8 Ways Stellar Candidate Experience Helps You Hire Rock Stars

From sticking with a simple structure to optimizing your process, here are eight answers to the question, “Can you share some helpful strategies your organization currently uses to create a better candidate experience?”

Commit to a Structured Process

We are deeply committed to creating a positive candidate experience. Although these may seem simple, a lot of companies struggle with creating a positive candidate experience because they don’t do this.

We commit to three interviews—that’s it. Initial phone screen, an interview with other consultants, and then a final interview with leadership. With our proven recruitment process, we move quickly with the candidates’ time in mind. The internal metric for closing a role is 28 days. We move through the process to achieve that metric.

We communicate frequently with the candidate about where we’re at in the process. For final candidates, we will always call them if they aren’t the candidate of choice—and will provide feedback over the phone if they ask for it. Final candidates also receive a DISC/Driving Forces assessment, so even if we can’t offer them a position, they have learned something new about themselves and have a tool for future interviews!

Eric Mochnacz, Senior HR Consultant, Red Clover

Keep a Clear and Open Dialogue 

At my organization, we strive to create a better candidate experience by providing clear communication throughout the hiring process. We keep candidates informed from the initial application to the final decision.

This includes providing timely feedback on their applications, keeping them updated on the status of their candidacies, and quickly responding to questions or concerns they may have.

This open dialogue helps to create a positive and welcoming atmosphere for our candidates and allows them to feel heard and valued. We believe that taking the time to nurture a positive relationship with our job seekers will help us find candidates who are the right fit for our team and increase employee satisfaction in the long run.

Shaun Connell, Founder, Writing Tips Institute

Never Ghost Candidates

One of the biggest issues for candidates is companies not getting back to them to let them know the status of their applications. Sending so many emails is overwhelming for many HR managers, but we automated this process so as never to let a candidate hang or wonder whether we have advanced them to the next round or not.

Since implementing this rule, we have had candidates email us back, thanking us for rejecting them and letting us know that past companies have ghosted them many times. Ghosting candidates is a practice that needs to end. I believe automating candidate communication will bring companies closer to a better candidate experience, no matter the role or seniority of the role they are hiring.

Gordana Sretenovic, Co-Founder, Workello

Introduce the Team

One effective way to provide a better candidate experience is to introduce candidates to the team they may work with. By doing so, candidates can have a deeper and more concrete understanding of the company culture and have insight from the inside. This approach allows us to create a stress-free interview experience and a more human connection.

Sylwia Smietanko, HR Specialist and Recruiter, US Passport Photo

Provide a Timeline and Expectations

We have a three-step hiring process. A couple of years ago, we never made candidates aware of this, and talent simply lost interest in the position. Now, we are very open about expectations and requirements during our hiring procedure. We informed candidates of how long to expect the entire process to take, and we communicate much more efficiently throughout.

Jarir Mallah, HR Specialist, Ling App

Proactively Share Candidate Facing FAQs

It’s a best practice to proactively provide frequently asked questions that candidates often ask throughout the interview process. I’ve partnered with colleagues globally to ensure we create FAQ documents, streamline them, and share them with candidates during all phases of the interview process.

These FAQs comprise:

1. Candidate experience expectation, interview prep,company culture and product information
2. Background check FAQ
3. New hire FAQ
4. Hiring manager FAQ

We brand these PDFs in collaboration with the internal design team to best showcase the company brand. Then, we send documents from the recruiters/scheduling coordinators throughout the interview process, resulting in a high-touch candidate experience and proactively answering frequently asked questions so new hires are all set prior to Day One.

Megan Dias, Career Services Coach, Parsity

Invest in Company Image 

A good employer brand makes it easier for candidates to learn about your company’s values, workplace culture, working environment, team dynamics, and much more. I suggest creating tools for potential candidates to explore using recruitment marketing best practices.

This might involve hiring videos that take potential employees through the selection process or video interviews with current employees who discuss why they enjoy working for your company.

Additionally, post examples of previous projects, industry involvement, thought leadership, significant achievements, and other issues of relevance on your company blog and in your social media profiles. Keep in mind that by using these platforms, you are not only promoting your brand to clients and customers but also to the best talent.

Kim Leary, Creative Director, Squibble

Analyze Your Recent Hiring Experience

If you don’t know where you’re starting from or where you want to go, I believe it’s difficult to enhance something.

To get an understanding of how candidates are judging the candidate journey, start by using recruiting analytics and candidate experience metrics. A few important indicators are source quality, candidate happiness, and application completion rate. Look for areas that need improvement and weak points using the facts you have in front of you.

As you enter the next stage of developing your hiring procedure for a better candidate experience, concentrate on these areas. Additionally, note your progress so you can determine whether your new tactics are effective.

Ethan Bull, Owner, ProAssisting

Wondering how to up your recruitment game? Trying to decide if programmatic can help? Well, that’s an easy fix – just ask us for a demo! And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.