When we attended the SHRM T2 event, we were lucky enough to be sitting around and talking about Candidate Experience with a number of experts in the industry. There was a fantastic discussion about how to improve candidate experience, which was led by Gerry Crispin, Craig Fisher, Todd Hudson, and Matthew Adam.
Here are 7 ways to help improve candidate experience:
1. Add Apply with LinkedIn option
Along with the LinkedIn apply option possibly being more user friendly than your current application process, it also will connect candidates to your organization quicker, and hopefully pushes them to learn more about the company.
2. Don’t Hide Your Recruiter’s Contact Info. “Personalize Your Recruiters”
Sure, your recruiters may receive a few more unwanted phone calls and emails than they’d like, but top talent will feel much more connected to the company and the recruiter. Knowing who will be conducting a phone screen or setting up an interview leaves the candidate feeling much more calm and in control. It’s a wonderful feeling for candidates, and they’ll feel much more confident about the initial relationship.
3. Share Hiring Data to Help Candidates Understand How to Improve Their Chances
The better you educate your candidates, the less they’ll feel like it’s “Them vs. Me”. Sharing Hiring Data shows that your organization is knowledgeable and also willing to lend some help.
4. Using LinkedIn, Show Candidates Current Employees They Might Know
While most candidates check their LinkedIn to see if they have connections who work at your company, taking this step and doing it for them shows that your organization goes above and beyond. It is also important to encourage all your current employees to make sure they are shown working under the company’s name.
5. Notify Candidates if They Weren’t Selected. Don’t be a Black Hole
Most candidates will say that nothing is worse than not hearing back from a company. Try your best to get back to each candidate. Even a short and simple email will suffice.
6. Share Salary Information
Candidates are often very nervous about the offer stage, wondering if they’ve spent a great deal of time and effort interviewing for a position that is going to offer a salary too low. Sharing salary information ensures that there are no surprises for both the candidate and your organization. No one wants to spend a week, a month, or several months in a hiring process if the end result is a bust.
7. Ask Candidates for Feedback After Searching and Applying
It should be your goal to continuously improve your candidate experience. Without feedback and suggestions from candidates, your organization can only guess as to how the process is working. Send candidates a survey link directly after the application stage or possibly with their rejection or offer email/letter. The information you receive will be critical for continuing to improve the process.
Make sure to check out the Candidate Experience Awards, a competition, as well as a resource to help companies benchmark and improve on their processes and systems.
