It's often easy to get carried away and forget that hiring is a two-way street. As important as it is to attract the best talent to your own hiring needs, it's equally important to be able to provide a positive experience to all applicants and candidates. A long-term strategy, no doubt, since it can strengthen your brand and the overall impression the future candidates have when it comes to your company.
Why Candidate Experience Matters When Hiring
Candidate experience starts immediately. You don't have to wait for someone to apply for a role. It begins with posting a job ad and carries through the whole application and recruitment process.
Companies need to be able to provide a professional and refined journey for everyone interacting with the ad and the company itself, as well as applying for the role.
Think of it this way - the easier it is for candidates to interact with and understand your point of view, the easier it will be to attract top talent. Being clear and to the point is vital. This will allow the hiring process to go much smoother.
How to Improve the Candidate Journey
1) Be clear about your hiring needs
As a company, you need to be very clear about what you are looking for. Within the company first discuss your requirements for the role and the new hire. Then include this in a thorough and detailed job and candidate description. Review and confirm within the company before advertising as you don't want to be making changes after you have initially posted the ad.
2) Include thorough and job-specific details
Forget being vague and avoid generic skills at all costs. Be as specific as you can if you want to attract the most suitable candidates for your role. Go in-depth with particular skills, knowledge, and experience. Be very clear about minimum requirements as this will not only save you time sifting through applications from unqualified applicants but also help people understand whether or not they are suitable for this role.
