Providing an exemplary candidate experience is an important part of not only attracting top candidates, but also convincing them to accept your offer of employment and choose to work for your organization.
However, it can also be complex. That’s why if it’s not done properly, it can backfire. That’s because it won’t stop with top candidates not choosing to work for you. They’ll also tell their friends and colleagues not to work for you, as well.
Providing an exemplary experience starts with the hiring process. If this process is not maximized, then your chances for success are greatly diminished.
Below are five tips for making sure that your hiring process leads to a great candidate experience and ultimately more superstar hires:
#1—Set proper expectations.
This means making sure that everybody involved with the process is “on the same page.” Specifically, everybody should be in agreement regarding the type of candidates being sought, the length of the hiring process, and the prevailing conditions that exist in the marketplace.
#2—Communicate and provide feedback.
Top candidates want to know where they stand in your process. One of the reasons for this is that they’re probably involved in more than one hiring process. If they have doubts about where they stand in yours, then they might opt out of it to focus on another.
#3—Make an attractive offer.
It’s okay if a candidate turns down your offer. (Actually, it’s not okay, if you’ve done things correctly.) However, you don’t want them to be offended by the offer, because once again, they’ll tell their friends and colleagues about their experience. If you believe that the candidate is a top candidate, then make a top offer. We are in a candidate-driven marketplace right now and top talent is in demand. If you can’t afford to make top offers, then you will miss out on hiring top talent and will lose them to your competition.
#4—Let your search consultant make the offer.
If you’re working with a search consultant to fill the position, allow them to make the offer. It’s what the candidate is expecting, and deviating from this procedure can have an adverse effect on the process. I’ve seen it happen many times during my career as a recruiter.
This is what search consultants are trained to do, and they have more experience than the hiring manager in extending offers. When the search consultant extends the offer, there is higher probability it will be accepted. After all, they were the one who started the relationship with the candidate. Let them do what you hired them to do, which is not to “send a stack of resumes” but to “land the candidate in the position.”
#5—Follow up after the offer.
You might think that your responsibility is done once the candidate accepts the offer. That would be incorrect. It’s imperative to keep the candidate engaged at this point, because there’s a good chance they’ll receive another offer, a counter-offer, or both.
The hiring process is a two-way street. Thinking about how the candidate feels as they travel down that street is the best way to ensure they enjoy a great experience during their journey.
We help support careers in one of two ways: 1. By helping to find the right opportunity when the time is right, and 2. By helping to recruit top talent for the critical needs of organizations. If this is something you would like to explore further, please send an email to stacy@thevetrecruiter.com.