Have you ever gone to a restaurant, and no one was there to greet you when you walked in? You stood around, not sure what to do – are you supposed to seat yourself, or wait for someone to take you to a table? What about when you call your bank to make changes to your account? An automated voice lists all the options and provides you with corresponding numbers to press – but none of them are the option you’re looking for. Eventually, you get to the right place, you enter your account number, and then your phone number. Great! Almost there! An agent comes on to the line, and asks you to provide your account number and your phone number all over again… didn’t you just do that? Why did you enter it in the first place? Not a great experience, right? You should think of the candidate experience you offer the talent interviewing at your organization the same way.
Today’s talent landscape is highly competitive, and top candidates have ample opportunities from which to choose. Their experience throughout the interview process is the first glimpse they’ll get into what it might be like working at your organization, so it’s essential that you make a great impression. Read on for a few tips to keep in mind when designing, or evaluating your recruitment process.
5 Simple Rules for Ensuring a Positive Candidate Experience:
- There is such a thing as too many cooks in the kitchen. Studies have shown that there’s an optimal number of interviews before ROI drops off a cliff. Everyone and every step involved should add meaningful value and move you closer to making a hiring decision. If you find that you’re no closer to a decision after a step, you should critically evaluate whether that step is necessary part of your selection process.
- Be flexible – show candidates that you respect their time. Don’t assume that you and your interviewers are the only people with jam-packed schedules. Candidates are busy too, especially the best ones! If they can’t accommodate your initial availability, work with them to find a time that fits everyone’s calendar. This shows that you’re an understanding organization, and one that is willing to find mutually beneficial solutions.
- Get off the pot! Top talent is in high demand, and is not on the market for long. Once you’ve found it, you need to act quickly, or risk missing out altogether. Giving hiring managers 5 options to choose from is a thing of the past and is indicative of an organization that isn’t sure what it’s looking for and struggles to make decisions. This also tends to unnecessarily drag out the process and is a red flag for candidates.
- Set expectations. Sometimes a multi-stage interview process will drag on… and on, and on. Trying to coordinate multiple stakeholders’ availability, throw in a vacation or two, and the whole plan goes out the window. That’s ok! Just be up-front with candidates about it. Let them know that there are other interviews taking place, and due to several factors, the process is going to take a little longer than usual, and when they can expect to hear from you. They will appreciate your candor and will feel like you are treating them as an equal partner (which they are) in the process.
- Be transparent and provide timely feedback. If a candidate isn’t what you’re looking for, let them know, and tell them why! Don’t shy away from providing constructive feedback – it will only help them going forward, and they will respect you for it. More importantly, deliver this feedback as soon as possible – we all tend to delay delivering bad news, but in this case, it’s the best thing to do. After an interview, candidates will be anxiously awaiting feedback, and the longer this takes, the more excruciating it will be. If they’re a “no,” tell them, and let them move on.
ML6 Search + Talent Advisory specializes in all things Talent, including Talent Acquisition Optimization. If you’re looking for support in improving your recruitment process to deliver an unrivaled candidate experience, get in touch with us today: connect@ml6.ca. To learn more about ML6 Search + Talent Advisory, and the services available, check out our website: www.ml6.ca
