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In this week's article, Alex Slater, Candidly’s Founder and CEO, imparts her invaluable insights and perspectives on how to enhance candidate experience by optimising each stage of the recruitment process.
“The first mistake many companies make is thinking that candidates are only concerned with job duties and salaries when reviewing job adverts. When we speak to candidates, they cite values-based content as the most important type of information when researching potential employers. Additionally, about a third of the candidates I speak to desire more comprehensive details about company culture, diversity and inclusion, and what makes the company an attractive place to work.
I see increasingly that jobseekers have a desire for more meaningful connections between themselves and their employers - a bond that many feel has been lacking for too long.
Companies that prioritise creating such connections from the outset of the hiring process typically provide a better candidate experience, and in turn, reduce turnover, "quiet quitting," and lacklustre commitment among their employees.”
“Although employers have made great strides in improving the application process through measures like simplifying forms, offering mobile application options, and incorporating assessments, they still struggle with effective communication during this stage.
Shockingly, recent surveys show 34% of candidates did not receive any response from employers after applying in 2022. There really is no reason a candidate shouldn’t be notified when they were not selected for a position. These communication blunders can be easily rectified, even for the busiest recruitment teams, with the aid of hiring tools like Candidly. One of the benefits of the tool we have created is that it automates candidate communication.
Effective communication during the application stage is a hallmark of top-rated candidate experiences as it enhances the perception of fairness, demonstrates respect for candidates, and helps maintain a pipeline of highly qualified and future-fit talent, even after they have been rejected for a role.
I can’t stress enough how important it is for every business to nail candidate communication.”
“There are certain types of interviews, tests, screenings, and assessments that can really make your company seem fairer to candidates. Using set interview processes, evaluations and assessments gives the feeling that you are following a set structure, which translates to a feeling of being fairly compared to other applicants. Companies with the best candidate experiences are considerably more likely to have a set structure to their recruitment process, and it's worth remembering that candidates are far more likely to recommend the company to their friends and colleagues if they felt the process was organised and fair.
When it comes to pre-employment assessments and tests, the ones that had the biggest positive impact on fairness in 2022 were simulated job tasks/activities. Following those were case study review/response, and behavioural and/or personality assessments.
“Right now, the talent market is super competitive. Good candidates are considering multiple job offers at once. This means that employers need to act fast and be decisive when it comes to hiring, or else they risk losing out on great talent.
One way to ensure that you're not missing out on great candidates is by making a job offer within a week of their final interview. Companies that do this tend to have the highest-rated candidate experiences.
Although this seems like a no-brainer, almost a quarter of employers are taking up to two weeks to make an offer, and our surveys suggest that some are taking three weeks to a month or more.
The thing to remember is that when employers do make job offers within a week of the final interview, candidates are much more likely to refer others to the company and increase their relationship with the company, so it pays to move quickly”
“A lot of companies out there are struggling with keeping their new hires - both hourly and salaried professionals - from leaving before they even start. And it's not just the low-rated companies, even prestige organisations are having trouble with pre-boarding and onboarding.
Amazingly, studies show only 21% of candidates from the highest-rated companiessaid they were given multiple options to meet their team and get their questions answered before their start date. But when candidates do get this kind of attention, their willingness to stick around and build a relationship with the company increases by a whopping 92%! That's a game-changer for retention.
And here’s another stat for you: only 40% of candidates said they received a call from their hiring manager before starting, and even less - just 24% - got a text. But among those who did get a call or text, their willingness to increase their relationship with the company went up by 87%. So, it's all about engagement before the start date. The more engagement, the better chance of keeping those new hires on board from the get-go.”
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