The Candidate Experience Matters
What is the candidate experience?
The candidate experience is a culmination of all communication and interaction a candidate has with your company and brand during the recruitment process. Beginning with the first time they see your job opening, and ending with the final communication they have with you—or possibly the lack of communication.
Why does it matter?
Brand Reputation
A poor candidate experience can have the same impact on your brand as a dissatisfied customer. People talk. Whether it’s sharing with their friends and family, complaining publically on social media, or even posting a poor company review online—it will negatively impact your brand.
Better Quality Candidates
With clear communication and a streamlined process, your recruitment will stand out compared to other companies. And therefore, motivate top candidates to want to work for you.
On the flip side, poor communication and complicated processes will result in top candidates getting hired by other companies before you can even offer them a job.
How to improve it?
The key to creating an excellent candidate experience is communication. Here are four tips on how to strengthen your candidate experience.
Create a clear Job Description.
Communication begins with the Job Description. A well-thought-out Job Description is the first component of the candidate experience. Provide clear and accurate information about the duties of the role, skill requirements, work environment, and—we cannot stress this enough—compensation information. Failing to provide the details about compensation wastes everyone’s time, and definitely negatively affects the candidate experience.
Get comfortable saying “No.”
Don't neglect to communicate with the candidates who don’t move forward in your process. At bare minimum, send a courteous message thanking them for their interest and let them know that they are not a fit for the role. You can take it a step further by providing feedback to the candidate. Here’s an example:
Thank you for contributing your time and attention to this application process. This email is to inform you that we will not continue with an interview at this time, but we are grateful for your interest in [company name]. We are looking for a candidate with more experience in [skill].
Let candidates know what to expect during interviews.
Interviews are stressful and can cause anxiety for even the most prepared and qualified candidates. Communicate with the candidate what to expect beforehand. This can include:
Who will be in the interview? Provide name and title.
How long will the interview take? Give an approximate timeframe; e.g. Please allow 60 minutes for the interview. We expect it to last for 30-45 minutes, but it will definitely not exceed an hour.
Keep the process moving.
Long gaps of time between steps in recruitment and communication from you will send your candidates looking elsewhere for a job.
Recruiting and hiring the right candidate takes work. Providing a good experience for all candidates takes even more effort. But it is effort that pays off for your company’s reputation and will increase your likelihood of finding the perfect candidate for the position.
Want more strategies to improve your candidate experience? Grab a copy of The Hiring Process to read more about how to strengthen your recruitment process. Also, our HR Course for Small Businesses is now available. This course will be your guide through the entire employee journey.
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