3 Ways to Improve the Candidate Experience for Your Organization

One of the most important aspects of a job search is the candidate experience. It’s an organization’s ability to attract, engage and retain talent. It’s not just about finding the right people and getting them on board; it’s also about making sure they don’t just accept an offer and then disappear after you’ve invested time in them. You need candidates to feel that they have options with your company or brand, so they’ll stick around longer than one cycle. Here are a few ideas on ways to make that happen:  

Learn more about candidate experience by auditing your own. 

To really get a feel for how candidates are experiencing your job posting, it’s helpful to audit your own website. Look at the experience from the point of view of someone who is looking for work and evaluate whether you’re the right company for them. 

Consider these questions: 

• Is the candidate able to find out what they want to know in an easy format? Do they understand what it would be like working at your organization? 
• Are there opportunities that seem exciting or appealing enough to inspire them to apply? 
• Is there any information that might discourage them from applying, such as an overly long application process or too much jargon in the job description?  

Consider mobile-friendly tactics. 

Not only are more people turning to their phones for research and information, but they’re applying through mobile devices. This means your website (and any other online presence you have) must be optimized for mobile browsing. 

Design with the user in mind. Your application process should also be easy to navigate on a small screen—especially if you require an applicant to complete multiple steps before submitting an application or resume. If you do have a long form of questions or instructions, consider breaking them into sections and providing links to skip ahead as needed. 

Be transparent and communicate with candidates regularly. 

Making sure your candidates know what’s going on is one of the most important things you can do to improve their experience. 

• Be transparent with them about the process. Let them know when they’ve been shortlisted and give them weekly updates on the status of their application. Even if it doesn’t change much from week-to-week, it will show them that you’re paying attention and taking care of things behind-the-scenes. 
• Give feedback on why people aren’t selected to ensure they feel respected as individuals—even if there isn’t a fit between applicant and position.  
• Provide the option to sign up for alerts for future job posts that may be a better match to their qualifications or interests.  

 In the end, finding great candidates is an ongoing process. And it’s not just about attracting them with a good job description—it’s also about making sure they have a pleasant experience throughout their entire journey with your company. That way, you can increase your chances of hiring the best people for your organization and not lose any in the hiring process or thereafter.  

The hiring process is a challenge in today’s market. In addition to improving the applicant experience, consider working with a professional staffing agency like The Reserves Network. We can help you streamline your hiring process by recruiting for your open roles and only presenting you with the ones we deem fit for the position. Subscribe to our blog for more workforce management advice!