Valerie Buchman
Administrative Assistant
Your company is hiring. You understand the process, and you’ve been in the candidate’s shoes. How do you create a positive experience for those candidates who are currently applying? Moreover, how does this positive experience benefit your company?
Definition of the “candidate experience”
The candidate experience can be defined as the steps or processes a person goes through when applying for a role. This includes, viewing the company’s website, the initial application, communications from an online tracking system, interviews and more! You should strive to ensure that this process from beginning to end is seamless and successful.
Communicate openly and often
Be open, honest, and clear with your candidates about how you will communicate with them. If you will mainly be using e-mails, let them know; if an interview will be via Skype or Microsoft Teams, advise them of that as well. Be on time for interviews or scheduled calls and provide them with access to your contact information. At the initial onset, let the candidate know how long you think the hiring process will take and what they can expect throughout the duration. Never leave a candidate wondering what happened.
Lack of communication reflects poorly on your company and may negatively impact your ability to hire in the future. Pageup People reports that, “…83% of talent say a negative interview experience can change their mind about a role or company they once liked.”
Utilize technology to your advantage
Many companies now have digital forms that candidates fill out as their initial application. Make sure that your technology is up to date, all systems are running successfully, and they are user-friendly. The career page on your site should easily be found and the application should have clear instructions. Talent Works says, “…implementing technology into your recruitment strategy can benefit both candidate and recruiter, enhancing experiences for all.”
Talent Works continues, “without human intervention and knowledge, the tech will cause more problems than good.” By ensuring that your employees know how to operate the systems and use the information accordingly, the candidate will have a positive experience.
Align the process with your company’s culture
Applying and interviewing for a job is difficult. From a candidate’s point of view, an additional challenge is, “what is the company’s culture, and will I align with it?” To ease some of this uncertainty, a company should highlight or advertise its brand. “Companies with great employer brands receive 50% more qualified applicants,” says, Pageup People . You will attract candidates who share similar values by sharing your company’s culture and treating your candidates with respect throughout the hiring process.
Company benefits from a positive candidate experience
A positive candidate experience not only benefits those who apply to your open positions, but will also benefit the company:
- Attract more applicants
- Compete for top talent
- Quality of your hires will improve
- Brand awareness will increase
By creating a positive candidate experience, your company will see growth and an overall satisfaction in your employees after they are hired. Why not begin building a positive candidate experience today?!
