Most companies don’t realize the importance of addressing a poor candidate experience. In hindsight, how they treat the candidates will affect the quality of the upcoming candidate. The company may hire incompetent people or have a high employee turnover rate. And it will damage the brand.
Each candidate may have different opinions on the matter. But the public agrees that positive experience during the recruitment process, including transparency and promptness affect their idea of the company. Multiple research shows up to 40% of candidates are more likely to accept the offer when they have a positive experience.
Negative Impact of Poor Candidate Experience
Companies may be unaware of the negative impacts right away. However, the bigger the company means there may be less satisfied candidates. One of the direct negative impacts is they can’t expand their workforce. They have to make do with the available talents or maybe even less if the company has a less-than-ideal work environment.
1. Loss of Talent
A survey by Careerplug shows that at least 30% of candidates refuse a work offer due to having experience during the recruitment process. It ranges from lacking transparency to a slow and disorganized interview process. In the long run, the company won’t be able to keep up with the new technology and other life improvements.
The current employee also may start resigning and leave the company for an even less workforce. Several companies that focus on quality over quantity may hire as many people as possible regardless of the qualification. This is common among construction workers, restaurants, and other jobs with a high turnover rate.
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2. Negative Reputation
Respondents on the same Careerplug survey also said they are likely to leave negative reviews on the company to reflect their experience. These reviews will erode all of the company’s branding efforts. And in this digital era, most people rely on online reviews to know more about the work environment.
3. A decline in Recruitment Success
Several methods to see a decline in recruitment success. From failing to secure the right talent for the job, to not having enough applicants which force them to open the position for a longer time. All of this situation will impend the current workforce. They have to work on multiple things until the company hires someone to fill the void. Or worse, they have no choice but to hire less competent people for the job. Having a less qualified workforce means the company has to spend extra time and resources to push them to the standard.
Strategies to Improve Candidate Experience
Candidates are not the only people who need to improve their skills. Here are what companies can do to improve the experience. Eventually, they can have the best workforce for maximum efficiency and impact.
1. Streamlined Processes
One way to improve the experience is by having a streamlined and transparent recruitment process. The company needs to make the process easy for them and the candidates. Most companies asked candidates to fill on multiple forms that take up to 30 minutes to fill. The problem is most of the information there is already on their curriculum vitae.
The company needs to establish a zone to collaborate with the candidate. A streamlined process will also help the company in doing the preliminary vetting. It can massively improve the poor candidate experience into a more positive one.
The company can use recruitment software to help them in the process. Of course, they also may use the in-house system they’ve been developing over the years. At any rate, the process needs to uphold transparency. It also must ensure the candidates understand the expectations and agree to go with the process.
2. Improved Communication
Communication is key to gaining, or regaining a positive image. A company that admits its past wrongdoings and is willing to improve will receive more positive feedback. Of course, they need to take all of the steps to improve their image further.
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Research by Software Advice, an ATS resource company, has multiple interesting findings. Particularly on how 83% of candidates prefer to receive notifications of not getting the job. And 94% of them already have a negative impression when they receive difficult or unclear instructions.
All these numbers show that most companies need to improve their communication. As they expect the candidates to be clear during the interview, the company also has to be concise in explaining its expectations.
Another thing to note is how most companies never ask for feedback from their candidates. It doesn’t matter if they end up hired or not. Any feedback and critique will give the company a fresh perspective on its current situation. Even though the candidates only have minimum interaction, they can have enough information to form an opinion.
3. Engaging Recruitment Content
A simple and personal touch can be one small thing that improves the candidate’s experience. It sure depends on the company’s capacity and values. In general, ensuring the candidates are going through a fair, honest, and transparent process is crucial.
Of course, not everyone will agree or react the same to this treatment. But the company only needs to reflect their values and how they see an employee. Candidates will work their best to see how they will fit into the company. Catering the candidates throughout the recruitment process will push them to give their best.
Everyone in the company must collaborate to ensure the candidates have a positive impression of the company. Don’t forget that candidates can witness the interaction between colleagues. Some of them may remove themselves from the application when they think the environment is less accommodating.
The company has no excuse for mistreating the candidates. They also need the right person for the job. It’s a situation where both the company and the applicant can reach a mutually beneficial agreement. However, just like the applicants can improve themselves. The company also can reduce the poor candidate experience by applying a professional and streamlined recruitment process.
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