Today, staffing firms and companies are dealing with a candidate-driven hiring landscape. Demand often outweighs the supply of talent dramatically, creating a candidate’s market. As a result, employers need to go the extra mile if they want to attract top talent.
One key component is to offer a positive candidate experience. By doing so, candidate engagement typically rises, leading to less ghosting and making it easier to keep top talent interested during the journey. While cultivating an exceptional candidate experience can be challenging, it’s far easier if you use the right approach. Here’s what you need to do.
Streamline Your Application (and Make It Mobile-Friendly)
If you want to make your candidate experience positive, streamline the application process. If possible, let candidates apply by simply uploading a resume and cover letter, as that allows them to wrap up this initial step in mere minutes.
Should you require more information, focus on what’s genuinely needed right away. Skip requests for references, as those can be gathered later. Keep the number of essay questions to a minimum (or eliminate them entirely), favoring faster options. For example, asking candidates to gauge their level of expertise by selecting a toggle button is quicker for them and can help you evaluate a job seeker’s potential at a glance.
Additionally, make sure your application process is mobile-friendly. Professionals rely on their smartphones for job searches far more today than in years past. By developing a mobile-friendly approach, you can connect with these candidates with greater ease, all while catering to their device preferences.
Showcase Your Employer Value Proposition
A well-crafted employer value proposition helps you showcase what your organization brings to the table. It’s designed to address candidates’ needs and questions upfront, removing some of the mystery that often remains after reviewing job descriptions.
By outlining critical details – including salary ranges, benefits packages, and opportunities for advancement – you increase initial engagement through transparency. Additionally, it increases the odds that those who apply will be satisfied with what you can ultimately offer, removing a potential source of disappointment that could harm your reputation.
Focus on Personalized, Transparent Communication
Often, the biggest gripe candidates have regarding hiring processes is a lack of personalized, transparent communication. Some companies rely solely on canned, automated messages to inform job seekers about their status as a candidate, which aren’t always well-received by candidates. Others choose not to provide updates at all, leaving candidates feeling undervalued.
If you want to improve your candidate experience, focus on meaningful communication. First, be open about recruitment and hiring timelines, openly announcing any relevant decision points and their associated timing. Additionally, consider forgoing prewritten messages for personalized ones, highlighting something unique that you’ve learned about the candidate. By doing so, you’ll stand out from the pack.
Bottom Line
Ultimately, a positive candidate experience is essential if you want to connect with top talent. By coupling the tips above with leading HR tech, you can get results, ensuring you have access to high-quality professionals for all of your vacant positions.
At Essium, we help leading recruitment agencies bridge the talent gap and connect with top-tier candidates faster. Our technology is specifically designed with the recruitment industry in mind, ensuring staffing firms can offer the best candidate experience possible. Schedule a consultation call with us today!
