Three Ways to Improve Your Candidate Experience Immediately

Don’t let your poor hiring process hinder potential candidates’ experiences—it can be a huge turnoff! A recent survey found that 27 percent of candidates who have a bad experience would “actively discourage others to apply.” What’s more, 77 percent of candidates are likely to share positive experiences with those in their network.

Three tips to help you improve the candidate experience immediately.

Thank everyone who applies: 

Even if a candidate doesn’t make it far in the interview process—or even if they do, acknowledge their resume, and thank them for applying. Applying for jobs is extremely time-consuming and most candidates tailor each and every resume to fit the job they are applying for. Applying to job sites and filling out applications outside of submitting a resume is tedious. So, letting them know how much you value the time they took, and not sending an automated canned email response, goes a long way with the candidate experience.

Improve the application process by making it mobile-friendly:

Job seekers today spend time on their smartphones doing everything from buying birthday gifts to scheduling doctor appointments. In fact, according to Pew Research Center, 53 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds and 43 percent of all users have used a smartphone as part of a job search. However, most employers still offer an outdated or poorly designed mobile application experience. Because so many candidates learn about job opportunities on their mobile devices, organizations need to create a mobile-friendly application experience. Candidates—especially high-demand candidates—may judge an organization by its technology and application processes. Being perceived as “outdated” could damage an organization’s employer brand.

Make the interview a positive one:

A positive interview experience presents a positive image of your company, improving the odds of the best candidate accepting a job offer. It also assures that the best candidates tell their networks and improves the chances of you getting top candidates for other job postings. During the interview, one of the most effective ways to get good responses is by using behavioral interviewing techniques. Questions that begin with “Tell me about a time,” or “Describe a moment when” are usually behavioral in nature. It allows the candidate to share an experience from their past and creates a question and answer that is open-ended, thereby increasing dialogue between you and the candidate.

Ultimately, a well-defined interview process will give everyone the comfort to ask and receive the best answers.

Are you looking to hire? 

PrideStaff Financial has consistently won awards for exceptional client satisfaction. Our highly skilled staffing consultants know how to support your business needs. Contact us today to learn more.