Candidate Experience

Candidate experience is all about how a job applicant feels while going through your hiring process. It covers everything - from reading your job description and searching for opportunities to how you communicate, screen candidates, conduct interviews, and even onboard new hires. Every step shapes their impression of your company!

Does candidate experience really matter?

Yes! A poor candidate experience doesn’t just turn away potential talent - it can hurt your business too.

• 49% of job seekers working in in-demand fields like technology turned down an offer because of a bad experience during the hiring process.
• 60% of job seekers say they’ve had a bad candidate experience.
• 80% of those who go through a frustrating hiring process will share their experience with others - some even proactively.
• And here’s the kicker: 50% of candidates say they wouldn’t buy from a company after a negative job application experience.

It’s clear - how you treat candidates can directly impact your brand and bottom line!

How to ensure a great candidate experience?

There’s plenty of advice out there on improving candidate experience, but let’s keep it simple. Think of an applicant the way you’d think of a customer - give them the same level of respect and communication. You wouldn’t ghost a customer, so why ghost a candidate? Even if they’re not the right fit for this role, they might be perfect for the next one - or they could become a future customer.

Start by mapping out the candidate experience and identifying any gaps. Is there a point where a lot of applicants drop off? Does communication suddenly stop at a certain stage? Once you spot these issues, you can start designing a smoother, more engaging candidate journey - from writing clear job descriptions and responding to applicants to conducting interviews and providing feedback, whether it’s a job offer or a rejection.

Remember, a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works. Some candidates might thrive in a particular hiring process, while others - who could turn out to be even stronger hires - might struggle. For example, many people assume eye contact is a key indicator of job performance. That might be true for customer-facing roles, but it’s not necessarily relevant for a developer or marketing specialist. The key is to remove subjectivity from hiring and focus on real skills and potential. Just because someone "feels" like a good fit doesn’t mean they have what it takes to succeed - while someone who doesn’t match your personality or didn’t attend a prestigious school might actually be the best choice.

And finally, don’t underestimate the importance of your job ads - they’re the very first step in a candidate’s journey. Avoid clichés, hidden biases, and long, unrealistic lists of skills. Many companies lose out on great talent simply because their job descriptions are too vague or overwhelming.

By making these small but meaningful changes, you can create a hiring process that attracts top talent and leaves candidates with a great impression of your company - whether they get the job or not.