A positive candidate experience improves employer branding, increases acceptance rates, and leads to better retention, providing companies a competitive edge in talent acquisition.
Key Takeaways
- The candidate experience encompasses all touchpoints from application to onboarding, making every interaction important.
- Companies that prioritize positive candidate experiences see tangible benefits including higher offer acceptance rates, improved employee retention, and significant cost savings from reduced turnover.
- Optimizing digital presence, simplifying application processes, maintaining consistent communication, and providing structured onboarding are essential practices for creating exceptional candidate experiences.
Convincing quality candidates to hit the “Apply” button is a huge win for recruitment marketing professionals. However, that’s also when the real work begins. Hiring teams must ensure a seamless experience for the candidate throughout the recruitment process. This approach sets the stage for better retention and increased productivity while supporting the company’s employer brand.
What Is the Candidate Experience?
The candidate experience encompasses a job seeker’s overall perception and feelings throughout their interactions with a company during the entire hiring process, from the initial application to onboarding. It includes:
- Awareness of the organization
- Submitting an application
- Conducting interviews
- Communicating with hiring staff to coordinate next steps
- Onboarding
The language used in the job posting and the quality of the company's career site influence the candidate's experience. Any friction points diminish the applicant's perception of the company or may discourage them from accepting the position.
Companies that prioritize the candidate’s perspective during the recruitment process create a positive impression that enhances their employer brand and increases the likelihood of securing quality talent.
Benefits of a Positive Candidate Experience
Unsurprisingly, 71% of candidates research a company before applying for an open position. Recruitment marketing professionals should assume that they already have some perception of the business before applying. Therefore, it’s vital to cultivate an optimized candidate experience. By doing so, the hiring team can:
Influence a Candidate’s Decision
Candidates are more likely to accept an offer when they feel engaged and respected. Increasing the acceptance rates of job offers reduces the time needed to fill vacancies, enhancing overall efficiency in talent acquisition.
In addition, by fostering a positive candidate experience, companies reduce the likelihood of candidates accepting counteroffers from their current employers. When candidates feel genuinely appreciated and see clear alignment with the company’s values and culture, they are more inclined to choose the new opportunity over staying in their current position.
Boost the Employer Brand
An employer brand signifies a company's reputation as a workplace and reflects how current, former, and potential employees view the business. Providing an exceptional candidate experience enhances the employer brand, making it more attractive to talent. Conversely, a poor candidate experience can deter other qualified candidates from applying to the company.
Build Positive Relationships with Prospects
The relationships that hiring professionals establish with prospects extend into the onboarding phase. It's crucial for recruitment teams to initiate onboarding with a positive approach. By fostering strong connections with prospects early on, they seamlessly integrate into existing teams and contribute effectively to the organization.
Retain Quality Talent
According to Gallup, recently hired workers who had an exceptional candidate experience are:
- Two times as likely to “strongly agree” that their responsibilities are consistent with what the employer promised
- 2.7 times as likely to describe their job as “better than” or “as good as” expected
- 3.2 times as likely to “strongly agree” that they feel connected to the company’s culture
- Three times as likely to classify themselves as “extremely satisfied”
Ultimately, a positive candidate experience fosters loyalty and optimism, which significantly increases the likelihood that new hires will remain with the company for the long term.
Promote Cost Savings
Positive candidate experiences lead to lower employee turnover, which in turn reduces recruitment and hiring costs. Companies also benefit from a shorter time-to-hire and decreased administrative costs. The savings can be redirected towards initiatives that enhance retention, such as team-building activities and employee development programs.
Provide a Competitive Advantage
In a tight labor market, companies with exceptional candidate experiences stand out, attracting and retaining quality professionals who prioritize a respectful and engaging hiring process. Organizations that consistently win top talent have a definitive edge, with fewer vacancies and less turnover.
Best Practices for a Great Candidate Experience
Recruitment professionals should adopt these best practices to enhance talent acquisition and ensure a superior candidate experience.
Optimize Digital Presence
Focus on optimizing the organization’s digital presence, revamping social media strategies and building a compelling career site.
A best-in-class career site is well-structured and informative, visually appealing, and allows applicants to easily explore job opportunities. Recruitment marketing teams should also integrate employee testimonials into their online strategy. They serve as valuable social proof that promotes trust and credibility.
Strengthen the Employer Brand
A robust employer brand underscores the company's culture and values. Hiring teams can enhance the employer brand by actively engaging with authentic content on social media platforms and leveraging networking opportunities.
Even businesses working under tight budget constraints can build a strong employer value proposition and brand image. To achieve this, prioritize low-cost and high-ROI employer branding strategies that make the company an appealing landing spot for quality talent.
Craft Clear and Compelling Job Descriptions
Job descriptions should be clear and precise, offering job seekers a realistic view of their potential responsibilities. Effective job descriptions also help candidates set reasonable expectations about the role.
Avoid industry jargon or complex language, keep the application simple, and identify advancement opportunities and perks that the company provides.
Simplify and Optimize the Job Application Process for Mobile Users
Ninety-two percent of candidates don't complete online applications. Job applications shouldn't be filled with obstacles or frustrations. If they are, candidates are likely to abandon the process. In a convincing study, 61% report that it took them 15 minutes or less to fill out their last job application. Setting 15 minutes as a standard for completing applications is a practical approach.
Additionally, applications must be mobile-friendly. Around two-thirds of job applications are submitted via smartphones. Consequently, companies that fail to provide mobile-friendly applications unintentionally exclude a significant portion of job seekers.
Communicate Throughout the Hiring Process
Candidates wish to stay informed from the outset. Hiring teams can achieve this by consistently communicating with applicants during each phase.
- Pre-application: Provide detailed FAQs and insights into company culture
- Application process: Send confirmation emails and information on next steps
- Interview and assessment: Clearly outline expectations and timelines
- Decision and offer: Communicate offers quickly
- Onboarding: Set new hires up for success with welcome materials and mentorship
Timeliness and efficiency are essential. Hiring teams that move swiftly engage with promising candidates before their competitors have the opportunity to extend an offer.
Close the Loop and Exchange Feedback
Deliver timely decisions and provide applicants with constructive feedback. Nurturing relationships with high-potential candidates who were not selected is equally essential. Hiring teams should actively seek feedback from candidates to enhance the hiring process, mainly focusing on insights from those who progressed significantly in the application journey.
Provide a Smooth Onboarding Experience
Onboarding provides an opportunity to enhance the positive first impression established early in the application process. To do this, hiring teams should:
- Provide a fun, structured onboarding experience
- Assign mentors to guide new hires
- Offer plenty of resources and training sessions
The objective is to enhance new hires' confidence and integrate them into their teams as swiftly and effectively as possible.
How to Measure Success in Candidate Experience
The quality of the candidate experience can be measured by tracking certain metrics and using surveys.
Candidate Experience Surveys
Recruiters should design surveys that are concise and easy to complete, encouraging more participants to provide feedback.Candidate experience surveys are effective tools for gathering insights on areas such as:
- Interview questions and timeliness
- Application ease
- Recruiter responsiveness
Tracking Metrics
Gathering and analyzing data is critical for understanding the effectiveness of the hiring strategy. Using AI analytics tools provide access to real-time insights into talent acquisition strategies. Key metrics to monitor and analyze include:
- Application drop-off rate
- Time to hire
- Offer acceptance rate
- Interview-to-offer ratio
- Candidate Net Promoter Score (cNPS)
- Candidate Satisfaction Score (CSS)
- First-year attrition rate
These metrics contribute to the overall picture and when combined, they highlight inefficiencies within the hiring process and guide the creation of improved candidate experiences.
The advantages of a positive candidate experience extend well beyond immediate hiring needs. It forms the foundation for lasting relationships with potential candidates, encouraging them to reapply for future roles and even refer other talented individuals to the organization. This continuous engagement helps maintain a strong talent pipeline, ensuring the company is always ready to meet its changing staffing needs.
---
Recruitics can help you create a dynamic career site that showcases your organization’s brand, values, and mission. Get in touch for a demo today.
