Elevating the Candidate Experience

It's July 1, 2024, and welcome to this special birthday edition of the Recruiting by Design blog/newsletter! First off, a heartfelt thank you to everyone in my LinkedIn network for the warm birthday wishes. As I celebrate another year, I hope I've gained not just years but also wisdom.

In today’s edition, I want to share some of that hard-earned wisdom by diving into the Candidate Experience during the hiring process. It's disheartening—and frankly unacceptable—how poorly candidates are often treated. While there are exceptions, they are few and far between.

Over the past few months, I’ve heard countless stories from job seekers about the dismal state of the Candidate Experience. It's heartbreaking to see talented individuals put their best foot forward only to face:

• Complete lack of communication and recruiter “ghosting”
• Poor interpersonal interactions and decline in personalized communications
• Lengthy, complicated application and interview processes
• Vague job descriptions and unclear expectations
• Poor interview preparation, experience, and follow-up
• Interview teams that are unprepared and unable to conduct fair and equitable interviews

These issues don't just hurt the candidates; they also negatively impact hiring managers, interview teams, recruiters, and the company's reputation. So, why is there such little effort to ensure an excellent Candidate Experience, and what can we do to change this?

Why is the Candidate Experience Declining?

Here are some reasons why Candidate Experience is on a downward spiral:

• Shifts in business strategy as companies pivot their models or focus
• Increased global talent competition and offshore hiring
• Technological advancements like AI
• Economic uncertainties such as inflation, interest rates, and potential recessions
• Market corrections leading to sustainable growth and layoffs
• Sheer volume of applicants overwhelming recruiters and hiring managers

These challenges aren't new; they existed in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and so on. Despite these conditions, we must do better in treating candidates during the hiring process.

How to Improve Candidate Experience

Improving Candidate Experience requires a fundamental shift in how we view and treat candidates. Here are some actionable steps:

1. Measure Performance: Recruiting organizations and Hiring Teams will focus on results when they are held to account for the experience. Provide specific measurements and survey candidates afterwards to see if they are met.
2. Communication is Key: Regular updates and follow-ups are crucial. A lack of communication is one of the biggest complaints from candidates.
3. Personalization Matters: Treat each candidate as an individual, not just a number.
4. Streamline the Process: Simplify the application and interview processes to save candidates' time and reduce frustration.
5. Clear Job Descriptions: Ensure job descriptions are well-written and set clear expectations.
6. Interview Preparedness: Train interview teams to conduct fair and equitable interviews and be prepared to meet the candidates.
7. Tie Performance to Candidate Experience: Companies should tie recruiters’ and hiring teams' performance to candidate outcomes. This ensures accountability and emphasizes the importance of a positive Candidate Experience.

Closing Thoughts

As someone who learned the hard way, I can attest that treating candidates well is crucial. Early in my career, I often failed to follow up or communicate effectively with candidates. It wasn’t until my performance (and salary) was tied to these outcomes that I began to understand its importance.

Companies must do more to ensure their recruiting organizations and hiring teams prioritize Candidate Experience. Anything less is unacceptable. Top talent drives company success, so treat them with the care, attention, and respect they deserve.

Thank you for joining me on this birthday edition of Recruiting by Design. Let’s commit to making the Candidate Experience a top priority in our hiring processes!