When it comes to the important task of hiring for your company, you need to adopt some best practices for improving candidate experience.

Candidate experience is the way the people who apply to work at your company view the hiring process. This begins from the first time they come across your company either on a web page, an online job posting, a message from a recruiter or word of mouth. It continues through the application and interview process. According to CareerBuilder, 68% of candidates think that a company’s hiring process reflects how it treats its employees. Everyone who applies for a job wants a positive experience. Top candidates have choices and will consider the experience when deciding where to work.

Nearly 60% of job seekers have suffered a poor candidate experience in the past and tell others about it according to CareerArc. Positive and negative experiences will be shared among other candidates and you want your brand to be a positive one. In order to hire and retain top candidates for your company it’s important to establish and prioritize these practices.

Considerations to improve candidate experience…

• Establish and communicate your company brand clearly. Build a reputation that defines work environment and convey that to potential job seekers.
  • Competitive compensation
  • Work life balance
  • Sense of purpose
• Set your expectations and communicate them clearly.
• Be direct with in depth details:
  • Job description
  • Salary or salary range
  • Qualifications needed
  • Responsibilities the position entails
  • Timelines
• Keep application forms short asking for only what is necessary.
• In this digital world keep applications mobile friendly and use user friendly software.
• Be courteous and considerate of the candidates. This applies to the candidates you hire and don’t hire alike!
  • Communicate respectfully and professionally
  • Communicate efficiently and in a timely manner.
  • Communicate to the candidate if they are no longer being considered for the position. One of candidates’ biggest issues with hiring processes is being “ghosted” by the company.
• Don’t waste their time or yours by dragging out the process longer than needed.
• Do what you can to explain what is needed of them moving forward in the process.
• Have a clear structure to your interview with questions you have prepared ahead of time.
• Help them in any way you can throughout the process. Share with them any questions or areas they can prepare for ahead of time.
• During the interview process and afterward, offer constructive feedback.
• Make the candidates feel respected and kept up-to-date from start to finish.
• Be open to questions from the candidate throughout the hiring process.
• Seek feedback from the candidate. Candidate experience can always be improved and methods may need to change with time.

Need help with creating a positive candidate experience?

Morris Bixby Group can provide you with high-quality agricultural candidates who remain engaged in the hiring process and beyond. Learn more today!