There are countless reasons why ensuring a candidate has a positive interview experience should be an important part of your recruiting strategy. Not only is it crucial in bringing on board the best candidates, it also helps to shape your brand perception among these individuals. The interviewing process is a reflection of your brand, and a good candidate experience will work in your favor, just as an in-store or positive client experience would. A 2012 Candidate Experience survey conducted by the Talent Board found that more than half of interviewees share their experience with their inner circle (~5 people), including whether that experience was positive or negative. On top of that, 31% of these individuals who had a positive experience and 20% of those who had a negative one say they would share their experience via social media, blogs, and sites like Glassdoor. Here are a few pointers that you can embrace to ensure a positive candidate experience:
- Communication: The more information you can provide about the position, the company, and the hiring process, the better. If you tell the candidate you will get back to them by a certain time, ensure you do so, even if it is just to let them know that the decision is taking a bit longer than expected. Transparency and honesty is key in gaining candidate trust, which can translate into brand trust and positive brand perception.
- Flexibility: Sometimes the best candidates aren’t the most flexible, which means you will have to be. Accommodating their schedule can show just how much you value them. Conveying this value can mean the difference between the right candidate taking the position and passing on it.
- Put Yourself In Their Shoes: Be attentive to the candidate and try your best to meet their expectations of the hiring process. At one point or another, we’ve all been job seekers. It is important to keep the company’s needs in mind through the interview process, but is also important to keep the candidate’s in mind as well. According to Talent Management, “one in seven job seekers (15 percent) reported having a worse opinion of the employer after they were contacted for an interview.” Putting forth your best effort to meet candidate needs can easily prevent your company from being part of that statistic.
- Seek Outside Help: If you’re not having any luck filling a position, teaming up with a recruiter specializing in your industry can be tremendous help. Recruiters are able to tap into resources that your company may not have access to. Most have a pool of industry connections, which can be used to identify the most qualified candidates for the position.
MSA has been identifying the most qualified individuals for positions within the mortgage and financial industries for over three decades. This experience has enabled us to build a powerful national network comprised of the most talented individuals in the industry. If you’d like to get in touch with us about candidate or employer services, fill out a contact form on our webpage and we’ll get back to you.
