When it comes to job interviews, the focus is often on the employer and their hiring needs. But what about the candidate’s experience? As an employer, it is important to remember that job seekers are reaching out to many different companies and also may become one of your customers in the future, so it is vital to give them the best experience possible to potentially extend them the job offer and beat the competition.
Having a poor candidate experience can put a bad taste in the applicant’s mouth about you and your company, so making sure the experience is professional, thorough, and respectful is highly important. Nearly 4 in 5 candidates (78%) say the overall candidate experience they receive is an indicator of how a company values its people (Career Builder). Here are a few tips that recruiters can use to improve the candidate experience during the hiring process.
Tip 1: Be Responsive
9 out of 10 times, a candidate is getting ghosted by a potential employer after putting out multiple job applications, so they will most likely be frustrated with the apply process already. Make sure you are following up with your applicants, even if it is just to tell them that you have received their application. This is the first step to a communicative and clear process for the applicant to keep them informed during your potential time together.
Tip 2: Provide Feedback
Even if you don’t end up choosing a certain applicant, providing them with constructive criticism after the interview process can help them with future opportunities. This shows that you valued the time they took to come to the interview and that they had your full attention during the session. Even giving them tips on how to improve their resume, how long or short they took to reply to you, and any other criticisms you may have of them from the process. This can lead them to be more successful in finding a position in the future and they will remember that you helped them get there.
Tip 3: Respect Their Time
Candidates often take time off of their current job or other commitments to attend interviews. Be sure to respect their time by being punctual and keeping to the agreed-upon schedule and hope that they do the same. Try to avoid rescheduling if possible as you may end up losing a candidate if they cannot make it to the rescheduled meeting.
Tip 4: Create a Positive Environment
The interview process can be nerve-wracking and anxiety-inducing for candidates, especially if they are interviewing for a job they really want. Being able to create a welcoming and positive environment for the candidate is important to calm any nerves they may have so they don’t forget to mention something about themselves or trip over their words. Some ways to make a positive environment include a warm greeting, offering refreshments if available, and introducing them to other members of your team.
80% of candidates surveyed said a positive experience influenced their decision to accept an offer compared to 53% that declined the offer after a bad experience (CareerPlug).
Tip 5: Be Transparent
As part of the interview, the candidate is going to want to receive as much information as possible about your company, benefits, and pay. It is important to be transparent about that information especially when it comes to job duties, expectations, and company culture. You don’t want the candidate to be unsure about the position because this information wasn’t provided, or potentially hire them and then lose them quickly when they find out that information on the job.
All in all, improving the candidate experience during the hiring process can help to attract top talent, build your brand, and create positive relationships with potential customers. By being responsive, providing feedback, respecting their time, creating a positive environment, and being transparent, you can create a hiring process that candidates will appreciate and remember.
At GoToro, we provide you with quality candidates that will appreciate a welcoming and positive hiring experience. We do this by using our advanced programmatic technology that is powered by machine learning and real-time data to find candidates quickly to get your process moving faster!
