6 Reasons to Prioritise Candidate Experience

Protecting candidate experience should be the number one objective of recruiters and hiring managers. The talent we hire, after all, underpins our culture and competitive advantage.

Every employee involved in the recruitment process plays an integral role in helping candidates make the decision to join a company and leave a lasting impression on what they can expect when they join—every interaction matters.

Recruiters know that, but it's not always as easy to get buy-in from the rest of the business. If you're having trouble getting the support and tools you need to run a process that impresses candidates, here are six stats that can help you turn things around.

1. Your candidate experience is probably in need of work

83% of candidates say a negative interview experience can change their mind about a role or company they once liked, while 87% of talent say a positive interview experience can change their mind about a role or company they once doubted.

Candidate experience has the power to win or lose great talent, but over 80% of candidates still report a negative recruitment experience, and of those, a further 73% would not apply for a job at the company they had a bad experience with again. To the small brands, don't ever count yourself out with top-tier talent. If talent is our competitive advantage, we are haemorrhaging dividends so long as we excuse poor candidate experience.

2. Keep your application process effective and simple

60% of job seekers have quit an application mid-process to its length or complexity.

As conventional logic would have it, a lengthy application process weeds out the candidates who aren't as invested in or committed to working at your company. But top candidates have plenty of choices, and they won't jump through hoops just to apply.

Do you know what your application process is like? Try going through it as if you're a candidate. See how long it takes and if you're asking questions, you could easily find out later. It could be time to overhaul your process, starting with your applicant tracking system. Your ATS plays a large role in shaping your application experience.

3. Job descriptions are no longer fit for purpose

72% of hiring managers say they provide clear job descriptions, while only 36% of candidates say the same.

There's a large discrepancy between how employers and candidates perceive job descriptions. If you're an employer, it might be time to reconsider whether your job descriptions work for or against you.

One way to do a quick quality check on your job descriptions is to ask yourself, “Could these apply to any company? If they could, you're probably focusing on a generic list of skills, which may deter top candidates while inviting unqualified ones. Instead, try narrowing down job descriptions to key requirements and strengths you're looking for. Highlight what a candidate would be expected to achieve during their first month, three months, six months, and a year into the job. The enhanced clarity will significantly increase your creative license for talent and provide candidates with a strong experience before anyone from your company even speaks to them.

4. Candidate experience isn't just for those progressing

80% of job seekers say they would be discouraged from considering other relevant job openings at a company that failed to notify them of their application status. Yet, they would be 3.5 times more likely to re-apply to a company if they were notified.

Many interview processes can feel like a black hole, and the data shows that candidates don't like that one bit. They're often unsure if a human has read their resume, and the rest of the process can hold similar uncertainty. When will they hear back from the recruiter? What will the next step be?

Even if a candidate isn't a fit immediately, you may have an opening for them in the future. Make sure you're well-positioned to re-open candidate conversations with communication that shows your respect for them, whether you hire them or not.

5. Give valuable feedback

Candidates are four times more likely to consider your company for a future opportunity when you offer them constructive feedback.

Equally as important as closing the loop is giving interview feedback and being specific and consistent in evaluating a candidate's performance fairly.

If you can provide meaningful feedback and even offer areas for development for candidates like we do through Clu, candidates will remember that you valued them enough to not only circle back with a yes or no answer but to provide insight into your decision and their future, as well.

6. Ask for valuable feedback

Most job seekers read at least six reviews before forming an opinion about a company.

72% of job seekers that report having had a poor candidate experience, noted that they have shared their experience on an online employer review site such as Glassdoor.com.

If you neglect your candidate experience, future candidates are bound to find out through online review sites like Glassdoor. And given how many candidates these days do their research online before they apply, bad reviews, in turn, are bound to hurt your ability to recruit top talent.

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At Clu, we're reinventing how job seekers find jobs by helping Employers get great at skills-based hiring. We are the most efficient and simple way to gain traction with underutilised talent communities at scale. Find out more by getting in touch with us. We'd love to hear from you.