5 Actionable Tips to Improve Candidate Experience

Opinions are difficult to reverse. And when a candidate leaves an interview feeling disappointed, that’s not good news for a company. For people talk, especially when they’re upset.

One of the most effective ways to create a great impression among prospective candidates is to manage the recruitment process effectively, giving a whole lot of thought to creating a great candidate experience. 

The current job market is candidate-driven. Which means that instead of the company picking talent, the talent picks you. So a good candidate experience is crucial and helps you get things started on the right foot. So what is candidate experience? It is basically the impression formed in the mind of a candidate during the recruitment process. So delays, miscommunication, and unprofessional conduct can lead to you missing out on some great prospects. Plus, your brand’s reputation is at stake as a negative review on the internet, could hurt the overall image of your brand.

So how can you improve your hiring process? Here are 5 must-know tips for every recruiter to create a lasting impression:

A great job description- Start with a killer job description. The last thing that a job seeker wants is to be bored by a JD that’s full of industry jargon and and a detailed (overly) company history. So cut to the chase and be as clear as possible. There should be clear categories like job title, location, basic responsibilities and a crisp company overview. If there’s anything more that needs mentioning, make sure it’s to-the-point. 

Streamline the application process- Trim the fat and smoothen the ride. The application process should not involve a repetition of information or endless form fill-ups. For example, don’t make candidates regurgitate the same information which is already their on their resumes. It is often a dreary and ineffective task that can turn off even the most enthusiastic candidate. Application instructions should be as clear as possible. Each step should be clearly defined. Ease of applying for a job creates a positive impression in the mind of the candidate.

Timely communication- How many times have you waited anxiously or an update after an interview and feverishly refreshed your inox? And how did it make you feel? Well, timely and prompt communication can make a huge difference. And it gives a positive image of your work culture. Automated emails can be sent out to confirm successful submission of applications or even an automated email sequence to keep them up to date on the entire process. Point to be noted: Even if it is an automated email, fill in a personal address as the sender. And even if there are delays, keep candidates posted on your adjusted timeline. 

Be accessible- Hiring managers and recruiters are often not reachable to applicants. Which leaves a lot of queries unresolved and creates a communication gap. A good candidate experience required the contact person to be reachable and accessible. Steps taken to ensure will create more transparency and trust in the entire process. 

Be accommodating with schedules- For people working full-time, it often gets difficult to take time out from a regular office day to go for interviews. Recruiters need to take this into account when fixing interviews and a great way to do that is to openly ask them about convenient timing for various interviews and meetings before setting things up. Even if it means scheduling interviews for later in the day (or even outside of business hours), it speaks volumes about how much you’re willing to accommodate as a recruiter. 

Automation is a great way to ensure that applicants are happy with the overall experience. Things like automated emails, automatic scheduling of interviews, data collation, management and analytics can help in streamlining the entire recruitment process.

And this is where Pod.ai can help you do just that!