Delivering a positive candidate experience is a key part of any successful hiring strategy. Because each potential hire’s experience with your company follows a similar path, there are steps you can take to make it memorable—in a good way. Not only will a great experience attract top talent, it can even build strong employee engagement from day one.
But to leave a positive impression on your potential hires, you can’t focus solely on your personal touchpoints. The best candidate experience weaves your employer brand throughout every step of the hiring process.
Start with a Clear Job Description
When you have an open position, time is of the essence. Yet taking the time to review the applicable job description is important. Roles evolve over time, and there might be responsibilities that have shifted since the incumbent took the position. Be sure that the job description accurately reflects the role, its responsibilities, and its requirements.
Overall, the job description should be clear and concise. Highlight key responsibilities, required skills, and emphasize your company culture. Avoid any industry jargon (unless you decide to use this to weed out candidates). Above all, be transparent about what you are looking for in a candidate.
Some companies are incorporating AI into their hiring processes. While there are beneficial ways to use AI, do not use it to write job descriptions! This is the foundation of the role and needs to be defined by a human.
Use a Straightforward Job Application
If your application process is confusing, you’re losing potential candidates. The same can be said for overly long applications that ask repetitive questions or require the same information to be entered more than once. The goal is to make it as easy as possible for potential hires to submit their information and avoid creating frustration.
From a technology standpoint, using software to collect this information can be helpful. But there are considerations you should check before signing an agreement. You especially want to find out if the application process is mobile-friendly. Now that nearly everyone has a smartphone, candidates will be applying that way. You want to ensure their experience is just as smooth as those using a computer.
Take the time to review your job application from the eyes of a candidate. Is it intuitive? Is it easy to complete? Are there parts that can be removed and included in the onboarding process instead? If candidates can easily submit their resumes and cover letters and enter all required information quickly, it’s a keeper.
Manage Candidates’ Expectations
A big part of a positive experience is ensuring that candidates know what to expect from your company and the overall process. Just by giving them a timeline of the process, you can alleviate a lot of stress! Some other tips for managing expectations include:
- Quickly acknowledge that you’ve received each application.
- Outline typical response times at each stage of the process.
- Proactively explain any delays or interruptions to the process.
- Provide regular updates on their application status—including whether they are still being considered for the position.
Ensure a Positive Interview Experience
Before a candidate even walks in your door, they should feel adequately prepared for the type and style of interview they will be facing. Give as much information as possible on your process: Whether the interview format is individual or panel-based, who and how many people the candidate will be meeting, and any additional preparations or work samples they should bring. It’s also helpful to communicate any complicated or confusing transportation or parking situations the candidate may encounter.
When welcoming potential hires to your office, it’s important to get each team member on board with your process. From a friendly reception at the front desk to smiling faces when walking to the conference room, showcase your company culture. Be sure that each person who will be meeting the candidate has had a chance to review their resume prior to the interview.
Make Quick But Thoughtful Hiring Decisions
It’s critical to make hiring decisions as quickly as possible while also being thoughtful and purposeful. Not only is it important for you to get the position filled, but candidates need to hear back about their candidacy. Taking too long in deliberations WILL cost you top talent!
After you’ve made your offer to the selected candidate and they have accepted, make sure you let the others know that the role has been filled. While this is never a comfortable conversation, providing constructive feedback to the candidates who were not selected will help them improve and leave them with a positive impression of your company.
Streamline Your Onboarding Process
As soon as a candidate accepts your offer, you should be engaging with them. Before their start date, send a welcome email that includes any pertinent company information that they will need for their first day. Let them know what documents to bring with them on their first day, where to report, and, if you’re planning to take them to lunch, let them know not to bring food! Any details you can provide in advance will be much appreciated.
Once the new hire’s first day arrives, your onboarding process truly begins. Your new hire orientation—which doesn’t have to be more than an hour—should include company history, an overview of key individuals, and important company policies. This, along with your employee handbook, will set the stage for their tenure with your company. After orientation, introduce them to the team, help them get settled at their workstation, and ensure they have all the essential tools they need.
Some companies assign a mentor or buddy to new hires. This is one way to provide guidance during the initial weeks or even months of employment. Other companies prefer not to assign this type of relationship, instead relying on regular check-ins to gather feedback and address any concerns. No matter how you do it, be sure to show your commitment to each new hire’s success!
Measure—and Improve—the Candidate Experience
Your hiring process should constantly evolve and adapt based on feedback from candidates and new hires. If possible, collect feedback from candidates at various stages of the process. You can use short email surveys to find areas for improvement. You could ask about their experience during the interview, but some candidates may be too nervous to give any constructive feedback.
However you collect the data, analyze it and strive to do better. If your time-to-hire is too long, implement new ways to speed it up. If your new hire retention rates are low, explore how you can improve your onboarding process and more accurately prepare them for the role during the hiring process. These insights will make your hiring process better while also improving candidate experience.