Companies’ interactions with candidates have a big impact on how job seekers see them as possible employers. This can have a broader impact on an employer’s reputation in addition to influencing a candidate’s personal perception of the company. Candidates are increasingly rating their experiences with companies during the application and interview process on sites like Glassdoor, and these reviews can have an impact on an employer’s reputation.

As a result, their ability to attract talent may suffer. To emphasize this point, data shows that 91% of job seekers consult at least one online or offline site for information about an employer’s brand and reputation. It is thus critical for every organization to establish itself as a reputable place to work, whether in a competitive labor market with numerous employment opportunities or when economic conditions are less favorable and there are fewer job roles available. By optimizing your candidate experience, you may build relationships with applicants while also distinguishing yourself from competing firms.

What Is Candidate Experience?

Candidate experience outlines what it’s like to apply for a position at a specific organization, from the initial application to being rejected or hired—and beyond. The experience encompasses every step of an applicant’s journey through your organization’s recruitment procedures, including the job application process, interview, and HR communication. Those who have had a favorable applicant experience are more likely to accept your job offers and suggest and support your brand, regardless of whether you hire them.

How to Improve Your Candidate Experience With a Staffing Agency

Improving the candidate experience in recruiting is critical for attracting top talent and generating a positive image of your firm. Here are some practical strategies to improve the candidate experience.

1. Communicate frequently with candidates

One source of irritation for professionals throughout their job search is a lack of clear communication with you, the employer. Failure to follow up with a job seeker after any stage of the recruiting process reduces a candidate’s engagement with your brand, which can lead to them losing interest in the position and viewing your business negatively. Make sure to contact applicants as soon as possible following important milestones in the hiring process, such as phoning them after an interview to tell them what they need to do next or emailing them to inform them that the hiring team is still working on a decision.

2. Be transparent with your processes

Failure to provide information to candidates will make it harder for them to trust your organization. In contrast, being transparent about your processes can make job seekers feel more secure about the position they’re applying for. This includes presenting information on who is engaged in recruiting decisions when these decisions will be made, whether more interviews will be conducted (and if so, how many), and when and how your company will follow up with applicants. You can also inform them if their interviews or other evaluations will be conducted electronically or in person, and list any health tests or background checks that may be required as part of the recruiting process.

3. Make job descriptions specific and concise

A confusing or inaccurate job description will negatively impact an applicant’s candidate experience and may attract the wrong job seekers to your company. The content of the description should include an accurate overview of the position’s duties to ensure candidates know exactly what they’re applying for. The physical requirements for a job, if any, can also be described to applicants in the job description, such as if the position requires heavy lifting or standing for long periods. You could mention employee benefits, including opportunities for career development, too, so that candidates have a clear idea of how they may be able to advance in the role. 

4. Make the application process simple

An application that is difficult and frustrating to complete will dissuade candidates from seeking to work for your organization. Several factors can make a form unnecessarily complex, such as its length and lack of mobile accessibility. Avoid placing irrelevant questions on your forms to prevent job seekers from feeling as though their time is being wasted. It may help to walk through your application before opening it to external professionals to see how long it takes to complete. The easier your application is to finish, the better a job seeker’s candidate experience will be.

5. Keep declined candidates informed and engaged

Employers benefit from staying in touch with candidates who were not selected for a post. Unsuccessful job applicants should still be informed of the outcome, rather than left to wonder when they will hear back from your organization.

Offering denied applicants positive candidate experience feedback is vital since it allows them to improve their future applications while also demonstrating that your organization cares about their success. As part of this, it can be beneficial to assist rejected candidates in improving their prospects of obtaining work, such as by offering advice on applications and resumes.

Read Also: The Role Staffing Agencies in Talent Acquisition

Remember that job seekers who missed out this time may be suitable for positions within your organization in the future, so it’s better to avoid burning bridges in favor of maintaining connections with professionals.

6. Personalized communication

Personalized communication in recruitment extends beyond simply addressing candidates by their names. It entails personalizing your communications to each candidate’s unique qualifications and experience. This level of customization demonstrates to candidates that you truly value their unique abilities and contributions. The goal is to make applicants feel seen and heard throughout the process. When you emphasize how their qualifications match the role, it strengthens their sense of fit and connection with the organization.

Personalized communication can have a big impact on a candidate’s image of your firm, increasing the likelihood that they will see your organization positively even if they are not eventually picked for the position.

7. Interactive career website

An interactive career website serves as a virtual portal for prospects to discover more about your company. It shouldn’t just be a list of job openings. It’s an opportunity to highlight your company’s culture, employee benefits, and growth possibilities. Including employee testimonials, videos, and articles might help prospects understand what it’s like to work for your organization.

An informative, user-friendly career page not only attracts potential applicants, but also enables them to make informed decisions about whether your firm matches their career goals. A well-designed career website may be an effective tool for engaging candidates and presenting your organization as a desirable employer.

8. Video interviews

In modern recruitment, video interviews have become an essential component. They offer numerous benefits, such as saving candidates time and travel expenses. This is especially valuable for candidates in remote locations. Video interviews also provide candidates with a platform to showcase their communication skills and personality effectively.

Additionally, they allow both recruiters and candidates to assess cultural fit and rapport more conveniently. Therefore, ensuring that the video interview platform is user-friendly, offers clear instructions, and accommodates various devices is crucial. You can use platforms like Zoom or Google Meet. An upbeat video interview experience reflects well on your organization and can make candidates more likely to recommend your company to others, regardless of the hiring outcome.

9. Effective onboarding

Effective onboarding is essential to the candidate experience since it establishes the tone for an employee’s journey with your company. It not only improves staff retention, but also increases job satisfaction and engagement. A well-structured onboarding process ensures that new personnel adjust smoothly to their responsibilities, reducing the time it takes for them to become valuable contributors.

It should equip new employees with the tools, resources, and information they require to succeed. When candidates see a smooth transition from applicants to fully integrated team members, they are more likely to perceive your company as one that values its employees’ success and growth.

10. Feedback collection

Collecting candidate feedback is a valuable practice that demonstrates your commitment to continuous improvement in the recruitment process. It’s an opportunity to understand the candidate’s perspective and identify areas for improvement. Feedback surveys or follow-up emails can be used to gather insights about their experience. By actively seeking and analyzing this feedback, you can uncover valuable insights about communication, interview processes, and overall candidate engagement. 

Implementing changes based on this feedback improves the experience for future candidates. It enhances your organization’s reputation as one that values input and strives for excellence in all aspects of recruitment.

11. Assessment clarity

Clarity in assessments is crucial to ensuring that candidates understand what is expected of them during the recruitment process. When assessments are well-defined, and instructions are clear, candidates can focus on demonstrating their skills and abilities rather than being uncertain about the process. When possible, providing sample questions or exercises helps candidates prepare effectively and perform at their best. Clarity in assessments also reduces candidate anxiety, ensuring a more positive and fair experience. 

Candidates are more likely to engage enthusiastically when they clearly understand how their skills and qualifications will be evaluated throughout the recruitment process.

12. Candidate-centric approach 

A candidate-centric approach is at the heart of creating a positive candidate experience. It involves consistently putting the candidate’s needs and experiences first throughout the entire recruitment journey. Demonstrating empathy and respect at every stage, from the initial application to the final offer or rejection, ensures that candidates feel valued and respected. It’s about recognizing that each candidate is unique, with specific aspirations and talents.

When you prioritize the candidate’s well-being and experience, you create an environment where they are more likely to have a favorable perception of your organization, regardless of the hiring outcome. A candidate-centric approach also helps build a strong employer brand, attracting top talent and contributing to your organization’s overall success in the competitive job market.

Prepare for the Next Hiring Process

When you hire a new employee, your team can utilize the process as a learning opportunity to identify what is working and where your strategy needs to be improved. Consider the following suggestions to improve the effectiveness of your recruitment process.

Assess and improve the recruitment process

An effective recruitment process can help your team attract and engage qualified workers, quickly fill skills gaps, and reduce hiring costs. On the other hand, an ineffective process can lead to challenges attracting talent, increased recruitment spending, and lost candidates due to slow processes. In fact, a survey conducted by Greenhouse featuring 1,500 global employees found that 60% of respondents are unimpressed by time-consuming recruitment processes. Additionally, 58% expect to hear back from companies in one week or less regarding their initial application.

Proactively tracking metrics related to your recruitment process can enable your team to assess trends, successes, and opportunities to improve your process over time. Rather than manually measuring recruitment effectiveness, technology solutions are available to centralize metrics, highlight actionable insights, and help your team make informed decisions. Some examples include recruitment platforms, applicant tracking systems, and talent management software.

While recruitment goals may vary depending on an organization’s specific goals, some common metrics include:

• Time to hire
• Time spent in each recruitment step
• Cost per hire
• Cost per sourcing channel
• Overall sourcing channel performance
• Offer acceptance rate
• Recruitment process satisfaction
• Worker retention rate
• Quality of hires

Build a talent pool for future job openings

Rather than starting the recruitment process from scratch each time you have a hiring need, nurturing relationships with potential candidates can help your team build a talent pool—often called a talent network, talent community, or talent pipeline—with qualified workers. This approach can help your organization reduce hiring time and costs.

Talent networks can include past candidates, individuals who attended recruitment events, and former team members, also known as company alumni.

Some ways to build a talent pool and keep prospective candidates engaged include:

• Centralizing details about past candidates and team members in an ATS or similar platform
• Leveraging ATS data to match members of your talent pool to new and upcoming open positions
• Including an option to join your talent community on your careers page
• Promoting your talent network on social media channels and at recruitment events
• Sending monthly or quarterly newsletters to your talent pool highlighting company updates such as new job openings, workplace awards, and team member spotlights
• Supporting a respectful, engaging candidate experience—including sharing feedback with individuals who don’t receive an offer—so all prospective team members have a positive impression of your company

Establish an employee referral program

In addition to building a talent network, another way to engage qualified talent and reduce hiring time is by encouraging employee referrals. A referral program can reduce costs spent on recruitment advertising and save time in the screening stage of the hiring process. Referrals are likely qualified candidates, as your existing employees will want to work with individuals who are motivated to contribute to shared business goals.

Here are some tips to implement a successful employee referral program:

• Developing a simple, standardized process for team members to share referrals
• Highlighting open roles and referral opportunities across internal communication channels, including the company intranet, email, messaging apps, and recurring team meetings
• Circulating suggested social media content with links to open jobs for team members to share with their networks
• Including a field on job applications asking candidates whether they were referred by a current employee
• Offering referral bonuses, gift cards, or related incentives
• Gamifying the referral program with points, leaderboards and other engaging elements to encourage friendly competition
• Tracking team member referrals using data from your ATS, recruitment platform, or a dedicated referral software

Conclusion

The emphasis on candidate experience has gone beyond courtesy; it has become a strategic need. It is an essential component in developing a strong and enduring employer brand that actually attracts to top-tier talent. Companies that focus candidate experience and consistently provide great experiences throughout the recruitment process typically outperform their competitors.

Implementing the 12 tactics described above not only helps to create a positive and lasting impression, but also positions your firm as an employer of choice. This provides you a competitive advantage in attracting, engaging, and retaining top individuals, creating the groundwork for long-term growth and success.