Why is the candidate experience so important?
Well if you want to attract and hire the best employees, then you’re going to have to do something to impress them in the hiring process! The individual’s experience throughout this phase will be reflective of what it is like to work for the organisation, so it’s as essential for you to make a positive impression as an employer, as it is for the candidate to sell themselves as the best person for the job.
If a candidate has a bad experience with a particular company; for example poor communication, or a lack or organisation, then it is likely they will look elsewhere. So if you want to hire superstars, you’re going to have to wow them from the very start!
So what can companies do to make the candidate experience as good as possible?
We asked the Undercover Recruiter community what their thoughts are on the topic and here’s what they had to say:
Healthcare Recruiter at Pride Health
“Listening to the candidate and having the candidate feel like you really understand them and what they are looking for and wanting in a position. Nothing is worse than pushing a candidate in the wrong direction for the sake of money or because you don’t have an opportunity that meets what they are looking for!”
“I was flown in for an interview and when I checked in at the hotel, I was given a small gift bag. It came with a note from the department where I was interviewing, and had a bottle of water, some mints and hard candies, a few snacks (granola bar, etc.), a pen with the school mascot, and a couple more school logo trinkets. It was a great surprise and made me feel welcomed.”
Senior Recruiter at MasterWord Services
“Hospitality, because if you can’t treat people well when putting your best foot forward, how will you after hiring them?”
New York based HR Recruitment Firm
“It’s going above and beyond to make a candidate feel welcome at each step of the interviewing process. Kindness. Generosity. Think of this way: Without treating candidates exceptionally well in the process, they’ll go elsewhere. It’s THAT important!”
Head of Client Solutions at t-PHI
“Use techniques that are fair, transparent & more specific to the role they’ll be doing. Don’t be boring. Be immersive!”
“There are many but we think feedback is very important. Keeping candidates in the loop at all times.”
Marketing agency for corporate & non profit organisations
“They have to have a spark, some raw grit to get stuck in and be a success!”
