Creating a Positive Candidate Experience: Why It Matters

This is a candidate driven market and job seekers have plenty of choices about where they can work. Companies need to develop a positive candidate experience component in their employer branding strategy. Companies must be aware that if candidate experience is not given the importance it requires, it could negatively affect their employer branding and ability to attract top talent. When job seekers interact with your company, the candidate experience dictates their decision to apply to your company and later decide on joining it if they are selected. 

Dissatisfied interactions during the interview stage will affect the decision to accept a job offer. Also, when job seekers have multiple offers, they choose employers who made them feel welcomed during the interview experience. Here, compensation is often not a major consideration.

Let us look at ways to create a positive experience for candidates even as they navigate the recruitment process while researching, applying, interviewing and onboarding in a company.

Start with the basics

Before applying for jobs, candidates will research your company. Make it easy for them to find information about your company culture, history, and achievements. Your career site is probably the biggest employer branding tool that you have. Candidates view that page a lot for information so ensure that it is easy to navigate and has all the relevant information. The career page must talk about your company work culture, what makes it unique, why people like working there and the benefits of joining the company.

The application process

The career section of your website must be fuss-free and make a candidate’s job search easy. The job descriptions must be clear and to the point. An effective job description will convert candidates into applicants and so a job post must start with a hook. This will make a candidate feel that your company is a good match right from the start. The job description should focus on the role. Share what makes the role interesting, exciting, or impactful. Share information about what the job will involve, salary, benefits, qualifications and if the job is remote, hybrid or onsite. 

Write about measurable performance goals so that candidates get clarity and insight into the role. You could also include the job’s major function and how it impacts the larger company objectives and why it is important. Ensure that the language you use to write job descriptions is inclusive so that they attract a diverse pool of applicants. Including diversity statements in the job descriptions encourages people from diverse backgrounds to apply.  

It is also important to ensure that the online job application process is seamless. The careers page must be engaging and easy to find. Application instructions must also be clear. It may be a good idea to walk through the entire application process yourself to ensure that it is seamless and in order to find ways to improve it. Candidates often look for job opportunities on their mobile devices and hence it is important to make the application process mobile friendly.  

Effective communication

The way a recruiter or hiring manager communicates with candidates during a job interview contributes to the positive candidate experience. Ensure that phone or video calls to candidates are done well and that interview details are communicated effectively. Clear and consistent communication with candidates will help build positive relationships and maintain candidate engagement throughout the recruitment process. After the initial interview, ensure that you promptly follow up, maintain interest, and include a timeline for next steps.

If you are having to regret a candidate, communicate it with a personalized email. Be considerate and give constructive feedback. Even if the candidate was not right for the role, they may be qualified and right for a different role down the line. Let such candidates know where they excelled and provide them tips to help them succeed next time. They will appreciate that you took the time to get back to them.

The interview

In order to ensure that your interview experience is successful, ensure that your candidates know what to expect. Send them the interview details such as date, time, and location of the interview. It will also help if you tell them who they will be meeting. Some companies share the interview questions ahead of time. This helps to evaluate a candidate’s responses rather than their interviewing abilities. 

For in-person interviews, it may help if you could include details of where to park, details of public transportation to your office and directions to get to your office. These details will help the candidate feel more relaxed when they come in for the interview. For virtual job interviews, let the candidate know what software you will be using so that they can set up an account and log in. 

The interview should gauge the candidate’s professional abilities and whether they will fit into your company’s culture. You must have a structured interview process that will help you do this in a fair and consistent manner with every candidate. The questions you ask should bring out their skills, personality, and qualifications. Interviewers and hiring managers must be trained on candidate experience best practices so that they leave a positive impression on job seekers. 

Smooth onboarding experience

The first impression of new hires is through the onboarding experience. Ensure that they feel welcome, comfortable, confident, and excited to join the team. An email welcoming the new hire to the team must be sent as soon as the offer has been accepted. Set up a new hire with other co-workers through one-on-one meetings or through group chats so that they feel comfortable. You may also assign a buddy at work who can answer any questions that they may have. 

Summary

Little things can make a big difference in creating a positive candidate experience. A good candidate experience works as an employer brand message for your organization. Just as a company evaluates whether a candidate is the right fit for them, candidates are evaluating the suitability of a company for them to work in. A good candidate experience can give your company the competitive edge in the job market. 

People Also Ask

1. How do you create a positive interview experience?

A positive interview experience is crucial for recruiting and retaining the best talent. Here are a few tips:

•  Give a clear job description to the candidate
• Make it easy to apply for the job
• Ask focused questions

2. What are positive experiences at work?

Some positive experiences are belongingness or feeling like a part of the organization, showing interest in their work, and taking responsibility for their work, among other things.

3. What is the best employee experience?

A great employee experience involves having candidates who are good team players, always ready to engage with tasks, and supportive.