At all the most recent HR conferences, the hot topic is candidate experience. What exactly does it mean, why does it matter — and how you can your organization improve it?
What is candidate experience?
The candidate experience is the process job candidates go as they apply for and are considered for a job, from the first page of the application to the final interview. It includes how the candidate is treated and communicated with throughout the process, such as how long they’re kept waiting for information, how many and what kind of interviews they must pass, and how the final decision is delivered. The experience ends once they are either offered the job or rejected. In other words, the candidate experience is a future employee’s first impression of your organization. And it can be very important to your talent management.
Why is candidate experience important?
Recent studies have found that candidate experience is important to job-seekers. According to LinkedIn’s 2015 Talent Trends report, more than 80% of job-seekers say the interview experience can either positively or negatively influence their decision about joining the company. After the interview, 59% want to hear from the organization when there’s an update of any kind. A survey by the Talent Board discovered that 97% of job-seekers would recommend the company if they had a positive candidate experience, and 95% of unsuccessful candidates would re-apply for another position became available. Add word of mouth to those numbers — half of professionals go to friends and colleagues first when researching new opportunities — and it becomes clear that candidate experience is a major factor in how workers view a company, whether they’d accept an offer, and whether they’d recommend the company to others.
What makes a good candidate experience?
There are many ways to improve your candidate experience. Based on my research and my own experience, the most important ones are:
- – In the initial stages, make the role responsibilities clear. Don’t leave out “unpleasant” duties or make the “fun” ones seem more important.
- – Let the candidate know who they’ll be meeting with during the interview stage, and why those roles are relevant to the job or the hire.
- – Don’t keep the candidate waiting when they arrive for their interview(s).
- – Make sure any tests or writing samples the candidate has to provide are thorough but not overly long or complicated.
- – Make a point of letting the candidate ask questions about the position and the company, and give candid responses.
- – Give the candidate a clear and honest timeline of post-interview steps, including your recommended follow-up procedure.
- – If the candidate is rejected, offer feedback via email — 94% of candidates want this, but only 41% receive it.
What organizations provide a great candidate experience?
Ever year, the Talent Board holds the CandE Awards for achievement in candidate experience. The winners offer great examples of best practices. 2014’s honorees include McGladrey LLP, which encourages candidates to engage with the company on social media; Genentech, which recommends candidates customize their résumés to the exact role for which they’re applying; and Deloitte, which outlines exactly what candidates will encounter in their three interviews.
The Talent Board’s final report on the most recent CandE Awards provides more useful advice on providing a great candidate experience. For example, 41% of candidates search for a company’s values online before applying, so providing that information on your careers site and in your job listings will make it easier for almost half of your applicants. Another interesting fact: 25% of candidates were escorted from one interview event to the next. CandE winners were more likely to include job-relevant fields in their applications and to seek feedback from candidates.
Let Brandemix help you create a fantastic candidate experience
Brandemix combines recruitment advertising, employer branding, and employee engagement to produce an efficient, effective experience for your job candidates. We use best practices from a range of organizations while customizing the process to your company’s specific needs, culture, and business goals — whether you’re a non-profit, a regional brand, or a national chain. If you’d like to create an experience that encourages candidates to re-apply and recommend your organization to their friends, contact us for more information.
Jody Ordioni is President of Brandemix.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
“Jody Ordioni is the author of “The Talent Brand.” In her role as Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Brandemix, she leads the firm in creating brand-aligned talent communications that connect employees to cultures, companies, and business goals. She engages with HR professionals and corporate teams on how to build and promote talent brands, and implement best-practice talent acquisition and engagement strategies across all media and platforms. She has been named a "recruitment thought leader to follow" and her mission is to integrate marketing, human resources, internal communications, and social media to foster a seamless brand experience through the employee lifecycle.”
