Once you realize that there is an open position in your company that needs to be filled, the adrenaline takes over and it’s all systems go until you find the right candidate. In the rush (and often scramble) to interview, hire and onboard, providing a positive candidate experience is often not a priority- but it should be. In fact, Glassdoor’s 50 HR and Recruiting Statistics for 2017 reported that companies that invest in their candidates’ experience improve the quality of their hires by 70%.

Knowing that the quality of employees that you hire is affected by the effort that you put into each candidate’s experience, take a moment to reflect on your own hiring practices. If there is a lack of emphasis on ensuring that your candidates have a positive experience, consider implementing the following the next time that you find yourself scrambling to fill an open position.

Clear criteria: Providing a positive experience starts at the beginning, before you even start interviewing candidates. By providing clear criteria on job descriptions, not only will you be exhibiting strong communication skills but you will also be saving candidates, who do not possess those criteria, time and effort. Being as clear as you can with your criteria and expectations will make qualified candidates feel more confident about applying for a job with your company as it will make them feel that communication is instilled in your company’s culture.

Personalized approach: While it may feel more manageable for you, hiring should not be a “one size fits all” process. Personalize your approach by getting to know candidates beyond their resume. They will feel valued (even if you don’t extend them a job offer), and more likely to recommend your company to their peers if you treat the process like a continuing conversation- not just a set number of steps that you need to check off of a list.

Quick communication: As obvious as providing candidates with quick communication sounds, it is one aspect of the hiring process that frequently falls through the cracks. Talent Board, an organization that prides itself on its research focused around candidate experiences, found that 47% of candidates find themselves waiting for feedback for two months after they have applied for a job. That is far too long for candidates to wait to hear from you. Qualified candidates will have likely moved on to other opportunities at that point, and others, who may not have been the right fit for that specific job, are less likely to apply for a job with your company in the future that they are qualified for.

Honest feedback: In addition to not leaving candidates in the dark about the status of their application, providing honest feedback is another way to improve their experience. Serious candidates want to know what they can do to improve their chances of landing a job with your company in the future. When you contact applicants to break the news that you are moving forward with someone else, thank them for their time and let them know that for this position you were looking for someone with more _____ experience, ______ skills or _____ training.

Work with professionals: If you are struggling to keep up in these areas but want to improve the experience your candidates have while seeking employment with your company, working with Business Talent Solutions may be your solution. Our team has over twenty years of experience working with candidates and providing them with a positive experience. Let our team help you give candidates the experience they want!