As HR professionals, we live in a world revolving around talent management, compensation, and workplace safety. Even so, we often tend to lose sight of one of the most important aspects of the very first role itself: the candidate experience.

It wasn’t long ago when companies focused on becoming the employer of choice. Today, the savviest HR people know that harnessing the power of candidate experience is critical to creating lasting brand impressions. 

But what is candidate experience, and how does it impact your employer brand?

Let’s examine what makes the best candidate experience — and leave you with some key takeaways to help you offer a “positive” one.

What is candidate experience?

Candidate experience can include everything from the first touchpoint of the initial job search to applying for a job, appearing for the interview, and even beyond. It’s the overall experience jobseekers have when interacting with your brand during the recruitment process.

Getting off on the wrong foot can hamper not just a candidate’s experience, but also your chances of attracting the right talent. So, ensure that all your recruitment processes, methods, and approaches align with the candidate's experience. For it decides not just your recruitment and hiring success but also your company’s overall success. 

Why does positive candidate experience matter?

Here is why you must treat positive candidate experience as a top priority rather than an afterthought:

1. More opportunities for attracting top talent

Candidate experience is an underrated tool when it comes to finding the best candidates. A company that’s known for its negative candidate experience usually puts off top talent, preventing them from applying for a job there. And in such a scenario, the company loses not just the best talent, but also the growth and revenue they bring along.

2. Streamlined, faster recruitment process

Candidate experience can be the starting block of a systematic, standardized recruitment process. When you know what candidates like or dislike about your company’s hiring approach, you can make the requisite changes and chalk out a streamlined and faster recruitment process – which is a win-win.

3. Improved employer branding

Word-of-mouth stays as relevant with jobseekers as it does with customers. Although the number of people going through your recruitment process may seem meager, the impact that they can leave on your employer brand isn’t. 

Candidates with a bad experience will talk more about you than those who have had a good experience. So, the next time you put a candidate alone in a conference room for twenty-five minutes before beginning their interview, think of the repercussions. 

And with career sites like Glassdoor, you can’t really afford to share with the world all the not-so-good things about your recruitment process. 

After all, over 74% of Glassdoor users read at least four reviews before forming an opinion about a company. That’s huge. And it makes a strong case for taking candidate experience seriously.

Candidate experience: best practices

Investing in an efficient candidate experience is easier said than done. Learning the ropes from the companies offering the best candidate experiences can help a great deal. And at Wiggli, we have got you covered. We bring you some of the best practices that you can take inspiration from and convince candidates that yours is the perfect place to work.

1. Offer more than just content

Your website’s career page is the magnet that pulls candidates. It must offer more than the regular content (read: job opportunities). Think beyond those boring job descriptions and take some time to inform and attract.  And while you are at it, do it the P&G way. 

Procter & Gamble adopts an easy-to-follow hiring process and makes sure that jobseekers get all the information they need right there on their hiring page.

The company brilliantly breaks down the hiring process into four simple steps: Application, Assessment, Interviews, and Offer. And each stage comes with individual details highlighting what a candidate can expect from the recruitment process and vice versa. They also get the option to submit a Disability Accommodation Request. Recruitment simplified.

2. Keep them moving forward

Let’s be honest: no jobseeker is a fan of oblivion. That’s why businesses need to help their candidates keep moving forward by giving them regular updates about their recruitment journeys. After all, there’s nothing more off-putting than investing your time in a job application that has gone on “mute” mode. So, be upfront with your decision and state it clearly rather than leaving your candidates hanging or chasing you for updates.

3. Personalise the process 

Move beyond the common practice of sending random job alerts to potential job seekers. Embrace personalization.

Booking.com is a fantastic example here. The company helps candidates create personalised job alerts, which makes finding their perfect job more straightforward. 

When you put extra effort and deliver more than ordinary to the candidates, your chances of making a positive impact increase multifold. Capitalize on it.

4. Think unique

Finding the right people isn’t always about a match of skills, qualifications, and experience. It’s also about matching the candidate’s personality with the role they are applying for. 

Manufacturing giant Kimberly-Clark understands the importance of personality traits pretty well. And so, the company uses a quiz to test the candidate’s personality type.

While it’s not a screening tool, the company sees it as a great conversation starter between recruiters and candidates. Plus, it highlights how people with different personalities bring their unique advantages to the team. The perfect ice-breaker, we’d say!

Uncover the benefits of a positive candidate experience 

While it may not be the magic cure-all of all your talent management woes, remember that attracting the right talent starts with a great candidate experience. So, go ahead and follow the tips mentioned above to uncover the benefits of a positive candidate experience. 

At Wiggli, we ensure that you don’t have to worry about missing the connection with your candidates. With our knowledge and information, we offer you a holistic view of what successful HR means. Leave your comments in the section below and we’ll be happy to help.