Thanks for Your Service, Please Don't Come Back

A former co-worker of mine and I sat down recently and started talking about what we've been up to since our last get-together. She worked for many years at one company (we'll call it "Company X"), where she established a solid reputation. She did good work and was respected by her colleagues. She then decided to leave to pursue an opportunity with another company. After a few years she left and, after a short hiatus, started looking for work. As she was searching she came across a job ad at Company X. It wasn't for her former role, yet it was one that she was qualified for. It was in a new area of expertise, one in which my colleague had pursued independently of her career.

She knew she would have to compete for it. It was a well recognized brand that could pick and choose who they would interview and ultimately hire for the role. However, she believed she had a competitive advantage that most applicants lacked.

They were:

1. Connections--as I stated before, she was well respected. Even after she left she stayed connected with many of her former colleagues. One of those included the hiring manger for the role. This would allow her to get her resume in front of the right people.
2. Culture--as someone who worked at Company X for many years, she understood the company culture in ways that an outside hire wouldn't. She knew the players and how things got done. She could easily assimilate back into the organization, saving Company X time and money in on-boarding.

She was excited! She believed that with her experience, connections, and intimate understanding of the company's culture she could make a good case for returning. She applied and also alerted the hiring manager of her interest. And then a few weeks later she got a response. It was an auto-reply email, where Company X thanked her for applying, but unfortunately her skills and abilities didn't match the requirements of the role.

Now here's the thing--she wasn't angry about not getting an interview (disappointed, yes, but not angry). What she was angry about is that they chose to treat her like another faceless candidate. In her mind all the years of work she put in didn't warrant a more personal response, one in keeping with the family-like atmosphere she remembered.

That's a shame. It's bad enough that many job seekers think that companies do a poor job of communicating with them. It's even more troubling when former employees, people who know and understand an organization, feel as if they don't matter. Not only has a company lost an applicant, they may have lost more. Former employees can now be an organization's customer. Having a sour experience may persuade them to take their business elsewhere. It may also prompt a backlash. Think about it--with sites like Glassdoor.com, or just through casual conversations with peers, former employees have plenty of ways to express their displeasure. Their inside knowledge also gives them a certain credibility that can't be easily dismissed. This can erode a brand's reputation in ways that others can't.

My friend has found work again. She's now looking to take what's she learned, personally and professionally, and apply it to her new role. And while she's gotten over her disappointment with Company X, she no longer keeps in touch with colleagues there. Nor does she buys their products.

From a recruitment standpoint, what do you do to make former employees welcome?