Are you prepared to give a good candidate experience?

Are you prepared to give a good candidate experience?

Are you prepared to give a good candidate experience?Do you know how your recruitment company treats its candidates? And are you sure that when recruiting directly, you handle your candidates well?

The fact is, well over half of all candidates report a poor recruitment experience.  Many of the complaints boil down to poor communication – from a website that’s impossible to use on a phone to zero acknowledgement of an application.

And with unemployment levels at the lowest they have been in over 40 years, good candidates can be in short supply.   So it’s not only morally right to treat people with respect, but essential for your business.

Whilst the recruitment process can be frenetic, especially if you are juggling multiple candidates, delivering extraordinary candidate care is not difficult if you have clear processes, and it reaps rewards that enrich your brand’s reputation and create staff loyalty.

Most companies recognise the necessity for recruitment marketing – the need to create a brand that makes people want to work for you.  But once candidates are in touch with you, it’s vital to deliver on that marketing promise.

 

Keeping them informed

The first thing that is key is to keep the candidate informed of what is happening and when.  Acknowledge that you have received their application. Ensure that each communication they receive, whether an automated email template or a personal phone call,  explains the next step and the timescales.   And of course, be honest. If they are not right for the role, tell them as soon as possible.

 

Bad news is better than none

When a job is filled, tell the unsuccessful candidates promptly.  Give them feedback on why they were not successful and where they were strong – information that they can apply to their next application – and you will stand out for taking the time to be honest and give constructive advice.

 

Don’t delay

Good candidates will probably be applying for multiple roles.  It’s important to progress great CVs quickly and contact likely candidates straight away.  Be responsive, and you will make the candidate feel valued.  If they are considering two jobs it might be the speed of response they receive that dictates which they will choose.

 

Remember that candidates will have spent hours putting together applications and doing their research.  Nothing is more soul destroying than feeling that their CV hasn’t even been looked at.  Treat your candidates well and they’ll not only come back to you next time, but recommend you to others too.

 

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