Your candidate experience involves how applicants feel about your company after they go through your hiring process. These feelings influence candidate decisions about whether to accept a potential job offer or apply with your company again in the future. This is why applicants need to feel good about their experience with your organization. The more positive the outcome, the more likely applicants are to encourage other professionals to work for you.
Discover four tips to attract top talent by providing a positive candidate experience.
1. Respond to Each Application
Candidates who took the time to apply to your job posting deserve to know that you received their information. This can be as simple as an automatic response saying you will review their application and get back to them if there is a fit with the organization. Or, you may include a disclaimer at the end of each ad saying that applicants who meet the criteria listed in the posting will be contacted as part of the shortlisting process. This way, candidates understand that they may not hear back from you and should continue to apply with other companies.
2. Maintain Regular Communication
Provide each candidate with ongoing updates about the hiring process. This includes where they are, what the next steps are, and when to expect to hear from you next. For instance, thank each applicant for taking the time to apply and follow the hiring process steps. Also, call each applicant chosen to advance to ask whether they have time to complete a skills test. Let them know exactly what the assignment will involve and when it should be completed by. This helps the candidates feel more comfortable and lets you scale down the number of applicants on your shortlist.
3. Prepare for Every Interview
Be familiar with the information on a candidate’s resume before you sit down to talk with them. This includes their work history, education, skills, and accomplishments. Have four or five key questions prepared that relate to what you learned about the candidate and how they can contribute to your organization. Also, include questions that accurately assess the applicant’s past behavior, core competencies, and ability to perform the work. This shows you took the time to get ready before meeting the candidate just as they did before they met you.
4. Listen Twice as Much as You Talk
When asking candidate interview questions, spend significantly more time listening than you do talking. Applicants want to feel that you were having a conversation rather than just telling them about yourself or the opportunity. Candidates also want to share their experiences and accomplishments that make them best qualified for the position.
Are You Looking to Add to Your Sales Team?
If your industrial safety or PPE manufacturing company is looking for top-tier sales talent, talk to The Charis Group. As the industry’s premier recruiters, we help sales leaders build diverse, lasting teams. Contact us today to learn more.
