3 Improvement Areas: Candidate Experience

The world of work has changed so drastically in the past number of years. Roles that didn’t exist 15 years ago are now some of the highest paid and most in demand.

Yet, when it comes to applying for jobs, we still force candidates down a funnel and pipeline of an archaic process.

The market is moving fast around the roles but we aren’t always keeping up with the candidate demands.

In every aspect of our lives we are used to an immediate positive feedback loop.

Broken charger? Amazon prime next day delivery.

Missing an ingredient for dinner? Getir 8 minute grocery delivery service.

Book an appointment with a doctor? Babylon, GP at hand.

Everything is on demand except for when it comes to applying for a new job. We expect applicants to apply for a position and then be comfortable to wait an undisclosed amount of time to maybe or maybe not hear back on whether or not they will be able to progress in the position.

A good candidate experience is imperative for the growth of your recruitment business and here are three easy ways you can improve it.

Immediate feedback & next steps

Among the top pain points for the job applicant is insufficient communication and convoluted application process.

A simple way to improve this is to have an auto-generated email sent to every applicant stating 3 main things; that the application has been received, the next steps if they are selected and a realistic timeframe on when they should hear a response from your business.

This simple step helps to manage the expectations of the candidate and holds your recruiters to a certain SLA for candidate feedback. Whether or not the candidate is selected for the next stage, they should receive feedback.

Keep it simple!

The average applicant applies for 20 positions when they are looking for a new role. Each application can take up to 25 minutes to complete if the candidate tailors the submission.

Based on these figures, the average job seeker will spend approximately 8.5 hours just on applications alone.

Keep your application process simple, allow them to apply using their LinkedIn profile, ensure your submission platform supports pdf, word and all the usual CV formats and please, please please (!) don’t make your applicants rewrite their CV into an application form…

Time is precious and people value their time.

Modern Hiring & Equal Opportunity

Another frustration felt by a lot of applicants is that the current recruitment process isn’t fit for purpose.

The first CV was written in 1482 yet, the CV remains the predominant medium to measure someone's skills and experience. Today’s job market requires something a little more bespoke and inclusive.

When an applicant applies for a role, give them the opportunity to demonstrate some of their softer skills through video submissions, pre-screening conversations and supporting documentation.

Also, it’s imperative that your candidates can complete their submission with confidence. Ensuring your website is accessible is a huge element for this,

The demand for talent on the current market is highly competitive, make sure you give yourself and your company a competitive advantage by diversifying your recruitment process.

Of course, Recii can enhance all three of these aspects in the recruitment process.

We provide an immediate, personalised feedback loop to applicants while completing an initial assessment with them in as little as 2 minutes. Recii affords the applicant options, they decide how to undertake these initial assessments whether it be via voice, WhatsApp or simple WebChat.

And that’s only the initial application stage, we haven’t even discussed what happens next…