Attracting and retaining talent has been on every organization\u2019s agenda for some years now. Many sectors are struggling with a real lack of resources. There\u2019s no shortage of initiatives to design strategies, plenty of studies, and countless discussion forums on the topic. However, many companies are failing at one essential point: recognizing and respecting the effort of those who are actively seeking an opportunity and are willing to work. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey say this generation doesn\u2019t want to work, but the truth is I sent over 60 spontaneous applications and only one company replied! I want to work, but if no one even responds\u2026\u201d \u2014 a 22-year-old told me. Her CV was perfectly adequate for her age, with some interesting details. <\/p>\n
In recent months, I\u2019ve spoken with three promising young professionals. They\u2019re qualified, motivated, and ready to face challenges and contribute to organizational growth. Each of them sent out dozens of applications. Some for open positions, others speculative, trying to create opportunities where, at first glance, they did not existed. The result? Out of the many companies they contacted, fewer than three had the courtesy to give any kind of feedback. It is important to note that many of the companies they applied to were ones they genuinely admired. In other words, we\u2019re talking about potential brand advocates, ie, people who might now stop being advocates altogether, just like customers who feel ignored<\/strong>. <\/p>\n This kind of company behavior raises deep questions about how talent is (or isn\u2019t) managed from the very beginning. On one hand<\/strong>, HR departments invest in employer branding, attend job fairs, and promote the idea that they value people<\/strong>. On the other hand,<\/strong> the candidates\u2019 experience often tells a different story. For job seekers, silence is the most common<\/strong> response and it undermines motivation and dehumanizes a process that should, ultimately, be one of mutual discovery. <\/p>\n