In the competitive Colombian market, where bilingual talent is a coveted gem, companies face a challenge: to offer a recruitment experience that not only attracts but also retains. We interviewed three Colombians with different profiles: Kevin, a Gen Z bilingual from Bogotá looking for a competitive salary and flexibility; Paola, a sales professional who applies to dozens of jobs almost as a hobby; and Brian, an industrial engineer with over 10 years of experience, seeking a professional challenge where his language skills and dedication are economically valued. Here's what they shared:
1. Calls? Seriously?
Kevin says it best: in a country where security is paramount, unsolicited calls are unwelcome. Opt for written and verifiable channels. It's not just Gen Z that doesn't answer the phone. In Colombia, companies must have an employer brand presence on WhatsApp to notify candidates of their process status in real time and coordinate the next steps. Find out how you can attend to hundreds of thousands of leads simultaneously with an AI Conversational Agent or chatbot. Get a demo
2. The mystery of the hidden salary
Paola puts it in perspective: if you're hunting for senior talent, stop playing hide and seek with the salary range. Many of these companies are trying to poach talent already employed and refuse to share their differentiators upfront, a waste of time for everyone.
3. Crossing the city for nothing
Brian: it's okay to attend a final interview on-site, but before the candidate is convinced of the offer, it's precarious for a company to force them to cross a city with impossible traffic during a workday for a preliminary interview. I need clarity on the selection process steps and my current status, as well as the offer to convince me of that time investment. Remote recruitment tools are not a luxury; they're a necessity.
4. Selection processes: marathons without medals
Psychometric or language tests placed at the beginning of the process and lasting almost an hour cause marked drop-offs. Candidates don't want to feel like part of mass production. Collective calls and generic tests are a thing of the past. Want to know how companies like Walmart have adapted their processes to satisfy a demanding candidate without losing the ability to identify the best talent for their vacancies?
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5. Job platforms: the exitless maze
Computrabajo, we're talking to you. Spam and irrelevant offers have made many candidates seek refuge on other platforms. Job boards will ask you to complete your job profile and former experience, only send you to a different platform for you to respond to the same questions all over again.
The alternative for Computrabajo: Social networks are the new battleground. They're great for reaching millions of Colombians, but being passive job seekers, they require a quick and agile process to capture their attention and perfect conversational spaces for companies to ask their prescreening questions.
6. Disregard for our language and culture
Companies that do not cater to a Colombian audience will have you looking at poorly constructed ads and lengthy job descriptions in English, representing people who look nothing like us. Even if the job requires a bilingual person, we like to feel your company understands and respects our culture and language. Ads will have better results in Colombian Spanish.
What do candidates want? It's no secret: a fast and transparent process, clear benefits, flexibility to work from home some days, an inclusive and friendly work environment, and fair compensation. If you don't offer it, someone else will.
In summary: In a country with high turnover in industries like BPO and retail, and where the talent competition is fierce, it's time to up your game. And if you're still wondering how to do it, maybe it's time to talk to an expert.
Book a call with a candidate experience specialist for Colombia and discover how to transform your recruitment process. Book a session here
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