The candidate experience of applicants have a great impact on the employer brand. A good experience has a positive effect. However, if you get it wrong, candidates can become frustrated or even withdraw their application. Disastrous for your image. You do not want that. So, how can you make sure that it is a positive experience, also for the rejected candidates? This blog post provides some tips that you can put into practice immediately.
Employer branding goes on, always, also when you do not have any vacancies. Applicants are already in contact with your organisation before they apply. They see marketing campaigns or interaction on social media. This is all part of the candidate experience, but before someone applies for a job. Always invest in employer branding and pay attention to your online presence and interaction.
The applicant wants to hear the real story. What defines the corporate culture, who work at your company, and how is the work-life balance? Be transparent and show an image that suits your organisation. Have your employees tell the story and use images of your employees. Do not paint a finer picture, mention the things that your employees really like and what makes your organisation unique, but do not exaggerate. Candidates will see through that anyway at some point.
Make sure that you know who you are looking for. If someone leaves, it is the moment to think and reflect on whether the job will remain the same. When you have worked that out, what qualities fit that job? Think this through very well. Only when you have a clear picture of who you are looking for, you can describe clearly what you are asking of someone and who you are looking for. This is crucial for a good job description. Thinking this through in advance, makes the selection easier and prevents frustration on your end and that of the applicant.
Only ask for the relevant and strictly necessary information. Are all the steps and boxes of the application form really necessary? Use technology if it simplifies the process or is relevant for selection, but only then. Can you make sure that applying from a mobile device is a piece of cake? Of course, do it! But using many different selection tools, forcing the candidate to fill out the same data again and again? Do not just go for them! Only use them if they are really necessary and the benefits for you and the candidate outweigh filling in the same data twice.
Communicate clearly. Make sure that your candidates know exactly what they can expect and what the next steps are. Let them know when the interviews are planned and when they will receive an answer. Applying for a new job can cause anxiety, so it helps if you build trust and take away some of the uncertainties. Of course, it is important to meet these expectations. So tell them what you are planning to do and do as you have planned.
More hands-on tips? You can read it in our blog series part 2.