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Candidate experience is defined as the perception a job seeker has of an employer. It is based on the job seeker's interactions during the complete recruitment process. This perception includes all points of contact during recruitment - job search, the application process, interview process, offer or rejection process, and onboarding.
Can we fix candidate experience or enhance it in 4 Easy Steps? NO.
Can we take the 4 Steps below and begin? YES!
What matters most is that we begin, we never lose sight of the human-experience of job-seeking & hiring, and that we treat our internal and external candidates with dignity and respect.
(A High-Level) 4-Step Candidate Experience Review
First Step: Evaluate your tools.
➼ Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
☞ Job Advertisements
☞ Application Process
☞ Calendar/scheduling options.
☞ Data analytics or reporting to leverage.
☞ Automated messaging.
✺ What does your messaging look like?
✺ What expectations are set in these messages?
✺ Application Confirmation.
✺ Interview Requests or Confirmations.
✺ Rejections.
✺ Misc. correspondence, etc.
➼ What other tools are you or team members using?
Second Step: What is your online reputation?
➼ Search the internet.
☞ Job boards for reviews.
☞ Review boards.
☞ Search social media for what is being said about your organization.
Third Step (in tandem with steps one and two): Reviewing what your recruiters and hiring team members are currently saying to candidates and others.
➼ Expectations.
☞ Timelines for follow-up, etc.
☞ Next steps in the process (Who they will meet with next, etc).
➼ Accountability.
☞ How are your recruiters or hiring teams ensuring they are meeting expectations?
✺ Calendar reminders or ATS reminders?
✺ Other?
☞ How are your recruiters or hiring teams discussing the next steps
with candidates?
➼ Timeline.
☞ How long is a requisition typically open? (Not all reqs are created equal.
Do not allow yourself to go down the time-to-fill rabbit-hole.)
☞ How long is a candidate typically “in-play”? (Active and being considered.)
☞ How long once a candidate is no longer "in-play" does it take for the candidate
to be notified?
Fourth Step: Review of the data collected from Steps One, Two, & Three.
➼ Creating or enhancing your candidate experience program.
☞ Create a standard operating procedure (SOP) for your future program.
This enhanced program will meet your new candidate experience expectations
as an organization for both internal and external candidates.
☞ Create a training program around SOPs for all who are involved in the hiring
process.
☞ Create accountability across all levels involved in the candidate
experience process and program.
The steps listed above are meant to be a quick overview and starting point, but they don't contain all of the answers. At the end of the day, you can literally search the internet for plans and ideas on how to build better candidate experiences. From my experience, I've learned that each organization is different. Make sure you’re building a sustainable program that makes sense for your team to maintain. It's important. Your people, your reputation, and your legacy are on the line as business leaders and organizations.
Don’t let candidate experience slip through your fingertips.
If you or your organization are interested in bringing in an expert to review your candidate experience program/processes, please reach out to me! I’d love to discuss working with you on a project or ongoing basis. www.recruitingSHEro.com