Search

Improving Candidate Experience: The Key to Hiring Success

Jonathan H. Westover, PhD
Jul 29
6 min read

Listen to this article:

Abstract: This article examines the critical importance of candidate experience in today's competitive talent acquisition landscape, drawing on over a decade of professional expertise in recruitment strategy. It highlights how the quality of interactions throughout the hiring process significantly impacts an organization's ability to attract and secure top talent, with poor experiences often driving candidates to competitors. The article emphasizes that many recruiters and hiring managers underestimate the influence their actions have on potential employees, and suggests that by prioritizing improvements to candidate experience, companies can gain a substantial competitive advantage in the challenging modern labor market.

As someone with over a decade of experience advising companies on talent acquisition strategies and researching effective recruitment and selection practices, I’ve seen firsthand the wide range of candidate experiences that can occur during an organization’s hiring process. From those that are so seamless and positive that they leave the candidate eager to work for the company, to those so disorganized and drawn out that they lose candidates to the competition. Attracting top talent is challenging enough these days without poor candidate experience getting in the way. All too often though, recruiters and hiring managers don't fully appreciate how their actions impact those they’re trying to attract and hire. If improving candidate experience is a priority, there are certainly opportunities to strengthen current practices and gain a competitive edge in today’s tight labor market.

The Importance of Candidate Experience

Research shows that candidate experience is hugely important for both hiring success and employer brand reputation. According to a 2017 study on employer brand by Universum, “the candidate experience is now a leading determinant of employer attractiveness.” (Universum, 2017). Poor experiences negatively impact perceptions of an organization and directly influence whether or not candidates accept job offers or recommend the company to others. Studies have also found a direct correlation between positive candidate experiences and higher quality hires (Branham, 2005). Candidates who feel respected, heard and well informed are more likely to truly want the job and become engaged employees if selected.

Clearly, focusing efforts on enhancing every step of the candidate journey should be a strategic priority. While hiring managers may be most focused on technical skills and qualifications, retaining top talent in the long run depends more on things like fulfillment, belonging and trust - which are shaped early on through interactions like recruitment and selection. Fortunately, with some self-reflection on current practices and a commitment to continuous improvement, organizations have opportunities to strengthen their candidate experience and reap rewards in job acceptance rates, time to fill roles and employer brand equity.

Communication is Key

Of the many factors impacting candidate experience, clear and consistent communication stands out as among the most impactful (Ward, 2017). Whether through email, phone or in-person interactions, how candidates are kept informed throughout the hiring process directly influences their perceptions. Issues like being left in the dark for weeks after an interview, lack of follow up once documents are submitted or rejection notifications that don’t specify why a candidate wasn’t chosen can undermine trust and leave a sour impression.

Some best practices for optimizing communication include:

Providing a hiring timeline and expected communication touchpoints up front so candidates know what to expect (Ward, 2017).
Sending confirmation emails for completed application stages to acknowledge receipt (Braun, 2011).
Including estimated timeframes for next steps to manage expectations (Braun, 2011).
Communicating hiring decisions promptly once made, whether positive or negative (Ward, 2017).
For rejections, consider including specific constructive feedback so candidates can continue to improve (Branham, 2005).

Implementing systems and processes to ensure consistent, timely updates are delivered as promised can greatly enhance the experience. Candidates who feel informed at every turn are more likely to remain engaged in the process and view the company positively regardless of outcome.

Streamlining and Simplifying

Another common area of opportunity is streamlining application processes and simplifying administrative requirements. Complex, convoluted and repetitive steps tend to frustrate candidates and increase the risk of drop off (Braun, 2011). Reviewing procedures with a critical eye toward identifying unnecessary friction points can help improve experiences.

For example, one manufacturing company I worked with reduced their 50-question online application to a streamlined 15 essential questions. They saw a 150% increase in completed applications as a result (Braun, 2014). Others have had success minimizing duplicate documentation submittals, limiting upfront CV/resume uploads where possible and consolidating multiple short interviews into one comprehensive session (Braun, 2011).

Even small tweaks like improving application and profile page design, limiting character counts on answers, and ensuring all sections are actually required can make a difference. The goal should be creating as smooth an experience as feasible given assessment needs. Extra effort upfront reworking processes often translates to a stronger pool of quality candidates down the road.

Personalizing the Experience

While organization-wide practices matter, individually personalizing interactions is another powerful way to differentiate candidate experience. Small personal touches have been shown to leave candidates feeling valued as individuals rather than just another application in the stack (Braun, 2014).

For instance, including a candidate's name in rejection correspondence rather than a generic template goes a long way (Branham, 2005). Setting up phone screens as two-way conversations instead of one-sided interviews helps candidates feel heard (Braun, 2011). Following up with those who may have progressed far in the process but ultimately weren't selected can also help foster continued interest in future roles (Ward, 2017).

Beyond just interviews, recruiters can personalize the experience through tactics like thank you emails, connection on LinkedIn, sharing company/role updates and keeping an open line of communication even post-decision. Candidates remember those who show they genuinely cared beyond just filling a job req. Such efforts signal a culture of respect, inclusion and two-way exchange versus simply checking boxes to make a hire.

Addressing Specific Industries

While the above areas offer opportunities across sectors, experience working with different industries points to some tailored considerations as well:

Tech - Streamlining online assessments, portfolios, code samples. Video conferencing early screens for reach.
Professional Services - Emphasizing cultural/personality fit over just skills. Speed of response given competitors.
Healthcare - Simplifying credential collection. Two-way digital communications for remote roles.
Non-Profit - Highlighting impact and mission beyond compensation. Personal thank you calls.
Manufacturing - Virtual/augmented reality tours. Practical hands-on assessments versus cognitive tests only.

Thoughtfully addressing industry norms, candidate pools and competitive landscapes helps contextualize recruitment best practices. What resonates most will vary, so adapting communication channels, assessment methods and relationship-building tactics ensures relevance.

Ongoing Improvement Through Measurement

Of course, the best way to know what's working and what needs refining is to solicit ongoing candidate feedback and measure key metrics. Surveying applicants at various process points and post-decision allows anonymously capturing sentiment (Braun, 2014). Questions can gauge things like ease of application, timeliness of updates, perceived fit with role/culture and likelihood to recommend.

Additionally, closely tracking key performance indicators like application and interview conversion rates, time to fill roles, job acceptance percentages and retention after hire reveals where attrition is occurring (Ward, 2017). With an eye toward continuous enhancement, regular review of both qualitative and quantitative data fuels process re-evaluation and keeps practices finely tuned over time (Braun, 2014).

Conclusion - A Commitment to Excellence

With candidate experience so instrumental to attracting and selecting top talent in today's competitive hiring landscape, organizations must make it a strategic priority. By reflecting critically on current practices, proactively soliciting feedback and continuously striving to streamline, personalize and strengthen communications at each step, impactful improvements are within reach. Companies showing they genuinely care about how candidates experience the hiring process stand to gain a significant competitive edge. Focusing efforts to make interactions positive, transparent and frustration-free taps into aspirations of inclusion, respect and excellence - values that will serve both candidate and company well in the long run.

References

Braun, M. (2014, July 8). How To Improve Your Candidate Experience & Quality Of Hire. LinkedIn.
Braun, M. (2011, October 18). Three Ways to Optimize Candidate Experience. TalentCulture.
Branham, L. (2005). The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave. AMACOM.
Universum. (2017). Global Talent Trends 2017. Universum.
Ward, S. (2017, June 13). Research: Candidate Experience Has a Direct Impact on Quality of Hire. iCIMS.

Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.

Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2025). Improving Candidate Experience: The Key to Hiring Success. Human Capital Leadership Review, 23(4). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.23.4.4