Nearly half, or 46%, of employees in Ireland have left a job within a year because the reality of the role did not match their expectations, according to research from Hays.

Hays’ research, which polled 1,800 employers and employees, found that these employee exits are due to a poor interviewing experience and companies' application processes not being up to scratch.

In terms of the interview process, 82% said they had a negative experience during the interview stage. A lack of interviewer preparedness (39%), an overly long and cumbersome interview process (43%), and poor communication of the interview process (33%) were the main reasons cited.

Meanwhile, almost half, or 47% say on-the-job training is not provided as expected, while 40% say the job ad was misleading, and 28% said that they did not mesh with the organisation’s culture.

Simon Winfield, Managing Director, Hays Ireland, commented, “As Ireland nears full employment, the market is very much a candidate-driven one. In this context, a poor application process and interviewing experience not only harm employee attraction, but also retention.”

“As the market becomes more competitive, this requires employers to continuously review their recruitment processes to ensure they are fit for purpose. If a company’s hiring process was designed even five years ago, it may no longer deliver within the current candidate market,” Winfield said.

“Our report also shows that candidates value the actual experience of the interview in many different ways. How they are welcomed into your office, who they meet, and how you interact with them before and after all subtly influence their opinion of you. Equally, meeting the boss is another important step in this interview process, and one that too many employers overlook. Neglecting these steps can be the difference between hiring an excellent employee and losing one,” Winfield said.