By Akram Mondal
Potential employees affect your brand image. Have you ever thought about that? Think about it for a second. You’re letting someone into the first layer (or perhaps deeper) of your business structure. You’re opening your secrets to them and having them interact with your employees.
If they don’t make the cut, they now know what your company is like and how it works. They may share their experiences with other potential hires. And they won’t hesitate to sugarcoat their experience if it was negative, affecting your market share and value.
But if their experience was great, they’ll indirectly influence market perception about your business and broaden your hiring pool. They may even refer your next best employee to you.
See the benefits of a positive candidate experience? Wondering how to do that? Let’s go through some expert tips.
7 Strategies for Creating a Memorable Candidate Experience
Want potential candidates to remember you fondly? Here are seven tips that can help you create a positive experience for your potential hires:
1. Don’t Make the Application Process Too Hard
The recruitment process should be easy, but not too easy. What do we mean by that? Let us explain. Writing a six-page manual on subscribing to your website to begin the hiring process is tedious and time-consuming.
Most candidates — especially talented ones — don’t have the time, inclination, or desire to do that. And the few who do go through your hiring process may find it too tiresome to continue. So, instead of writing a book about the hiring process, be concise.
2. Describe Your Hiring Process in the Job Description
Don’t write job descriptions like this: “Need a candidate for pay stub drafting.” Job descriptions provide candidates with information about what you want from them and what the hiring process will be like.
If you don’t provide enough details, chances are that you’ll miss some good candidates because of the mass confusion you cause. You’ll also end up with a pool of unqualified candidates that’ll take you a million years to sift through.
So, instead of being vague about or not mentioning your hiring process in the job description, talk about what candidates should expect when you fish them out of the talent pool.
3. Communicate Regularly and Don’t Leave Them Hanging
Sending an email after two months of radio silence is kind of unprofessional. So, if a candidate applies for a job at your company, reply to them as soon as possible. If you can’t do that, you should write a small note under the job description that it’ll take a bit of time to get back to the candidate.
Aside from that, if a candidate emails you to ask about something, consider replying to them in one to two business days. If that’s not possible, send them a short email saying that you’ll get back to them in a bit. The reply will let the candidate know you’re listening.
4. Use Recruiting Software
If you’re short on time, consider using recruiting software to sift through candidate resumes. This software will reduce the time spent on reviewing CVs. It’ll also separate the CVs into relevant and irrelevant piles, making it easier to select the candidates you want working for you.
You should also record follow-up meetings, calls, and other vital information in your ATS if the hiring process is hectic. That saves you from asking a potential hire for their details again.
5. Be Respectful
You should aim to be cordial when talking to potential employees. This rule extends to communication performed through email, phone, or social media.
Also, if you run into a delay during your hiring process, you should email your potential candidate as soon as possible to let them know the situation on your end. The candidate will feel included and motivated to continue the hiring process if you do that.
Your quick response will also indicate that you’re interested in the candidate and create a positive impression.
6. Treat Your Potential Employees Like Actual Employees
You tell your actual employees when you’ll issue a pay stub to them, right? If you do, let your potential employee know about your payment process as well. Better yet, let them know which app or website you use to transfer money to your employees or whether you do it through a bank transfer.
Similarly, if you expect your employees to take only 20 days off annually, mention that to them too. You should also talk about any remote work assistance you’ll provide, such as laptops, internet or gym coverage, or workstation allowances.
Providing as many details about the actual job will increase the potential hire’s motivation and help them become invested in your company, which is a bonus even if they don’t end up taking the job.
7. Invite Feedback
Receiving feedback is challenging, especially from someone who doesn’t know what your company and work culture are like. However, feedback helps you make your hiring processes more efficient and less time-consuming.
For instance, if a candidate asks you to consider signing up for Hello Sign instead of having them sign PDF documents through online resources, you should consider their advice rather than thinking, “How dare they!”
Similarly, if a candidate doesn’t make the cut, write them a short note explaining how they can improve their skills and then reapply. Yes, it’ll take more time, but your reply will make a difference compared to radio silence.
The Bottom Line
Potential employees are the gateway to your hiring process. Often, people who’re interested in your company will reach out to an acquaintance who worked for or was almost hired by you. If the acquaintance’s experience with your company was not great, they might not portray it in a great light.
However, if they had a positive experience, they’ll remember you fondly and praise you when asked to give feedback about your hiring processes. So, focus on creating a positive, memorable experience for your potential hires and reap the reward of increased market value and enhanced employee motivation after employee onboarding.
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