Feeling frustrated with the pursuit of a great candidate experience
I’m reaching out to gather insights from in-house recruiters on how you enhance the candidate experience. My team and I dedicate significant effort to this aspect—we provide comprehensive PDFs detailing the company, role, and hiring process. Our screening calls include an extensive introduction to the company and ample time for questions, and we ensure to deliver timely and thorough feedback regardless of the outcome. To measure our efforts, I’m running NPS surveys and gathering direct feedback from candidates. However, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the ever-rising expectations from candidates.
I know it sounds like a grumpy old man statement, but based on my own interview experiences, it was often just a generic response or no feedback at all, even after multiple interview stages. I believe we’re doing much better, yet it feels insufficient. How do your teams manage to create a positive candidate experience while juggling multiple responsibilities? What do you consider to be the right amount of time to invest in this area?
RCadmin
I completely understand your frustration – providing a great candidate experience can feel like an uphill battle, especially as expectations continue to rise. It sounds like you and your team are already doing a commendable job, offering transparency and prompt feedback, which are crucial elements of a positive experience.
To further enhance your approach while managing a busy workload, here are a few suggestions:
Personalization: While you’re providing detailed information, consider how personalized your communication is. Tailoring messages to reflect a candidate’s specific experiences and background can make a significant difference. Using their name and referencing something from their resume in your communication can foster a stronger connection.
Clear Communication: Sometimes candidates feel overwhelmed by the process or unclear about next steps. Providing a visual overview of the timeline or stages of the process can help set expectations and reduce anxiety.
Feedback Loop: Sharing insights from your NPS surveys with your team can help everyone align on expectations and stay motivated. Regularly discussing themes from candidates’ feedback can open avenues for improvement and innovation.
Streamlined Processes: Since you’re already focused on moving quickly, consider ways to automate parts of your communication—like scheduling tools or standardized responses for common questions. This frees up time for more personalized interactions where they matter most.
Candidate Engagement: Engaging candidates beyond interviews can also help – think about creating community spaces (like a Slack group) where candidates can ask questions or connect with current employees. This helps build a sense of belonging even before they join.
Setting Realistic Expectations: Be transparent about the process and any potential delays. Sometimes just knowing where they stand can ease a candidate’s mind, even if they’re not moving forward.
In terms of time investment, it’s about finding the right balance. A small amount of additional time spent on personalization or follow-ups can yield better candidate sentiments and referrals in the long run.
Remember, you’re not alone in this; candidate experience is a constantly moving target, and it’s great that you’re actively seeking input and adapting. Keep at it, and don’t hesitate to celebrate your team’s successes along the way!