Candidate experience is how an applicant feels when moving through your organisation’s hiring process. It significantly impacts the employer brand.
Alisa Lagovska, Head of Recruitment at Jooble, a job aggregator, shares how important it is to create a positive candidate experience and ways to enhance it.
By prioritising a positive and seamless candidate experience, organisations can enhance their reputation, attract top talent, improve employee engagement, and gain a competitive advantage in the job market.
A negative interview experience changes candidates’ perception of a company
People are talking more about your candidate experience than we might realise. Job candidates tend to talk about their interview experiences with friends and family. When the experience feels negative, they talk about it.
Two-thirds of candidates share positive/negative experiences publicly. Just one-third of candidates say they keep this information private.
First, let’s discuss some interesting numbers confirming the importance of creating a positive candidate experience in the recruiting process:
- 58% of candidates are more likely to accept a job offer if they had a positive candidate experience;
- 72% of candidates who have had a poor recruiting experience have shared it online or with someone;
- 82% of candidates say that a negative interview experience can change their perception of a company;
- 78% of candidates say that the overall candidate experience they receive indicates how a company values its people.
What are the first steps to implement a candidate experience?
- Identify target audience
- Define Segments
- Define Persona for each Segment
- Create CJM (Candidate Journey Map) For Personas – Process of creating a visual representation (map) of all interactions candidates have with your Employer Brand during their Candidate Journey.
The Do’s of Candidate Experience Development
Do Focus on Clear Communication
Ensure that candidates receive timely, transparent, and personalised communication throughout the hiring process. Provide clear instructions about the application process, interview stages, and expected timelines. Regularly update candidates about the progress of their applications to keep them engaged and informed.
Do Streamline the Application Process
Simplify and optimise the application process to minimise friction and frustration for candidates. The application form should be short and easy to understand. Eliminate unnecessary steps and complex requirements, making it easy for candidates to submit their applications. For example:
- require a long list of qualifications or skills that are not directly relevant to the position;
- application forms that require repetitive information or extensive personal details and take a long time to fill out;
- require candidates to complete numerous tests or assignments that are not directly related to the job’s requirements;
- conducting multiple rounds of interviews without a clear purpose or specific criteria.
An efficient and user-friendly application process reflects positively on the organisation and encourages candidates to move forward.
Do Personalise the Candidate Experience
Treat each candidate as an individual and personalise their experience whenever possible. Tailor communications, interview questions, and interactions to align with their skills, experience, and career goals. For example, you can inspire a junior specialist to join your team by sharing specific instances of colleagues in similar positions who have changed their roles. By sharing their stories and how they achieved their career goals, you can encourage the candidate to pursue their aspirations.
Showing genuine interest in candidates and addressing their specific needs fosters a sense of value and appreciation.
Do Provide Feedback
Offer constructive feedback to candidates, regardless of the outcome. Sharing specific insights and areas for improvement demonstrates respect for candidates’ efforts and helps them grow professionally. This is especially important for junior specialists. You can compile a knowledge base with developing recommendations for each position, include useful literature, courses, etc., and add this information to your feedback to candidates. Constructive feedback can leave a lasting positive impression, even if a candidate is not selected, and contribute to the organisation’s reputation.
Do Ensure a Positive Interview Experience
Follow up after any interaction, like a live interview or video call. Design well-structured and fair interview processes that put candidates at ease. Provide clear information about the interview format and expectations in advance. Give your candidates a heads-up on what to expect during the process and what will happen immediately after the current message.
What happens after the application, screening, interview, and other stages? Set expectations early and often. Create a welcoming and inclusive environment where candidates can showcase their skills and personality without unnecessary stress. Respect candidates’ time by minimising delays and promptly following up after interviews.
The Don’ts of Candidate Experience Development
Don’t Leave Candidates in the Dark
Never fail to follow up after specifically saying you’d do so. Avoid leaving candidates without updates or feedback during the application and interview stages. Maintain regular communication to keep them engaged and informed about their status in the hiring process. Leaving candidates in the dark can lead to frustration, negative impressions, and a damaged employer brand.
Don’t Neglect the Application Experience
Ensure the online application system is user-friendly and optimised for a seamless experience. Avoid complex and time-consuming application requirements that deter potential candidates. Lengthy or confusing applications can discourage qualified individuals from completing the process, resulting in missed talent acquisition opportunities.
Don’t Oversell or Misrepresent the Role
Be transparent and honest when communicating about the role, responsibilities, and the work environment. Avoid overselling or misrepresenting the position to attract candidates. Setting realistic expectations ensures that candidates clearly understand what to expect, which ultimately contributes to their long-term satisfaction and retention. Most job candidates understand that companies can’t hire everyone, but they want to be assured of a fair and open process.
Don’t Overlook Candidate Feedback
Most job candidates are rejected and never hear back from the employer. This creates a highly negative experience for the rejected candidate. Listen to and value candidate feedback throughout the recruitment process. Actively seek feedback through surveys, interviews, or informal conversations. Incorporate constructive criticism to improve the candidate experience continuously. Ignoring or dismissing candidate feedback can hinder the organisation’s ability to enhance its employer brand and make necessary improvements.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Personalization
Avoid treating candidates as mere numbers in the recruitment process. Personalise interactions and communications to create a genuine connection with candidates. Remember not to forget to ask candidates for feedback in surveys and research. Even if they don’t decide to participate, asking for feedback shows you care about them.
Conclusion
The experience that job applicants have during the hiring process is really important for a company’s reputation and ability to attract good employees. When companies focus on making the experience positive, it helps them build a good image, get the best talent, and be more competitive in the job market.
To make the candidate experience better, recruiters should communicate clearly, make the application process easy, personalise the experience, and give feedback to candidates. These actions show respect and make candidates feel valued.
By following these tips and treating candidates well, recruiters can create a positive experience, improve their company’s reputation, and attract and keep the best employees.
Alisa is a recruitment specialist with 11 years of practical experience in hiring and launching recruiting processes in Ukraine and abroad in such industries as outsourcing, retail, logistics and IT. Alisa was one of the first in Ukraine to launch remote recruitment.
She graduated from Zhytomyr Ivan Franko State University with a diploma in psychology.
Alisa managed recruiting teams of more than 20 people. She worked at the logistics company “Nova Poshta”, where, among other things, she successfully expanded the staff from 4,000 to 8,000 employees in three years.
Alisa joined the Jooble team in 2019 as a recruiter, and in 9 months at the company, she headed the recruiting department. As Recruitment Team Lead, she manages a team of 11 people. Among her responsibilities are hiring new employees in tech and non-tech positions for Jooble in Ukraine and the company’s international direction, managing the launch of all recruitment-related internal processes, and onboarding and adaptation of new team members.
