According to Glassdoor, 86% of employees and job seekers research company reviews and ratings to decide where they should apply for a job.

If they happen to find something they don’t like while researching, say they wouldn’t work for a company with a bad reputation, even if it means they receive a pay increase.

Now more than ever, candidates are looking for pleasant and positive experiences. When they engage in the application and hiring process it’s important to focus on three things:

• Overall communication
• The interview (or interviews if you have a longer process)
• The concluding follow up

These three areas help you promote the health and wellbeing of your brand, increase your Candidate Net Promoter Score (cNPS), and also help create a rave worthy experiences for every applicant.

While some people believe their cNPS is just a silly number and it’s not worth investing in, there’s a good chance they don’t realize that a high cNPS, or a stellar candidate experience, can lead to the exact hiring outcomes you’re hoping for.

When your company has great candidate reviews, you will:

• Attract more quality applicants
• Have your pick of top talent for your organization
• Make exceptional hires

But, why? Well, these three areas are all a piece of the secret sauce. Here’s how they come together to supercharge your hiring efforts.

 

Overall Communication

Think about the application process like dating. When you communicate, both parties are gauging if there is a shared interest in continuing the relationship. If so, you feel each other out and move toward something more serious.

If you’re slow to respond, or short in your replies, you’re not communicating that you value and appreciate the interest of the other person. Chances are, the other party will move on and find something better.

If you’re communicating about timelines and expectations in a way that demonstrates your personality and the company’s values, the right candidates will hang around to see where it goes.

 

The Interview or Interviews

When you get a candidate to the interview phase, it’s important to remember that they are assessing you as much as you are assessing them.

Treat it like a conversation not an interrogation. Allow them to guide the conversation and make sure you leave with both parties’ questions answered.

If you intend to put a candidate through multiple interviews:

• Be upfront and clear about what your process looks like
• Detail out a timeline that includes when you will make your final decision
• Allow space during each interview for the candidate to express any new questions/concerns about the role or company

As you get more facetime with these candidates be sure to treat them like they are members of the team already. Learn a few personal facts and ask about how their days/weeks are going.

Taking time to invest in the people you are meeting before they are officially team members helps build rapport and makes them feel valued.

 

The Concluding Follow Up

Sometimes, no matter how hard we hope, things just don’t work out. Whenever this happens, your break up communication is as important as your introductory comms.

Here’s some tips to keep the candidate in mind, and leave them without a sour taste.

• Be direct, not mean. Give them a clear answer using kind language.
• Be friendly, not a robot. A real-life human is going to read what you’re writing. Communicate with empathy.
• Be thoughtful, not dry. Offer other solutions if you have them, and provide them any helpful context on why they weren’t chosen for the role.

When you have to break up with a candidate, make every effort possible to end it in a calm and kind manner. Creating a long-term relationship helps promote your overall candidate experience and creates loyal brand advocates.

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Are you looking for some tips to help you create a dynamic and interactive candidate experience? We shared a few tips on how SMS is a tool you can use to create a memorable application process.

 

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