As the recession begins to ebb and the employment picture begins to slowly improve, job searchers needs to know how the appliation process works. Employers can also stand a few pointers on how to make the process easier for everyone.

Many companies now do their hiring online. Applicants fill out an application and often take a personality test online. For many applicants, that’s their last encounter with the company. Thi is the biggest mistake many employers make – failure to notify the candidate of their status and what to expect – quickly.

A survey of 56 companies revealed that only 27 percent of them have a formal notification process. Another survey revealed that the number one frustration for 49 percent of the respondents the company’s failure to respond to their applications. Employers need to design application systems that will tell people applying what to expect next and when to expect it. This is a matter of courtesy and respect.

Another related complaint from job seekers is that online applications are often complicated to fill out, require too much time and request more information than they feel is initially needed at that point. The application process needs to be quick, simple and to the point. Again, applicants need to get online feedback about what happens next.

Many job hunters see the application process as a big black box. The application goes in and nothing comes out. Communications and transparency are need to improve to keep potential candidates in the loop.