Lack of communication from employers was one of the most frustrating aspects of the job application process for job seekers, according to research from iCIMS.

The research from iCIMS found that 80% of job seekers said getting status updates during the application process would improve their experience and improve their perception of an employer.

When it comes to contacting talent, 47% of job seekers say texting is their preferred form of communication. On the flip side, 56% ranked phone calls as their least preferred.

Email isn’t dead either. The survey found 36% of respondents would be more likely to click on an email from an employer that included job roles that matched their skills and experience.

Other findings included:

• A majority of job seekers, 56%, are less likely to be a consumer of a brand if they had a bad experience applying for or interviewing for a job.
• More than 40% described their last job search as frustrating and long.
• 72% expect the job application process — from submitting the application to receiving an offer — to take three weeks or less.
• 17% have already used generative AI to write a résumé or cover letter.

For the report, iCIMS surveyed nearly 1,000 US job seekers and included proprietary data from its platform.