Candidate Experience: How Does A First Impression Make A Difference?

You know, they say first impression matters.

So how important is it?

For example, is it that the impression the company creates during the application process will affect the future success of that company? Yes!

We describe the process from the moment the job posting is displayed to the first working day as the “candidate experience,” and it is possible to consider the whole process as a “first impression” for a candidate.

From how clear and understandable the job posting is to the interviewer’s attitude to the questions they ask, the candidate starts to get an impression of the company. Every detail in the process gives the candidate an idea of ​​work experience at this company: “What kind of place is this?” “What kind of people work here?” “How are employees treated?”

Is this a place that is understanding, flexible, development-oriented, open to diversity and communication, and employee-oriented?

Or is it a profit-oriented place with rigid, compelling, and complex hierarchical structures?

In short, the candidate tries to understand what it would feel like to be there as an employee by looking at their experience during their candidacy.

Why is the candidate’s experience critical to the company?

Have you ever thought that every candidate who applies for a job but isn’t hired is a brand representative?

The data show that 80% of candidates who were not hired but left the process with positive feelings reapply to that company (*). That means the company’s pool of candidates expands for the future talent acquisition processes. Your most crucial answer in business life is for the question of “who?” not the question of “what?” Considering that fact, the larger the candidate pool, the easier it is to reach the right talents.

On the other hand, 60% of candidates who have had a negative experience, share their experiences with their friends and relatives (*). In other words, the experience is not limited to the candidate who lives it; it can reach their close circles and thousands of people through social media. (*) Considering that one out of every two people who read a negative anecdote about the company do not prefer that company as a place to work, we can say that a bad candidate experience has the potential to affect the success of the company in terms of the company’s reputation and brand value.

Moreover, we must consider the fact that candidates are also consumers. A bad candidate experience can lead to loss of talent and reputation, as well as loss of customers.

When we talk about candidate experience, we focus on the candidate’s feelings during the selection process, regardless of the outcome of the process.

As a candidate who was involved in the process with hope and expectation, did they feel valued?

Did they encounter an environment in which they would enjoy working? Were they satisfied with just being in the application process?

Or did they leave with a feeling of worthlessness and a lot of negative feelings, along with the thought that they wasted their time?

In short, remember that you are under the same roof as your candidates, just like your employees in terms of interaction. While managing the process, how a candidate feels is as important as choosing the right talent. You must design every detail to improve the “candidate experience” and take responsibility for the experience that will make everyone great at the end of the day.

They are your guests, potential employees, and most likely your customers. They deserve a great experience.

References

(*)IBM Smarter Workforce Institute, 2016, The Far-Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience

*Photo: Canva