The job application process will probably be the first time a candidate interacts with your business on a professional level. Sure, they may know your brand and spend money in your stores, but the hiring process will really set the tone for how the candidate sees you as a potential employer. Set the right tone at the start and you’re good to go. So, why does your candidate experience need improving?
Short answer: because you should treat your candidates as you treat your customers.
What would you do if George Clooney walked into your store or applied for one of your roles? You’d bend over backwards to make sure he got the best experience anyone had ever had, right? You’d want to make sure he remembers your brand (for all the right reasons). Well, that is how you should treat all your customers, and therefore, all your candidates too.
Why are candidates like customers?
They want something from you.
Like customers, candidates want something from you. They want a job. And it’s kind of your job to woo them a little bit, because no-one likes those employers who expect their candidates to grovel at their feet. Recruitment is as much a decision making process for them as it is you to work out if they’re right for the role, which is especially true for those hard-to-fill, knowledge-based roles such as marketing and IT. Using the right Applicant Tracking System, you can tailor your candidate’s experience based on the type of role you’re recruiting for, just as you would tailor the buying process for different types of customers.
They’re giving you something in return.
Customers give you their money, but candidates are giving you something that is perhaps even more valuable: their time. And when they become an employee, they’re giving you their time, their ideas, and their skills. Just like customers paying more for better quality products, treat your candidates right from the start and you’ll likely get a better return.
They won’t be afraid to go to a competitor if you’re not up to scratch.
How many times have you tried to buy something online, got frustrated with the checkout process, and moved on to a competitor’s site? It happens a lot, and there’s a risk that your candidates will do the same. Unless the role you’re advertising is completely, 100% their dream job, there are probably hundreds of other businesses advertising for a very similar role that they can move on to if they get frustrated with your application process. Do you really want to lose what could have been your perfect employee because of a glitch in your application form?
They’ll shout about a good experience.
Just like your customers, candidates will shout about a good application and hiring process, and word of mouth is the most trusted source of information. It’ll boost your brand image and will help to encourage both more candidates and more customers in the future.
But they’ll shout even louder about a bad experience.
78% of candidates who experience a poorly thought out recruitment process will tell their friends and family about it. 42% would never seek employment at that company again and 22% would actively go out into the world and tell others not to work at that company. To take it even further, 9% even said that they would actually tell people not to purchase products or services from that company.
So yeah, you need to make sure your candidate experience is top notch.
How to improve your candidate experience.
So we’ve told you why your candidate experience needs improving, but how can you go about it? The simplest way is getting your hands on an Applicant Tracking System that makes your recruitment process easy to set up, easy to manage, and easy to use (for both recruiters and candidates). The right ATS will also keep your recruitment processes fair, giving a consistent experience for each of your candidates (regardless of the role they’re applying for).
Get in touch with us today and we’ll show you how we can help make your candidate experience awesome.
