{"id":524,"date":"2020-03-10T12:32:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-10T12:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trustcruit.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=524"},"modified":"2025-08-01T15:46:57","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T15:46:57","slug":"candidate-experience-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trustcruit.com\/sv\/blogg\/candidate-experience-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to the Candidate Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, for starters, this traditional method makes it much harder to track the recruitment process from start to finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As such, today\u2019s recruiters need to stay ahead of the game by gathering and analyzing accurate information about their candidates. Not only that, but they also need to be aware of the candidate experience they\u2019re creating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After all, this is the only way to guarantee that you hire the best possible people for the job. There\u2019s little doubt that excellent recruitment is data-driven. Companies that collect data during every part of their candidate\u2019s recruitment experience are better recruiters for it\u2026 and consequently, attract the best talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It really is that simple.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, with that in mind, let\u2019s dig a little deeper into what the \u2018candidate experience\u2019 is, and how you can improve yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contents:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  1. What\u2019s the \u201cCandidate Experience?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Does a Poor Recruitment Process Harm the Candidate Experience?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. The Benefits of a Positive Candidate Experience<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. <\/a>How to Improve the Candidate Experience During the Recruitment Process<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. <\/a>The Application Stage<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. <\/a>The Interview Stage<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. <\/a>Consider a Video Interview<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. <\/a>How to Reject Candidates<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. <\/a>Onboarding Candidates<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. <\/a>Report to Manager<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. <\/a>Ready to Measure Candidate Experience?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a><\/a>What\u2019s the \u201cCandidate Experience?\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In short, the phrase \u2018candidate experience\u2019 is an umbrella term to describe the processes, emotions, and the perception an applicant has of your company as they go through each stage of your recruitment process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Typical recruiting methods usually include the following steps:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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    1. The job search (candidates look for vacancies on job boards, company websites, search engines, newspapers, etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. The candidate applies for the job<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. You interview the candidate<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. You provide candidate feedback and analysis<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Onboarding (if successful)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Sound familiar?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      So, if you\u2019re looking to improve your candidate experience (which we highly suggest doing), you need to evaluate each and every one of the steps highlighted above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      This may sound like a tall order, but later in this article, we\u2019re going to break down how to do precisely that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      <\/a>Does a Poor Recruitment Process Harm the Candidate Experience?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      In short, yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Let\u2019s take a look at some of the frequent hiccups employers make throughout the recruitment process and analyze how this impacts the quality of the candidates you attract\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Poorly Written Job Ads<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      It stands to reason, if you don\u2019t provide a transparent and accurate job description, the standard of applicants will be lower quality. After all, candidates need to know what they\u2019re getting themselves into \u2014 otherwise, there\u2019s a good chance they\u2019ll quit relatively quickly upon hiring them. Then, you\u2019ll have to start the entire recruitment process again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Poor Communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      This is closely linked to our previous point. Excellent communication between the employer and the candidate(s), is the cornerstone of any successful recruiting strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Fail to communicate effectively with your applicants, and you\u2019ll see high-quality candidates dropping out left and right, most likely to your competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Bad Interview Technique<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Even supervisors with years of experience fall into this trap. You would be amazed at how many interviewers ask the wrong questions. After all, if you\u2019re not asking the right things, then you\u2019re not able to accurately assess whether a candidate is a good fit for the team. Simple, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      <\/a>The Benefits of a Positive Candidate Experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      So, what benefits are there to providing applicants with a positive candidate experience?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      To put it simply, if you\u2019re able to provide applicants with a decent experience during the recruitment phase, they\u2019re more likely to start their role in a positive frame of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Not only is this great for team morale, but it\u2019s also excellent for productivity too. It stands to reason, a candidate who enjoyed the recruitment process is more likely to hit the ground running than someone unsure they made the right decision accepting your job offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      It\u2019s also worth bearing in mind, candidates are your ambassadors, whether you recruit them or not. You don\u2019t need us to tell you that, word of mouth recommendations go a long way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      So, if an applicant has a pleasant experience during the recruitment process (even if they don\u2019t get the job), they\u2019re far more likely to speak highly of you, which strengthens your \u2019employer brand.\u2019 The stronger your employer brand is, the more people will want to work for you. Not to mention, this only adds to the prestige and credibility of your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Last but not least, if you\u2019re taking the state of your candidate experience seriously, you\u2019ll also start collecting and analyzing data. Using these numbers to drive your recruitment strategy will eventually be more cost-effective. Namely, because your hiring techniques will be far more efficient and new-hires are more likely to stick with you for the long haul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Recruiting people costs money. Period. Don\u2019t believe us? Virgin Media<\/a> estimates a loss of $5 million in revenue in a single year because they hadn\u2019t optimized their candidate experience!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      <\/a>How to Improve the Candidate Experience During the Recruitment Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      By now, you should be convinced that you need to enhance your candidate experience. But the real question is; How? Heed the below advice to start making those all-important improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The Job Search<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      You might be surprised to hear, the candidate experience begins way before a candidate even applies for a vacancy. In fact, IBM found that as many as 48% of the applicants<\/a> they surveyed had previous interactions with the organization before they applied for a job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      By \u2018interactions,\u2019 we mean:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n