Currently, companies have to compete fiercely for top talent. As a result, seizing every opportunity to separate your organization from the pack is increasingly essential.
One key differentiator is the quality of the candidate experience. By offering a good – if not excellent – candidate experience, it’s far easier to secure the high-quality candidate your organization needs to thrive. Here’s a look at what a good candidate experience is and how to improve the experience offered by your company.
What Is a Good Candidate Experience?
The candidate experience is essentially how a recruitment or hiring process is viewed by the candidate. It encompasses everything from their initial impression when they see a job ad to the receiving of news about any hiring decision.
When companies offer a poor candidate experience, dropout rates are usually high, particularly among top talent. Many of the best job seekers aren’t inclined to complete a recruitment process if their perception of what’s occurring is negative. For example, that can involve recruitment being overly cumbersome, the candidate feeling undervalued, or anything in a similar vein.
A good candidate experience is one where the candidate feels positively about what occurred, even if they didn’t receive the job offer at the end. Usually, that means the job seeker believes the process wasn’t overly complex, that they were respected along the way, and that all communication was timely. When the experience is a good one, top talent will usually remain engaged until the hiring decision is made, and some may even extend that engagement into the post-recruitment sphere, actively seeking out other opportunities at the organization that may be a better fit.
How to Improve Your Candidate Experience
When you want to enhance the candidate experience, focus on streamlining recruitment and ensuring that job seekers feel valued. Begin by making information about your company culture accessible, as that allows them to assess the fit immediately. Similarly, ensure job descriptions are accurate and intriguing, all while providing insights that help candidates understand what’s necessary to succeed in the role.
With the vacancy announcements, also showcase the value your company provides to its employees, making it clear that your organization works diligently to support the various needs of its workforce and offer a positive environment. Share details about the salary range, benefits, and perks.
As the recruitment process unfolds, prioritize communication. Provide candidates with a clear timeline outlining when various steps will occur. When speaking with or emailing job seekers, personalize the content when possible to forge a stronger connection. Also, express your appreciation for candidates’ time, both by keeping the various recruitment steps concise – such as by shortening applications and limiting the number of required interviews – and by outwardly thanking them for remaining engaged.
By using the strategies above, it’s far easier to offer the positive candidate experience job seekers are after. At Essium, we also help leading recruitment agencies go further, ensuring they can bridge the talent gap and connect with top-quality candidates through improved onboarding efficiency. Our contemporary solutions are designed with the staffing industry in mind, giving recruitment firms the tools and features they need to offer an excellent candidate experience, all while streamlining internal workflows and simplifying compliance management. Schedule a consultation call with us today!
