Candidate Experience: Best Practices and 6 Ways to Improve It

Here’s the fact, 78% of candidates revealed that the overall experience they receive indicates how a company values its people. That is why a positive candidate experience not only enhances your employer brand but also increases the likelihood of securing top talent. But the reality is tough. Did you know that over 60% of job seekers have had a negative experience? [1] This has accumulated into one of recruiters’ and companies’ key challenges to find, secure, and retain top talent. So, how do you fix this? In this article, we will explore ways to improve candidate experience and the mistakes you should avoid. Let’s get right to it.

Definition of Candidate Experience

When a job seeker goes through the entire hiring process, the overall feeling and impression that they face is what we call candidate experience. That means it can be either a positive or negative one, regardless if they get the job or not. Now, this particular experience is important because it is a reflection of your company’s brand and values.

Why a Good Candidate Experience Matters

If candidates feel valued and respected, they’re more likely to accept job offers and be enthusiastic team members once they join. However, if they do not get the job, a seamless process helps you build a strong talent pipeline and fosters long-term relationships with potential candidates.

But, when applicants feel ignored or undervalued, they're likely to share their dissatisfaction with others—think about how quickly bad word-of-mouth can spread! This is especially important in today’s digital age, where reviews and feedback can have lasting effects.

This shows that investing in a positive candidate experience not only enhances your reputation but also leads to better hires and a more engaged workforce. By making their experience a priority, you can set your organization apart as an employer of choice.

Delivering a Modern Candidate Experience

Delivering a modern candidate experience is essential for recruiters at all levels. Here's why it's important to prioritize it:

• Job Seekers' Perspective:
  • Today’s candidates have high expectations for the hiring process.
  • They want a seamless and engaging journey from application to offer.
  • A positive experience builds your brand, even for candidates who don’t get the job.
  • Candidates who feel valued are likely to speak favorably about your organization, which can attract more top talent.
• Clear Communication:
  • Modern candidates appreciate transparency throughout the hiring process.
  • Providing regular updates on application status and interview feedback is crucial.
  • Keeping candidates informed helps them stay engaged and excited about opportunities with your company.
• Leveraging Technology:
  • User-friendly applicant tracking systems (ATS) and chatbots for instant responses enhance the experience.
  • Easy-to-navigate websites reduce frustration, ensuring candidates don’t abandon the process.
  • A smooth, technology-driven experience shows your company values efficiency and modern practices.
• Personalization:
  • A one-size-fits-all approach no longer works.
  • Tailoring the experience, from personalized messages to customized interview processes, makes candidates feel special and appreciated.
• Better Hires and Retention:
  • A positive candidate experience often leads to better-quality hires.
  • Candidates who feel respected and valued are more likely to carry that attitude into their new role.
  • This can result in higher employee retention and satisfaction rates.

{{cta}}

5 Stages of Candidate Experience

Understanding the five stages of candidate experience is essential for you to enhance the hiring process and attract the best talent. Here's a straightforward breakdown of each stage that will help you make a positive impact on your candidates:

1. Attraction Stage: This is the first point of contact where potential candidates learn about your company. It’s crucial to create a strong employer brand that showcases your culture, values, and the unique benefits of working with you. Use engaging job postings, informative social media content, and positive reviews to capture the interest of top talent. This first impression matters and can spark excitement about your organization.
2. Application Stage: Now that candidates are intrigued by your brand, it's time to simplify the application process. Make it user-friendly and straightforward, allowing applicants to easily submit their resumes and cover letters. Long and complicated applications can deter great candidates. A streamlined process shows that you value their time and effort.
3. Interview Stage: Once you have a pool of applicants, the interview stage is where you get to know them better. This is your chance to build a connection. Offer a welcoming environment where candidates feel comfortable sharing their experiences and asking questions. Communicate clearly about the process, and what they can expect, and provide timely updates. Treating candidates with respect during this stage reflects well on your company’s values.
4. Offer Stage: Congratulations! You've found the right candidate. Now it’s essential to present an attractive offer that highlights not just salary, but also benefits, growth opportunities, and company culture. Be ready to negotiate respectfully. Remember, this is a crucial moment; a positive experience can lead to enthusiastic acceptance, while a rushed or unclear offer can result in losing top talent.
5. Onboarding Stage: The candidate's journey doesn’t end once they accept the offer; in fact, it’s just beginning. A well-structured onboarding process is vital for making new hires feel welcomed and prepared. Provide them with the necessary tools, resources, and introductions during their first days. A smooth onboarding experience helps new employees feel engaged from the start, setting the tone for their entire career with your company.

By focusing on these five stages, you’ll not only enhance the candidate experience but also improve your overall hiring success. A positive candidate journey can lead to better hires, reduced turnover, and an outstanding company reputation.

6 Ways to Improve Candidate Experience

1. Leverage Technology to Streamline the Processes

Can’t deny that a successful recruitment process and HR technology are now going hand in hand. It’s a good idea to rely on a hiring tool like an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to enhance the recruitment process and improve the candidate experience. How? For starters, an ATS can streamline and automate the recruitment process. You can easily track and manage your candidates through a simple drag-and-drop action. ATS also helps you schedule appointments as well as send automated emails to candidates. You’ll end up with a more engaged recruitment pipeline and a reduced time-to-hire.

With an ATS like Manatal, you can manage candidates easily in a single platform instead of monitoring and managing them on individual job portals. Things get a bit easier and sleeker for both your recruitment team and the candidates, as Manatal allows you to share information among stakeholders in real-time, and automatically inform candidates from end to end, ensuring transparent communication with the candidates and hiring team throughout the pipeline.

2. Increase Flexibility and Accessibility

Over 60% of candidates abandon their job application due to its complexity, the number of requirements, and length. [2] So, avoid overwhelming job seekers with a demanding and extensive job application process. Show you value their time by streamlining this step and requiring only the essential information. Here’s a tip, skills assessments and interviews will help you determine their potential and shortlist top talents.

Also, ensure your career site is easy to navigate and make it possible for candidates to apply for a job directly on social media or job boards. If you redirect them to another website, job applicants could lose patience and quit. Candidates shouldn't have to encounter various steps or obstacles while sending their resumes. Make it quick, easy, and smooth. People will be grateful, and you'll likely receive more quality job applications.

3. Be Responsive and Transparence Throughout the Recruitment Process

More than 65% of job seekers don't receive notice of their job application status. [2] That also includes the first stage of the hiring process, as many companies don't send a follow-up email after receiving a resume and cover letter. Because of that, job seekers often wonder whether a company received their job application and if everything is okay. That can put many people off and force them to look for a job elsewhere.

A positive candidate experience starts when candidates first send their job applications. They expect you to let them know whether their resume was delivered successfully and what to expect afterward. However, your responsiveness shouldn't end there. Instead, it should be consistent throughout the hiring process. Show your interest in the candidates and be attentive and respectful. Treat them the same way you treat your customers and stakeholders, and keep them in the loop regarding their job application status.

Job applicants will appreciate that you care about their experience and about keeping them informed. They will have a better opinion of the company and be less inclined to turn to another employer.

4. Provide Constructive Feedback

Most companies only update the shortlisted candidates about their job application status and whether they are hired. Others are left in the dark, wondering whether a company chose someone else and what they could improve to be a better candidate. Yet, job applicants are four times more likely to apply for another job in your company if you provide constructive feedback. People invest their time, effort, and commitment into their job applications and participation in the selection process.

The least they deserve is to know if you chose the right person and how they can be better in the future. Even though recruiters typically lack time and believe it's unnecessary to inform all candidates about the selection process results, this significantly impacts candidate experience. Thus, you don't have to write an essay for each job applicant. Be brief; thank them for giving you an opportunity, and let them know what they can enhance and be more well-rounded candidates. Being responsive and informative until the last stage will make a difference in your recruitment process and ensure your candidates perceive you as a professional and understanding employer.

5. Foster an Inclusive and Welcoming Environment

Ensure that your job postings use inclusive language and are free from bias. This will attract a diverse pool of candidates and show that your company values diversity and inclusion. Also, consider implementing a diverse interview panel to demonstrate your commitment to creating an inclusive workplace.

During the interview process, make sure that candidates feel welcome and comfortable. Greet them warmly, offer them refreshments, and provide a clear agenda for the interview. Encourage open and honest communication, and be mindful of unconscious biases that may impact your interactions with candidates.

6. Encourage Candidate Questions and Participation

One effective strategy is to host Q&A sessions either in person or virtually. This allows candidates to ask any questions they may have about the company, the role, or the recruitment process. Providing candidates with the opportunity to clarify any doubts they may have can help alleviate any concerns and build transparency and trust.

Aside from that, you can incorporate interactive elements into your recruitment process, such as group interviews or panel discussions, where candidates can actively participate and engage with the hiring team. This not only provides valuable insight into the candidate's communication and collaboration skills but also creates a more dynamic and engaging experience for the candidates.

Another way to encourage candidate questions is to provide comprehensive information about the company and the job role through various channels, such as your company website, social media platforms, and candidate information packs. This way, you can empower them to ask thoughtful questions and make informed decisions about their potential fit within the organization.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Lengthy and Complex Application Process: One common mistake that can turn off potential candidates is having a lengthy and complex application process. Asking for too much information or making candidates jump through hoops to apply for a job can be frustrating and lead to abandonment of the application.
• Lack of Communication: Failing to communicate with candidates throughout the recruitment process is a major red flag. Candidates appreciate timely updates on their application status and feedback on their progress. Not providing this information can leave candidates feeling neglected or unimportant and, ultimately, result in a negative experience.
• Unprofessional Interviewing Practices: Conducting unorganized, rushed, or unprepared interviews can leave a negative impression on candidates. Lack of respect for the candidate's time, irrelevant questions, or a disorganized interview process can make candidates feel undervalued and uninterested in pursuing the opportunity further.
• Poorly Designed Career Site: A confusing or outdated career site can negatively impact a candidate's experience. If the website is difficult to navigate, lacks essential information about the company and job openings, or is not mobile-friendly, candidates may lose interest in applying for a position.
• Ignoring Candidate Feedback: Failing to listen to candidate feedback and make improvements based on their suggestions is a mistake that can hinder the candidate experience. Candidates appreciate when their opinions are valued and taken into consideration. Ignoring feedback can lead to a perception of indifference towards candidates' needs and preferences.
• Lack of Transparency: Being vague or withholding important information about the job role, company culture, or compensation package can erode trust and transparency between the employer and the candidate. A lack of transparency can lead to misunderstandings, misaligned expectations, and a negative experience for the candidate.

Avoiding these common mistakes and bad practices can help you improve the overall candidate experience, attract top talent, and build a positive employer brand in the competitive job market.

Conclusion

Enhancing candidate experience is not just a matter of filling positions within your organization; it's about building a reputation as an employer of choice and fostering long-term relationships with potential employees. A positive candidate experience can lead to increased offer acceptance rates, a stronger employer brand, and a more engaged workforce. To truly improve candidate experience, take a step back and look at your entire recruitment journey—from the initial job posting to post-offer engagement—and ensure it is candidate-centric, respectful, and inclusive. Remember, the way a candidate is treated during the recruitment process is often seen as a reflection of how they would be treated as an employee, so make an effort to get it right!

—

Citations:

1. LinkedIn

2. FinancesOnline