3 Recruitment Strategies Focused on the Candidate Experience

A positive candidate experience has become the pinnacle of effective recruitment practices. With lowering unemployment rates, recruiters are operating in a candidate-driven market.

A positive experience with your organization can be the difference between hiring the right candidate and one who’s “good enough.” Or between positive and negative online reviews.

Improve the Candidate Experience

The perfect candidate for your business is likely talking to several companies. In order to differentiate yours and sway the candidate in your company’s favor, it’s critical that he or she has a great experience at every opportunity.

Fortunately, there are a few ways to make this happen.

1. Use a simple and responsive recruitment process

Companies and more specifically, management, often get caught up in tedious recruitment practices. From overly detailed applications to outdated, often irrelevant interview questions like “Where do you see yourself in five years?”…this level of minutiae can derail a prospective candidate – in part because it lacks personality and fails to convey why anyone would want to work there.

Consider streamlining your processes with a simpler application followed by a personal invitation for an interview. Then, be sure that the interview focuses on the individual’s talents and how well they would connect with your corporate culture. After all, in order for the candidate to thrive within the company, they need to be a good fit and share common goals.

2. Treat candidates like potential customers

When the consumer brand matches the employer brand, candidates get the sense that the company values its employees. Just as happy employees create a better experience for customers, they can also make a difference in the experience of their potential colleagues. Treating candidates with the respect typically offered to customers can significantly improve the candidate experience. And, regardless of whether the candidate is actually hired, a positive experience is likely to leave a positive impression of the company – which is likely to be reflected in posts on review sites.

3. Pay attention to your employer brand

Employers should never underestimate the power of a positive (or negative) reputation. From the get-go, a candidate should feel engaged and excited to learn more about the employer. Genuine relationships build businesses, period.

In addition, a well-designed job description should not only list job responsibilities and requirements, but should also provide a sneak peek into the employer’s culture. Introduce the values of the company and how it stands out from competitors. Don’t be afraid to reflect the personality of your company.

These strategies can help any organization improve the candidate experience, attract more positive reviews, engage top talent and strengthen the overall employment journey.

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