The hiring process can be a long and difficult one—for both the hiring manager and the applicant. There are often multiple steps and sometimes multiple interviews. And while it’s good to conduct a thorough search, longer processes and a multitude of applicants can sometimes mean the focus on the candidate experience falls by the wayside.
With any luck, candidates you weren’t able to select for a certain position will be encouraged to apply again at a later date or for another position in your company. But if they had a negative experience with the application process, those candidates unfortunately may no longer be interested.
So, to help you ensure your applicants have the best possible experience, we asked eight Forbes Human Resources Council experts for their best advice on creating a positive applicant experience that keeps candidates coming back.
1. Respond With Specific Feedback
Don't leave candidates hanging—respond to them. Additionally, it can go a long way if when you respond you provide the candidate with some feedback about their interview or resume as it relates to the job and why they did not get the position. If they were a great candidate and it was a tough choice, tell them. Invite them back to interview for other positions. - Lotus Buckner, NCH
2. Give Them Your Time
Candidates should feel that they were given a fair chance to prove themselves. You do this by making sure they have your time in the interview and you answer their questions about working for you. It can be tempting to skip this when you have plenty of candidates, but each person should be made to feel special. - Karla Reffold, BeecherMadden
3. Stay In Contact
I think one of the worst things you can do to hopeful applicants is failing to communicate where they stand in the hiring process. I'm sure we have all experienced a positive interview that is followed by radio silence, never hearing about the job prospect again. Respectfully keeping candidates in the loop goes a long way toward the perception of a positive experience. - Gwyn Purdue, Wafra Inc.
4. Utilize Chatbots
AI-powered chatbots can take your candidate experience (CX) to new levels by creating multiple automated touch points with applicants 24/7 on a wide range of systems. These bots can give constant positive CX interactions by answering questions, collecting data, effectively qualifying applicants and even setting up calls or interviews—all of which is scalable as recruitment needs shrink or grow. - Dr. Timothy J. Giardino, Cantata Health & Meta Healthcare IT Solutions
5. Listen To Feedback And Implement It
Too often candidates interviewing to tell us about poor experiences with other companies. Listen to the feedback and implement it into your own process. Be introspective about what the experience is like for them, not just through your lens of vetting the candidate for fit. There is a goldmine of information that they are providing to your recruiting team, for free. - Lindsay Patten, Reliant Funding
6. Explain And Encourage
People want to be validated. It's a simple formula: Explain that positions are limited, but the company maintains an active candidate pool. Give the candidate a date to check in to see if anything has changed. This shows respect to the candidate and assists in future recruitment sourcing. - Patricia Sharkey, Sharkey HR Advisors
7. Communicate With Every Applicant
One of the biggest complaints I hear is that someone applied for a job and never heard back from the company. Every job applicant needs to hear back from recruiters. This should start with an immediate confirmation that the application was received. Send rejection emails within a couple days and contact qualified candidates by phone within the week. Communication will set you apart. - Michele Markey, SkillPath
