It’s post National Mental Health Awareness Week and the BBC have been reporting on the lack of feedback from employers post job interviews. So we wanted to keep the issue in focus and highlight how mental health and the lack of employer communications can have an impact on our young people.

We want to raise the issue of employers not communicating with applicants prior to interview after hearing Charles Taylor from Debut Careers talking on the BBC about his Fight for Feedback campaign.

Since speaking to young people from De Montfort University and the Prince’s Trust project, Talent Match, we know they are commonly excited about the prospect of work. However, their perceptions that the world is full of opportunities and their experience in reality often brings them back down to earth with a thump. This happens because employers are not fulfilling their side of the relationship and responding.

We believe that communication should be two-way and begin as soon as an application is submitted.

We know that 80% of young people use company websites to apply online for jobs. They invest a lot of time, effort and enthusiasm in the process of applying too.

From our research previously, we know the average graduate will go through 22 interviews over a 5 month period before getting a job.

26-year-old Jack previously said that ‘some application forms feel like a job in itself’. And we have heard countless times that applying for a job online where you cannot track the process or receive any communication back feels like you are submitting your application into a black hole.

Chris’ story

Chris is 21 years-old, has depression and anxiety and has been out of work for 18 months. In the last six months, Chris has been working with the Prince’s Trust initiative Talent Match which seeks to help young people back into work.

When we spoke to Chris about his experience of applying for jobs online here’s what he told us: “It’s a pretty terrible experience and so demotivating because I either feel over or under qualified for roles. There’s not much in between. It’s a task to sift through to then only be rejected.”

“When I am looking for an employer I tend to seek out smaller companies because I imagine they would be more nurturing and have supportive teams unlike the big companies. I like to see the company actually say they will support and nurture staff regardless of their situation or health because I like to know they look after their people.”

The Prince’s Trust Youth Index said that 1 in 4 young people don’t feel in control of their lives.

So what can employers do to change this?

There are a few things an employer can do to make the process more supportive for young people.

• Clearly state the application process and next steps
• Send a communications to acknowledge receipt of all applications and subsequent results at each stage
• Be open to provide feedback should a young candidate request it.

And finally, join the Debut Careers campaign – Fight for Feedback