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How to improve candidate experience during the recruitment process

Posted on 7/05/2023
Conducting Negotiations Boardroom

One of the biggest mistakes we see organisations make is failing to put candidate experience at the heart of the recruitment process. Why do they make this mistake? Because they are solely focused on what they need from the process - to fill a job function.

 

Of course, it’s right that as recruiters we are looking for the right person to fill our job, but what if our recruitment process is so tiresome that when they onboard their heart isn’t really in it?

 

That’s why we recommend you start looking at the recruitment process in a more balanced way and consider the candidate's experience alongside business goals.

In this blog post, we will be looking at what exactly the candidate experience is and how you can attract the best talent for your business using it.

What is the candidate experience and why does it matter?

Candidate experience refers to the entire process an applicant goes through from the time they learn about a job opportunity until they either receive a job offer or are declined. It encompasses all interactions and touchpoints during the recruitment process, including communication, feedback, and application.

 

The experience your candidates have matters because it can impact an organisation's reputation, employee referrals, and future potential hires, as well as the individual's perception and satisfaction with the company.

The ingredients of a good candidate experience

So now that you know what candidate experience is, how do you make sure that your HR processes create the right encounter?

 

A great candidate experience includes the following elements:

 

●      Clear communication - Regular updates and prompt responses to inquiries

●      Transparent process - Clearly defined recruitment process, timeline and expectations

●      Efficient application - Streamlined and user-friendly application process

●      Personal touch - Tailored interactions and personalised feedback

●      Constructive feedback - Meaningful feedback that helps the candidate understand their strengths and areas for improvement

●      Inclusivity - A fair and accessible recruitment process that treats all candidates with respect

●      Empathy - Understanding and consideration of the candidate's perspective and needs

●      Continuously improved - Regularly evaluated and improved recruitment process based on candidate feedback

●      Respectful treatment - Candidates should feel valued and respected throughout the process

 

By providing a positive and engaging candidate experience, companies can improve their reputation, attract top talent, and create a positive association with their brand.

How to improve your candidate experience

Here at mselect we are experts in the HR process, outsourcing our services to organisations from many different industries. Part of our service provision is international recruitment. As you can imagine this needs to be a seamless process to recruit the right candidate for the right job effectively.

 

Over the years we have learned what a great candidate's experience looks like. Here are our tips:

Step 1 - Provide a more engaging career website

Your prospective employees will want to find out a bit more about your organisation. Their first port of call in their research will be your website.

 

Here are some key elements that make a career website engaging:

 

●      User-friendly design - Simple, clean, and easy-to-use design that is intuitive for job seekers to navigate

●      Relevant information - Clearly presented information about the company, its culture, and the job opportunities available

●      Employee testimonials - Real stories and experiences from current employees that showcase the company's culture and values

●      Career development opportunities - Information about career advancement opportunities and professional development programs

●      Employer brand - A strong employer brand that highlights the company's unique value proposition and differentiators

●      Interactive features - Engaging features such as videos, images, and interactive tools that help job seekers understand the company and the roles available

●      Mobile-responsive design - A mobile-friendly design that is easily accessible and navigable on any device.

●      Easy application process - A streamlined and straightforward application process that makes it easy for job seekers to apply

Step 2 - Refocus your marketing to target your ideal candidates

If your web applications haven’t been attracting the right type of prospective employee, then it’s time to take a look at how you are marketing to candidates.

 

Here are some change considerations:

 

●      Define your target audience - Identify the characteristics and traits of your ideal candidate and use this information to develop a profile

●      Utilise multiple channels - Reach your target candidates through a mix of channels such as social media, job boards, and professional networking sites

●      Personalise your messaging - Use personalised messaging and storytelling to communicate your company's EVP (see below)

●      Offer value - Provide valuable information and resources related to careers and industry trends to attract and engage your target candidate

●      Track and measure - Regularly track and measure your marketing efforts to understand what works best and continuously improve

Step 3 - Use your company culture to showcase your EVP

Within your marketing your Employer Value Proposition (EVP) is a very useful tool because it helps show what it’s like to work for you.

 

Here are some ways to use your company culture to showcase your EVP:

 

●      Highlight company values - Share your company's values, mission, and purpose through storytelling, employee testimonials, and company content

●      Showcase company culture - Share photos, videos, and written content that showcases your company's unique culture, work environment, and team dynamics

●      Foster employee engagement - Encourage employee engagement and create opportunities for employees to share their experiences and perspectives on the company culture

●      Emphasise benefits - Highlight the benefits of working for your company, such as flexible work arrangements, professional development opportunities, and unique perks

●      Foster a positive reputation - Foster a positive reputation as an employer by demonstrating your commitment to diversity, inclusiveness, and employee well-being

●      Share success stories - Share success stories and highlights from current employees that showcase the impact and rewards of working for the company

Step 4 - Streamline and automate your process with good tech

One of the biggest challenges to a business is how to streamline recruitment. The process needs to be efficient to cultivate a good relationship with potential employees, as well as cost-efficient.

 

In our experience, here at mselect, good use of technology can be a game changer.

 

Here are some ways to streamline and automate the recruitment process using technology:

 

●      Use an ATS - An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) can automate the process of tracking and managing resumes, scheduling interviews, and providing feedback to candidates

●      Automate communication - Automated email and text messages can keep candidates informed and updated throughout the process, reducing wait times and increasing efficiency

●      Implement online assessments - Use online assessments to assess a candidate's skills, knowledge, and fit with your company culture

●      Utilise video conferencing - Utilise video conferencing technology to conduct remote interviews and reduce the need for in-person meetings

●      Mobile optimization - Optimise the recruitment process for mobile devices to make it easy for candidates to apply and stay informed on-the-go

●      Integrate with other systems - Integrate the recruitment process with other systems such as HRIS, payroll, and employee engagement platforms to reduce manual data entry and increase efficiency

Use mselect’s recruitment services to optimise the candidate experience

As recruiters and HR experts we understand too well how valuable a great employee is. We believe that to find and secure that top talent you need to focus on the journey they make with you, right from the start of the recruitment process.

 

We have purposefully built a talent community so that we can help you get one step ahead in the selection process. This means all the initial applicant screening is done for you.

 

We also use our website for your recruitment drive, which, because of its good reputation means you’ll already be in a great position to select from the very best in your industry. That makes your marketing just that little bit easier!

 

Our purpose-built recruitment technology also helps, by keeping both you and your candidates in the loop. This gives you confidence in knowing exactly where things stand with your recruitment campaign.

 

We believe that with mselect, you will find the candidate you need for your next hire, who will be happy and engaged to do great things for your organisation.

Contact us today to get your recruitment drive started!