Why a Realistic Job Preview Helps Qualify Candidates and Reduce Employee Turnover

A Realistic Job Preview (RJP) is a recruiting approached used by an organization to communication the important aspects of the job prior to them offering you the position. Applicants are then able to make a more informed decision based on their own perception of the job and determine if they think they will be a good fit. As the unemployment rate continues to hover over an unhealthy figure it’s important to make sure the candidate is not only loving the environment, but can perform the tasks needed. The RJP gives candidates a more holistic picture of the job.

A RJP helps both the employer and the candidate. For the employer they are matching the job requirements with the applicant and the employee is matching their needs with the organizations culture and specific job requirements. Job satisfaction, tenure, and performance are all traits that are benefited when performing a RJP.

Why should employers offer a Realistic Job Preview?

Since an RJP offers a real view of how the candidate will perform on the job it’s an essential task when the cost of hiring is so high. Efficiency is a key priority in the recruiting industry. According to a recent survey by CareerBuilder, a bad hire can cost anywhere from $25,000 - $50,000 each year. Some of these mistakes are beyond the control the person recruiting, but offering a RJP could counteract some of those downfalls.

Pre-empting Employee Turnover

A significant reason for using Realistic Job Previews is to not only for increasing job satisfaction, but to decrease employee turnover. RJPs give employees a more realistic picture of the job, which will either make them, want to accept or decline. More often than not, it's hard to truly describe the job environment to a potential candidate and sometimes things are better than they seem and a RJP will help detour the creation of over-selling a workplace. There’s nothing worse than a hiring manager telling you how great a job is and that a move from your old company to theirs is a smart choice. Knowing the type of work environment you’re getting yourself into works wonders in the area of employee turnover.

Sourcing Qualified Candidates

It’s no secret that a resume often embellishes the qualifications of a potential candidate. A RJP helps an employer find the adequate candidate, i.e. someone who is qualified for the job in theory based on the resume, but also in practice, based on what the job actually entails. It has happened time and time again where a job applicant needs a job so bad that they say they are more skilled than what they really are. Aside from testing sometimes the best way to determine candidates' ability is to throw them to the wolves in a mock job environment.

A Realistic Job Preview is a perfect for both the employer and employee. Has your company ever offered one of these previews? What were the benefits and downfalls to your experience?