The landscape for skilled talent is competitive, and it’s never been more important to build an engaging experience that your candidates resonate with. But are employers hitting the mark with European candidates?
This year’s European Talent Experience Report1 explores the experience candidates go through as they search and apply for jobs at some of Europe’s biggest corporations. As it turns out, these employers are falling short and run a risk of losing top talent for their organizations.
This research got me thinking about what candidates want, and how our learnings from the report can be applied globally. Here are a few actionable strategies you can take to enhance the experience candidates have with your employer brand and recruiting efforts.
Unlocking your potential with an effective career site
Your career site is a pivotal touchpoint for candidates looking to find out what it’s really like to work for your organization. Across the board, we see that candidates are more likely to apply for a role if your career site is easy to use and provides candidates with the information they are looking for. But the data shows that only 21% of job descriptions even mention if a job is remote, hybrid or in the office.
Candidates want to know what they are in for before applying to a company. Without providing simple details about the type of work, it’s hard to expect them to engage. Highlighting key details of a role creates a transparent and inviting platform for candidates to engage with your opportunities.
Embracing simplicity and authenticity with video content
To keep candidates interested, offer them a glimpse into your company culture. Often, a simple video from an employee walking through their day-to-day is exactly what they want to see. Yet only 4% of companies are currently using videos on their career site.
With video, candidates get to see the person they will be working with and a better sense of who they will be working for, and employers can get content that resonates with talent in front of them in a fast and engaging way. It’s a win-win.
Bridging the gender pay gap through salary transparency
This year, new EU regulations are coming into play and employers will legally be required to share salary ranges for their open roles.
Salary transparency helps level the playing field for all candidates and makes for a fair pay structure. Embracing salary transparency not only upholds equity but it streamlines the recruitment process, demonstrating a commitment to fairness and inclusivity. It also sets expectations between the employer and candidate, saving both parties time in case their expectations do not align. Applying for jobs is time-consuming and candidates have to know that it’s worth their while.
To achieve true gender equality in the workplace it is crucial that employers are transparent when it comes to the salary, and this year’s report showed that corporations are falling short – only 9% currently share the salary in the job posting.
Using technology to remove barriers to apply
It can be hard for candidates to juggle looking for a new role alongside the responsibilities of everyday life, and lengthy application processes don’t help. Our U.S. data2 shows that candidates want tools that minimize the time it takes them to search and apply for a role. Forty-four percent of candidates in the U.S. appreciate getting recommendations for relevant open positions, and 43% even said they would provide their CV to a potential employer to get relevant job recommendations based on their skills and experience. Making things easier for candidates is key in driving them to apply for your roles.
Fostering candidate communication for lasting impact
According to this year’s report, nearly 60% of companies fail to follow up with candidates after they apply for a role, and of the corporations who do send feedback, the average time it takes is 8.7 days.
Often being faced with large quantities of applicants, it’s no surprise that many recruiters and HR leaders like myself struggle to find the time to send personal feedback to candidates. But, it is also understandable for candidates to expect a level of communication from companies they have applied to. I cannot emphasize the importance of creating customized rejection email templates that you send on a weekly basis.
And even better if you can automate this. Using automation platforms, recruiters can set up their criteria as well as automated email templates for candidates explaining why they may not have been the right fit for the role. Whether it’s lack of experience or a difference in salary expectation, candidates want real feedback that can help them in their job search, even if your company is not the one for them.
Since implementing an automation system, I have had candidates thank me for taking the time to say “no.” Making candidates feel supported throughout the recruiting journey, even if they’ve been unsuccessful, does make a huge difference. You never know, your silver medal candidate now may be your gold medalist for your next position, so make sure to keep communicating with talent before, during and after they’ve applied.
Building a lasting impression of your employer brand
In today’s digital landscape, your recruiting process often serves as the first point of contact for candidates interacting with your employer brand. So, making it a positive experience is essential in shaping a lasting impression that resonates beyond the application process.
- “iCIMS European Talent Experience Report 2023.” iCIMS website, https://www.icims.com/en-gb/2023-talent-experience-report/.
- “iCIMS 2023 Talent Experience Report.” iCIMS website, https://www.icims.com/2023-talent-experience-report/.