Driving a Positive Candidate Experience in Recruiting

The recruiting process comes before every hire, and if the candidate’s experience with the process is poor, they are less likely to take a job they may have been a perfect fit for. A positive experience during the discovery process and interviewing can significantly impact a candidate’s decision to take a job offer, and conversely, a negative experience can lead to lost opportunities. Candidate experience is more than a recruiting buzzword – it is crucial to hiring success, and a great process can help.

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First, don’t overdo the discovery phase. Don’t barrage them through multiple avenues of communication; choose one method of conversation and stick to it. Messaging the candidate through LinkedIn or email is a great choice, but when they have multiple interactions with you from multiple platforms of communication within a short period of time, the candidate is less likely to continue communicating with you. If the candidate is enrolled in an automated outreach campaign, make sure the touchpoints are reasonably spaced out to keep the candidate engaged.

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Once a conversation is struck with the candidate, communicate clearly and consistently. From the moment a candidate connects and engages with you, ensure you keep them informed about the position, the hiring organization, as well as how they could fit within it. While you want to connect with them on a personal level, keeping the conversation away from the recruiting process can feel like a waste of the candidate’s time and they will be less likely to respond to your job offer.

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The interview experience is extremely important. Familiarize yourself with the candidate’s background prior to the interview to be better able to ask questions and understand their expertise. Use a combination of open-ended, behavioral, situational, and technical questions to get a full picture of who the candidate is. These questions engage them in a way that brings out their authentic selves and allows you to truly understand them on a personal level. Doing so also lets you make more informed decisions on the hiring process to determine if this candidate is the right fit.

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If the candidate accepts the role and is approved by the organization, make sure to stay with them during their onboarding process to determine if there is any friction upon the hire. If they are not the right fit for the role, handling rejections well can significantly impact how a candidate feels about the process. Offering personalized, constructive feedback, as well as keeping them in your network, leaves a positive impression of your company and keeps the door open for future opportunities where they could be a better fit.

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While technology can streamline the recruitment process, personal interactions remain crucial. Use AI and automation tools for repetitive tasks but ensure there are opportunities for candidates to interact with human beings, especially for answering questions and providing feedback. This balance shows candidates that your company values technology while recognizing the importance of personal connections. LinkedIn and email services are adept at finding automated messages and filtering them to spam, so it is also a good strategy to keep some outreach manual in order to continue the conversation with the candidate within the process or within your network.

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Having a good hiring process improves candidate experience. It’s not just about filling a vacancy but building a relationship with potential future employees. By streamlining processes and communicating effectively, you can ensure that candidates feel valued and respected, regardless of the outcome. This not only helps in attracting top talent but also in building a strong employer brand that resonates well beyond the recruitment process.