7 Effective strategies to create a memorable candidate experience

In this digital age, where everything is shifting online, hiring is not an exception. As recruiting moves online, attracting top candidates has become a challenge. According to a recent survey by Gartner, 86% of companies are conducting virtual interviews to fill open positions. These companies prefer to use video interview software to find the requisite skilled applicants. Therefore, it has become more important than ever to come up with effective strategies to attract potential candidates. That is where an amazing remote candidate’s experience matters.

Candidate experience – this popular buzzword is one of the first steps in attracting top talent to your organization. It is more than just another passing HR trend. The way of hiring has changed, and the current job market is candidate-driven. Now, companies don’t pick talents; candidates pick organizations. So, improving the candidate experience is essential for HR departments and recruiters.

We will discuss different tips to design a memorable candidate experience in the following blog. But before that, let’s learn what exactly candidate experience is.

What is candidate experience?

Candidate experience is the perception of an applicant about the employer and the organization. It is basically the reaction of candidates towards the hiring, screening, and selection processes. HR professionals can measure candidate experience through candidate feedback, employee referrals, and employee retention rates.

65% of candidates state that they tend to lose interest if they have a bad interview experience. If candidates have a poor experience, they might-

• Reject the job offer
• Share with friends how they felt about the company during hiring. 
• Not apply for the position again.

Companies now understand the value of positive employee experience and are doing everything to ensure a pleasant experience for applicants while recruiting.

Tips for developing a top-of-the-line candidate experience

1. Write appealing job descriptions

A recent “Talent Board” report revealed that job descriptions are the most important content candidates look for while searching for any job. Job seekers always go through the job descriptions to check the company’s expectations. Writing an enticing job description is the very first step in finding and hiring the right people. Remember, candidates always want an accurate explanation of responsibilities and not a huge list of roles. Outline your recruitment process in the job description in a short and brief manner. Consider the following points while writing a description for the job opening.

• It should highlight the employee value proposition categories, such as work, reward, career growth, organization, etc. 
• Use simple language in the job description instead of using buzzwords. Make it jargon-free to attract more candidates. 
• Write the accurate job title. 
• List the most important points at the start and in bullet points.

2. Grow your Employer Branding

Employer branding can greatly impact recruiting if you are hiring through digital interview software. Each candidate reaches out to different platforms to search for the company they are applying to. You need to make sure that they hear only positive things about your work environment from others. A company’s reputation from an employer’s perspective is referred to as employer branding. It describes the values your organization provides to employees. As per the LinkedIn report, 81% of candidates use online resources to search for information about the company.

In today’s increasingly competitive market, building positive employer branding is critical. Without it, you can’t attract top talents to your organization. Use the following strategies to build positive employer branding for your company.

• Be active on social media, and keep posting photos and videos of events held in the organization. 
• Create a career page on the organization’s official website. Post positive feedback from employees on that page to gain the attention of applicants.
• Hiring managers can even make a video about the office culture because it is one of the most powerful practices to entice candidates. 
• Revamp job descriptions to make them interesting, and attract a large pool of talent.

3. Design a structured interview process

An interview is a pivotal point in the job search journey of candidates. If your interview process is well-structured, you may easily win over the right talent. A negative interview process can draw a poor image of your company, and candidates might lose interest. Build a structured interview process where each candidate goes through the same set of rounds. This will help you make decisions quickly.

• Keep your hiring procedure short by eliminating extra rounds. 
• Have a meeting with your teammates, and decide who will handle which task. 
• Following up is essential to keep candidates engaged throughout the hiring process. Ensure to send a thank you email after the interview to keep the communication alive. 
• Use modern ways of hiring over traditional ways. 
• Enlighten candidates about each round of the interview.

4. Be transparent

If you wish to deliver a positive candidate experience, then setting expectations about the whole hiring process is necessary. Many companies don’t provide their candidates with transparency, which ultimately results in losing the candidate. According to research, 83% of applicants state it would significantly improve their experience if recruiters could set expectations about the hiring process in advance.

Tell candidates how many rounds are there and how much time it will take. Frequent and transparent communication is imperative to developing a positive candidate experience. In addition to being transparent in advance, employers must focus on communicating.

5. Make them feel valued

It is really important for candidates to feel supported and valued during the interview procedure. The impression will stay with them forever. They might also encourage their friends to apply to your company because of the memorable experience they had with you. When they feel valued, they also try to improve upon their performance to meet the expectations of managers. Also, keep in touch with candidates between offer acceptance and onboarding. Engaging your candidates during the last stage before joining can be very helpful in building a positive candidate experience, making them feel valued. Making applicants feel respected and valued can help you a lot in creating an efficient candidate experience.

6. Keep things moving

As they say, communication is the key to every problem. Research shows that the top problem during the overall hiring process is the lack of response from employers. Providing updates about candidates’ status is essential to keep them engaged. Moreover, don’t take weeks to conduct the next round of interviews. If you want to attract potential candidates, moving fast will positively impact them. Candidates hate to stay in the dark; so ensure to communicate regularly.

Create email campaigns to keep candidates interested and engaged. Based on the different stages of the interview, set up personalized email campaigns for different positions. It is one of the best ways to show candidates that the company values them. Moreover, timely communication will not take much of your time, so ensure frequent interaction with candidates.

7. Introduce candidates with a taste of the company’s culture

Familiarizing candidates with the company’s culture is one of the most effective ways to leave a positive impression on candidates. Culture is not about giving free t-shirts or any equipment; it is all about providing people with experiences they will cherish forever. The first experience that a candidate has with any company is the interview procedure, so make it more than a formal meeting. Break the monotony of the interview process, and introduce them to the company’s culture. Use the below-mentioned tips to give candidates a real taste of the company’s culture.

• Take people on walks to interview them. 
• You can even take them to lunch to check whether they are capable of multi-tasking or not. 
• Introduce the candidates to people at the workplace.

Stand out from the crowd, and show candidates why your company is the best.

Summing it up

Creating a memorable candidate experience is so important for attracting the best performers. Understand the importance of the job seekers’ journey and generate a better candidate experience. However, it may require more devoted attention, but you must work on these 7 key factors to see a significant difference. These are quick fixes that are helpful in creating an enriching candidate experience.

FAQs

What is candidate experience?

Candidate experience refers to the perception and reaction of an applicant towards the employer and the organization’s hiring, screening, and selection processes. It is measured through candidate feedback, employee referrals, and employee retention rates.

Why is candidate experience important?

Candidate experience is crucial because poor experience can lead candidates to:

• Reject the job offer.
• Share negative feedback with friends.
• Avoid applying for future positions with the company.

Improving candidate experience helps attract top talent and builds a positive reputation for the organization.

How can I write an appealing job description?

To write an appealing job description:

• Highlight employee value proposition categories like work, reward, career growth, and organization.
• Use simple, jargon-free language.
• Write an accurate job title.
• List the most important points at the start and use bullet points.

How can I build positive employer branding?

To build positive employer branding:

• Be active on social media, posting photos and videos of events.
• Create a career page on the official website and post positive employee feedback.
• Hiring managers can make videos about office culture.
• Revamp job descriptions to be interesting and attractive.

What should a structured interview process include?

A structured interview process should:

• Be consistent for all candidates.
• Eliminate unnecessary rounds to keep the process short.
• Assign specific tasks to team members.
• Follow up with candidates, including sending thank-you emails.
• Use modern hiring methods and clearly explain each round of the interview.

How can transparency improve candidate experience?

Transparency improves candidate experience by setting clear expectations about the hiring process. Inform candidates about the number of rounds and the expected timeline. Frequent and transparent communication helps keep candidates engaged and reduces the likelihood of losing them.

Why is it important to make candidates feel valued?

Making candidates feel valued is important because it:

• Leaves a lasting positive impression.
• Encourages candidates to recommend the company to others.
• Motivates candidates to improve their performance.
• Helps in creating an efficient and positive candidate experience.