Are You Creating a Positive Candidate Experience?

In a job seeker’s market, businesses must be prepared to pull out all the stops in order to attract the best and brightest talent. From benefits and salary to company culture, there are many ways to demonstrate to skilled job seekers that your company is a top employer they should consider.

One key differentiator many businesses are starting to focus on to be more competitive in the job market is the candidate experience. In fact, LinkedIn’s 2018 Global Recruiting Trends report found that 56% of businesses say “interviewing innovations are ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ important to the future of hiring.”

According to CareerArc’s State of the Candidate Experience study, nearly 60% of job seekers surveyed have had a poor candidate experience with a company. And, 72% of that group said they have shared about it online or with someone directly.

So, what are the key factors driving the negativity?

One finding from the CareerArc study is that 65% of candidates said they never, or rarely, receive notice about an application they submitted. And of those who do hear back about an application, 51% report it took a month or longer.

Additionally, according to Undercover Recruiter, 60% of candidates have quit an application process because it took too long.

And, CareerBuilder’s Candidate Experience Study found that 78% of job candidates said “the overall candidate experience they receive is an indicator of how a company values its people.”

5 Quick Tips for a More Positive Candidate Experience

  1. Ensure job postings are clear and concise
    There’s nothing more frustrating to a job seeker than an ambiguous job posting. Be sure the details about the job are succinct and helpful and that the process to apply is straight forward.
  2. Stay connected
    According to CareerArc’s State of the Candidate Experience study, 60% of candidates said “better communication throughout and after the applicant process” would make the biggest impact on their experience.
  3. Explain the hiring process
    Once a candidate is in your hiring pipeline, be clear about what the process will entail. From interview format to expectations for future communication, keeping a promising candidate engaged is the key to creating a positive experience.
  4. Give feedback
    Whether you decide to hire a candidate or not, be open and honest about the reasoning behind your decision. Providing feedback about how a candidate you did not hire can be better prepared for future interviews, for example, can still create a positive experience even though they didn’t land the job.
  5. Ask for feedback
    After you’ve hired a new employee, ask them for feedback about the process they just experienced. What did they like? Were there areas that could be improved? Reevaluating and fine-tuning will help ensure your candidate experience stays in step with the changing times.

What are some ways you create a positive candidate experience? Let us know in the comments section below!

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