We all have preferences when choosing our future job. We know what we want. But do we know why? Let’s explore the differences between a poor candidate experience and a great one and why candidates favour one company over another, even before the application process begins.
What Is Candidate Experience?
Candidate experience is a personal perception influenced by all the activities leading to practical contact between the job seeker and the hiring company. It leaves a positive or negative impression on the candidate. Every ad or word-of-mouth communication the candidate encounters on his way to deciding whether to apply, the complexity of the hiring process, including the likeability and approachability of the people conducting it, and even the smoothness and clarity provided during the onboarding phase is a meaningful part of their experience.
Everything counts in the back of the candidate’s mind, as the subconscious mind plays a significant role here. The company’s choice of words, images, and colours can significantly affect decision-making without the candidate noticing it. Crafting a positive candidate experience is a magnificent magnetic tool that companies have in their hands, and they should use it wisely to increase the likelihood of attracting talent.
Why It Matters for Employer Branding?
The company’s website is the first place an interested candidate goes when looking for a job. It’s pretty natural to want to learn more about the organisation with which you would form a long-lasting bond, and there’s no better place than its official webpage. That’s the first impression of the employer brand, and it has a tremendous impact on the candidate’s choice. It’s up to the information you provide on your landing page whether it will leave a positive impression, boost further interest, or leave a poor candidate experience.
A Candidate-Centric Career Site
Imagine a potential candidate browsing your career site. They are not just looking for job ads but also researching your company’s culture and discovering your values and similarities with their working methods. This initial first touch sets the tone for the entire candidate experience. They are likelier to proceed with their inquiry if they find informative, engaging content and user-friendly website structure.
Optimising Your Career Page
Think of your career page as a digital storefront for all employment opportunities. This page can also communicate your company culture, values, and unique working opportunities. Consider it a strategic communication tool that needs to be visually attractive, intuitive, and fully equipped with valuable information for qualified candidates.
Remember that we live in a fast-paced digital era where candidates apply for new jobs only by using their smartphone, so make the page mobile-first or responsive to adapt and offer a seamless experience on all digital devices. Transform your static job board into an engaging online platform by applying a comprehensive search functionality with categories and keywords.
Providing Value Before Application
Providing a positive candidate experience extends beyond equipping yourself with a polished career page. You might need to rethink how to use every touchpoint throughout the recruiting and hiring process. To create a positive candidate experience, the focus would always be on establishing proper communication with the candidates and clarity in your recruitment process. Let’s discuss more key components and put priority on:
- Providing clear, timely updates and realistic timelines.
- Ensuring transparency in your job description and application instructions.
- Offering all the details about the whole job interview process.
Candidate-Friendly Job Descriptions
An experienced candidate can easily distinguish an honest job description from one that uses and overuses industry jargon and complex terminology. Once again, remember that clarity and transparency lay the foundation of a job description that truly resonates with candidates. Highlight the unique aspects of your company culture and the role’s impact on the bigger picture. List your distinctive practices and team dynamics.
Growth – the primary keyword that every potential candidate will try to locate in your job description. Growth opportunities shown through development programs and mentorship opportunities clearly show that your company truly invests in their people. That’s what feeling valued is all about.
Last but not least, compensation transparency. Even if the company insists it should be kept a secret, plenty of other benefits can be demonstrated publicly, showing appreciation for their time and effort.
Leveraging Technology to Connect with Candidates
Online communication shifts constantly. From textual messages and chats to video recordings, streaming and podcasts. Digital and AI trends never stop, and neither should companies. Adapting to new technologies and trends is a must for keeping up with the candidates’ communication styles.
Chatbots for Instant Communication
Chatbots are revolutionary tools for online communication. Their advantage is instant replies without needing a dedicated person to answer repetitive questions. It is like filling out a Questions and Answers (Q&A) section on your page, but now it has a more fancy design and experience. On the other hand, candidates love them. Chatbots have been around for about a decade, and still, they mesmerise their users whenever they come up with an answer, texting like humans or even leaving voice mails.
Streamlining the Pre-Application Process
It’s a well-proven fact that job seekers like signing up for mailing lists and companies’ mailing lists like new job seekers. The competitive job market requires these two entities to come together the fastest way possible. Moreover, candidates love when their mailing list sign-up is enhanced with a positive experience, having some valuable PDF files in return as a free gift. And on the other hand, companies fill their talent pool actively. It’s a definite win-win situation.
Blog posts are also valuable tools for attracting job applicants. They can provide resources such as career advice articles, industry insights, and tips for successfully guiding the interview process, streamlining an essential part of recruiting.
Making Job Applications Simple
A simplified application system is essential to eliminating obstacles and increasing the number of applications. Long application forms can discourage a candidate from applying. An organisation can reduce the number of necessary steps by simplifying applications and submitting credentials. The simplified method reduces candidate hours and efforts and shows respect for their busy work schedule.
Some people prefer to apply on the go while commuting or having a break. Moreover, more than 90% of potential candidates have smartphones. This is where a mobile-friendly website or a LinkedIn Easy Apply option comes in handy. Make it easy for users to complete an application using their mobile phones and ensure applicants upload their resumes by adding links to their LinkedIn profiles or online portfolios.
Clear Communication of Timelines
Exact timelines and timeframes must be disclosed. Even estimated data is of particular value when it is transparently discussed, resulting in positive candidate feedback. This includes interview and response dates. Remember to schedule confirmation emails upon receiving applications and thank-you emails for not selected candidates.
How Does Candidate Experience Impact Recruitment Success?
A few aspects significantly impact and influence the recruitment process and its outcomes. Here, we have gathered the top 3:
- Completion rates. Candidates are likelier to complete the entire application if the process is smooth and doesn’t require much effort initially. Go step by step, and don’t force future applicants.
- Positive impressions. Your company’s public image cannot be fully in your managers’ control. It also exists on anonymous review websites, where previous or current employees leave comments and reveal details about your company culture and personal experiences while working with you. Be mindful of every interaction at every step of the recruiting process. Your reputation is hard to build but easy to fall, tumbling down like a house of cards out of just one online comment.
- Building and utilising your talent pool. Your mailing list and talent pool are the most significant tools. Many applicants are recurring, meaning they have already applied for one or more positions at your company. They already know all the details about your organisation, leading to reduced recruitment costs and time-to-hire.
Smooth Candidate Experience with Olive Recruit
We at Olive Recruit understand that the job application process should add on and enhance the whole candidate’s experience and not diminish it. Our dedicated agents offer a segmented talent pool of potential candidates for most industries in the UK and a tested talent pipeline. Our experienced recruiters nurture consistent communication with high-quality candidates, providing valuable insights for setting up smooth candidate experiences for our clients.
Create a seamless candidate journey that mirrors and enhances your company’s values. Contact Olive Recruit, boost your employer’s reputation and attract top talent today.
