What Is Candidate Experience, and How Does It Show up Throughout the Recruitment Process?

In the past decade, a dramatic shift has been observed between the employee and employer relationship. Employers who previously had complete control over the hiring process are now dependent on the candidates. Whether increased candidate awareness or the drive to be the best employer in the world, there is doubt that the recruitment process has transformed into an experience-driven procedure.

So let’s see what candidate experience refers to, and how can recruiters leave a lasting impression on the candidates?

Candidate Experience

This term encapsulates the journey of a new candidate concerning their feelings, activities, impressions, and interactions during the recruitment process. It means how the employee felt about the employer and the company during the hiring process. Quite simply, it’s the perception which a candidate develops of the company and its employees upon interaction.

The candidate experience does not just happen during the interview, it includes all points of interaction in a hiring process, including:

• Job search
• The application process
• Interview
• Socialization and probation

A research conducted by Talent Board found that only one in four of new candidates regard their hiring process as satisfactory. These results are discouraging; firms may lose potential employees because they did not like the hiring process.

In this competitive environment, organizations cannot afford to lose talent to negative candidate experience. Luckily, technology and digital platforms provide companies multiple opportunities to enhance the candidate experience during all stages of recruitment.

Here are a few ways to ensure a positive candidate experience:

1. Mindfulness

Mindfulness starts long before a candidate pays a visit to the firm. During the initial job search, when job seekers are looking for reliable and professional companies, they start developing perceptions about different firms.

Every candidate investigates a brand’s profile on social media channels. Besides this, the internet provides enough information to comprehend the reputation and position of the employer on the corporate landscape.

Here, the digital marketing service related to recruitment comes into play. Companies can use digital marketing to promote a positive impression of the company. Recruiters can also maintain transparency of information via the internet, which can help the candidate obtain the information he needs.

1. Attention

After gaining credibility about the brand, job seekers try to get more insights about the openings and the opportunities provided by the company. When they dig out more information related to the company, a more concrete perception is formed in their minds.

If the job seeker readily finds the required information, he will gain a positive experience. In the other case, he will encounter challenges to learn about the job descriptions, which will leave an unprofessional impact.

This is the reason why well-composed job descriptions are required. Some brands have a separate “Careers” section on the website. Thus, prospective candidates find it easier to learn about new opportunities.

Additionally, candidates will be pleased to get easy access to the following supporting elements:

• Present and former employee reviews
• Highlights of the hiring process
• A firm’s blog
• Helpful recruitment videos

Here, talent acquisition professionals play a vital role. They should leave no stone unturned in making the hiring process as personalized as they can.

1. Contemplation

Even before the formal communication process transpires, candidates have formed a definite opinion about the employer. This analysis takes place after the candidate has gathered all possible information concerning the new employer.

So, candidates have a clear perception of the employer, even before having a one-on-one meet-up. At this stage, the candidate may look at the industry standards and news features about the employer. Besides this, they may skim business reviewing websites for clearing any doubts about the firm and its reputation.

Reviews from the third party are an essential source of gaining more credibility. Five star reviews and positive comments are likely to give a positive candidate experience. On the flip side, negative press releases and defaming statements may bring a barrier for the candidate in visiting the employer.

1. Application

After thorough research, if a candidate has gained positive experience and he is satisfied with the job description, he takes a step to apply for the opening.

Skilled and qualified candidates are less likely to labor over forms for submitting their applications. They have plenty of other options, where applications are submitted with just a click. So, if the process is simple and mobile-friendly, candidates will go ahead.

If the application is too lengthy or complicated, the candidate may lose their patience and quit the process altogether. For this reason, job applications should be designed plainly and simply.  Following things should be considered by the employer when creating a job application:

• Easy to understand
• Less time consuming
• Relevant design and colors
• One-click answers

The latest applicant tracking systems like Zoho Recruit, JobScore, BrightMove, and many others are available to pick the right candidate from the pool. Employers can either use these tracking systems or design their customized ones. A smart system provides a twofold benefit of giving a positive candidate experience and performing tasks with ease.

1. Assessment

Depending on the business nature and job description, the evaluation process is designed. Following techniques are used in the evaluation process:

• Interviews
• Video calls
• Tele interviews
• Tests

Candidates observe keenly how they are being treated during this crucial phase of hiring. For instance, a friend of mine interviewed for a top-rated company, but during the panel interview, she felt ignored and misjudged. She was really miffed at the company and went online to rant against them, labeling them racists and inconsiderate.

To avoid such incidences, companies must ensure a smooth, objective, and satisfying candidate experience. Often, employees look for quick responses, straightforward communication, professional behavior, and transparency. Failure to adhere to any of these things results in leaving a wrong impression. To give an ideal candidate experience, many brands are revealing their hiring decisions on the same day of evaluation.

1. Hire

If a candidate gets a hiring email, they will recall all the moments since they first knew about the brand. If their overall experience was good, they would be more inclined to accept the post.

However, some employees withdraw even after getting a fair offer because they did not like the company’s attitude or the way they were offered the job. Employees who evaluate the brands with long term career growth are very skeptical in making hasty decisions.

Conclusion

In short, employers can give an exclusive candidate experience and hire the cream by keeping the following points in mind:

• Paying attention to recruitment marketing
• Showcasing the value and authenticity of the brand
• Decreasing employee plummets by prompt communication
• Highlighting future growth

Well-known brands are paying massive attention to their hiring process. Have you got a positive candidate experience from any brand? Share your reviews!