6 steps to create a positive candidate experience (even if you're on a budget)

If I had been given a dollar every time I had sent a CV and did not get any answer ... Well let's just say I wouldn't need to send CVs anymore.

Cambodia has an ultra low unemployment rate (<1% according the the World Bank ), which means virtually every single worker is employed.

In this context, attracting top talent is challenging, and you have to compete to ensure people want to work with you. That's when creating a positive candidate experience becomes crucial. But recruitment teams aren't always an investment priority for top management.

I've spent countless hours networking with HR and Recruitment professionals, so let me break down for you 6 ways you can improve your candidate experience without breaking the bank ??

• What is Candidate Experience?
• Why should you invest in Candidate Experience?
• Aligning on the role's budget before you start recruiting
• Writing a Job Ad that stands out
• Top notch communication throughout the process
• Trained Hiring Managers
• Give honest feedback ...
• ... And receive honest feedback

What is Candidate Experience?

If you've never heard of that concept before, let's get the basis clear: Candidate Experience refers to the overall perception and interactions job seekers have with the company during the hiring process. It focuses on creating a positive and engaging experience, regardless of the final hiring decision. It includes aspects like easy application processes, clear communication, respectful treatment, timely feedback, and professionalism.

Employee Experience focuses on creating a positive and engaging experience, regardless of the final hiring decision

Why should you invest in Candidate Experience?

Improving candidate experience goes beyond just "being nice" and "caring about people", it has several tangible benefits for your organization:

• Enhancing retention of candidates throughout the process, from sourcing to offer acceptance, and potentially also after onboarding. This means you are more efficient in recruiting and less likely to have to start the recruitment process all over again because of a quitting new joiner.
• It bolsters your employer brand, attracting more inbound and spontaneous applications. That means you have less "active" recruitment to do, and more candidates show up at your door without having to source them.
• It increases the likelihood of receiving referrals from candidates who may not be open to the market at the moment, but know people who could be a match in their own network.
• It contributes to a positive reputation in the industry, making you an employer of choice. And that is gold when fighting over top talents with your competitors.

6 steps to create a positive candidate experience (on a budget)

1. Aligning on the role's budget before you start recruiting

You need to know - before you post the job ad or approach candidates - how much is the company willing to pay for this role.

Bonus point if your company is OK to publish the budget in the job ad ??

Showing a salary range makes your job ad look more attractive to candidates by helping it stand out from other potential jobs and helps you build a trust relationship with your candidates and employees.

Figuring out the budget ahead of the recruitment also allows you to force the hiring manager to really think through what they need, and be realistic about the job expectations and what the person would have to do.

This will make you look much more prepared, convincing and trustworthy when interviewing candidates.

Figuring out the budget ahead of the recruitment also allows you to force the hiring manager to really think through what they need

2. Writing a Job Ad that stands out

If you copy-paste your job descriptions into the job ads and simply add you recruiter's email address ... You need to read this ??

You know that feeling when you ask the candidate "tell me about yourself" and they give your their whole life story for 5 minutes straight?

Well, this is what you inflict to candidates every time you post a job ad that starts with a huge paragraph about the company and the context ??

What you need to do is to ask yourself and the hiring manager: Who is the ideal candidate for this job? Not just in terms of skills and experience. It's more than that, you want to put yourself in their shoes: What makes this job truly unique in their eyes? Something they will do? How much they will earn? What skills they will acquire in that job? There can be several correct answers!

Then, you can write the job ad and make it truly interesting for the candidate.

What you need to do is to ask yourself and the hiring manager: Who is the ideal candidate for this job? Not just in terms of skills and experience.

3. Top notch communication throughout the process

One of the most critical factors in candidate experience is effective communication. Even with limited resources, you can ensure a positive impression by replying to job applications.

How to do this?

Make sure you send an automatic reply to each CV you receive.

But instead of sharing a generic, unmemorable message that would make you sound like yet another boring company, use this opportunity to build excitement.

?? Create a notion or google doc page accessible for anyone with a link.

?? Fill it with information about the recruitment process and the company: how many interviews can they expect? where do those interviews take place? what perks does your company offer to employees? You can even go creative and put a video interview of one of your employee showing what it's like working for your company.

?? Add a sentence like "If we don't get back to you this time, it doesn't mean we won't work together in the future" and add a link to your newsletter or telegram channel! You will create an audience of engaged professionals who are interested in your company.

Once a candidate is in the process, make sure you keep them looped in: a weekly status update on their application will make them feel valued. Even if it's to say that the process has not moved forward since your last communication.

Finally, being transparent upfront about your organization's benefits and perks, such as a five-day workweek, bonuses, or allowances, helps candidates make informed decisions.

?? Do note that NSSF and seniority payments aren't perks. They are legal requirements ??

4. Trained Hiring Managers

Hiring managers play a crucial role in shaping the candidate experience. As a recruiter, you won't be here for each interview. So it's important your hiring managers behave, even in your absence ??

Provide training to your managers on what they should and shouldn't ask during the recruitment process, give them tools to evaluate candidates on an impartial basis: you are here to coach the hiring managers in their selection process.

The recruiter is here to coach the hiring managers in their selection process

Here are a few items hiring managers can be trained about:

?? Structured interview process

?? Behavioral and situation-based questions

?? Common bias and how to avoid them

5. Give honest feedback ...

Feedback is invaluable to candidates, irrespective of whether they succeed or not. The recruiter is the coach in the candidate's success.

A good practice is to follow up after each interview to make sure the candidate is still engaged, ensure that all their questions have been answered and give feedback from the hiring manager on the process (Go, No-go or Pending)

This will show your organization's respect for candidates' time and effort and highlight that you care for their overall success. Constructive feedback will improve the candidates' overall perception of your organization and create the basis of a long term relationship between you and them. Even if they don't get the role in the end.

Constructive feedback will improve the candidates' overall perception of your organization and create the basis of a long term relationship between you and them

6. ... And receive honest feedback

Candidates are a valuable source of insights for improving your recruitment process. Encourage them to share about their experience interviewing with your company, allowing you to identify areas of improvement.

Recruitment is a long game, and you will improve your company's practice by measuring what works and what doesn't thanks to candidate's feedback.

Their suggestions and opinions will help you refine your hiring practices and enhance the overall candidate experience.

Candidate's suggestions and opinions will help you refine your hiring practices and enhance the overall candidate experience.

Now that you know all the secrets to an amazing candidate experience, let me know in the comments which step you'll try to implement first!

And if you are looking to audit your recruitment practices, you can reach out to me directly on Linkedin for an in depth assessment of your recruitment process.

Find more resources in my daily posts on Linkedin , or on my podcast Cambodia Workwise .