good news is that most of these issues are entirely fixable with some basic planning and attention to detail. It's not about creating an elaborate, expensive process - it's about demonstrating the same professionalism you'd expect in any other business interaction.

Start with your job descriptions. Make them specific to your company and role, not generic templates that could apply anywhere. Include details about your company culture, what makes your business unique, and what success looks like in the position. Good candidates want to understand what they're applying for, not guess from vague bullet points.

Create a proper interview structure where everyone knows their role and what they're assessing. If you're having multiple people interview a candidate, make sure they're each focusing on different aspects rather than repeating the same questions. This shows organisation and respect for everyone's time.

Set realistic timelines and stick to them. If you say you'll make a decision by Friday, either make the decision or communicate why there's a delay. Candidates understand that things can change, but they need to know what's happening.

When to Call in Professional Help

Sometimes the issue isn't just process - it's capacity. If your hiring managers are too busy with their day jobs to give recruitment the attention it deserves, that's when professional recruitment support becomes invaluable. We can handle the initial stages, ensure proper candidate communication, and present you with thoroughly assessed candidates who are genuinely interested and available.

I also find that external recruiters often bring a fresh perspective on what's working and what isn't in your process. We see how different companies handle recruitment and can suggest improvements that you might not have considered.

Your Reputation Matters

Remember, every interaction a candidate has with your company - from the initial application acknowledgement to the final decision communication - is shaping their perception of your business. In an industry built on creating exceptional experiences for clients, surely we owe the same consideration to potential colleagues?

The travel professionals you want to hire are the same people who obsess over client experience in their current roles. They notice when processes are poorly managed, and they make judgements about company standards accordingly. If you want to attract people who'll elevate your business, you need to demonstrate that elevated approach from the very beginning.

Professional recruitment processes don't just help you hire better people - they also reinforce your company's reputation as an employer of choice in our wonderfully connected industry. And in a sector where talent moves between companies regularly, that reputation is absolutely invaluable.

Jayne Peirce is founder of Jayne Peirce Travel Recruitment, specialists in luxury travel recruitment with over two decades of industry experience.