HR Managers are the frontline leaders who help organizations to attract talent, fill vacant positions, and improve capacity. In executing their role, each step of the hiring process (sourcing, interviewing, hiring, on-boarding) led to branding which in turn is critically connected with positive candidate experience.
A research report by Deloitte says that 87% of employees say that their positive hiring experience has changed their perception of the company. Meanwhile, another research report by CEB says that 70% of HR professionals agree that candidate experience matters but merely 40% monitored it in one or another way.
Well, mastering the process for attaining a positive candidate experience is not at all easy. Daily conversations of HR managers with their leaders, team members, or colleagues must revolve around adopting the best talent acquisition strategies, hiring practices, improving candidate experiences to be successful. It necessitates them to measure and re-measure their HR policies and actions to devise ways ahead.
Amid the backdrop of the pandemic when a record number of employees are leaving their current job, it becomes pretty difficult for recruiters to attract and retain talent. One report by Microsoft says that 40% of the workforce globally would leave their current employer this year. More, improving the candidate experience is challenging even in small volumes, however, the challenge is compounded when hiring is to be done in lofty volume.
Dubbed as ‘High volume hiring’, it is the process wherein a large number of candidates (ranging from hundreds to thousands) are hired in a shorter period. To win this talent war, recruiters invest hours of time and resources to promote the open positions, recruit and secure identify potential candidates, and connect them with the right position.
Roads to achieve positive candidate experience
As per a report by Glassdoor, on average corporate vacancy attracts 250 job applications, out of which four to six will be called for interview and one will be offered the position. Think about the massive data that recruiters would be going through for attaining the goals of high-volume hiring! Additionally, ensuring a positive candidate experience for each applicant is the opportunity to showcase your brand image for leaving a lasting positive impression. To connect further, below are some of the well-researched suggestions for recruiters:
Rethink the fashion you talk up about the vacant positions
Your first move towards positive candidate experience starts with the way you project vacancies in the dynamic job market. Getting to know the company culture, employee life, and social responsibilities are of high importance to job seekers. One step further, leading recruiters also share living documents with potential candidates to establish ‘expectation conversions’ and avoid surprises. Talent leaders must be forward-facing to make the candidates sense as if they already belong to them.
Let technology optimize your candidate experience
Technology facilitates a clear and structured way for managing the process and reduces your worries. As the situation evolves, many recruiters remain unsure about their contingency plan and what steps to take. Having kept all data and the information in place, techno-enabled hiring solutions will provide you the best coordination- before, during, and after- hiring process.
Well, to muscled up the receivables by recruiters, technology certainly helps. It let the talent leaders, receive, analyze, evaluate, record, and maintain voluminous job hiring data within time and comfort. Plus, it allows you to collect quick feedback, identify the loopholes, and make improvements for the future.
Walk into the shoes of your active and passive candidates
Take a field ride into the entire recruitment process to understand the complete candidate journey. Honestly, it can be moving ‘slightly’ out of your comfort zone and making the hiring need assessment from the candidates’ viewpoint. In fact, a candidate’s journey is a sum of ‘micro experiences that they would encounter from beginning to end. Certainly, the candidate experience cannot be favorable if merely one portion of the journey is addressed while the other remained unaddressed.
Communicate regularly to ensure transparency
Candidates strongly crave active communication during the entire hiring cycle. To avoid letting the candidates feel forgotten, alienated, or side-lined, the role of communication is unquestionable. Plus, how you communicate, what is the time duration, what communication mode you opt for, and how transparent you remain shall follow through. The use of technology to send automated notifications, emails, or guidelines at regular intervals can support creating a positive candidate experience and convert applicants into business admirers.
Amid the mixed signs in the market worldwide, recruiters have to bring back the volume of vacant positions from fallout zones and build a competitive advantage. With more technology, perennial communication, and the right strategies, the volume hiring can give the right stimulus to drive measurable fiscal results to your company.
Minakshi Sehrawat is a content writer that specializes in the HR industry. For the past 12+ years, she has worked with companies, social organizations, and newspapers offering writing services and solutions. Her strength is writing long-form content about HR, recruitment, management practices, technology, communities, and events.
Explore More Talent Acquisition Insights
The Importance of Interviewing in the Recruitment Process
Most company’s number one resource is their people. Learn about the importance of interviewing in the recruitment process.
Diversity in Recruiting: Uncovering Inclusion
What problems does "covering" present? Know how your organization can create a work environment that allows people to be themselves.
How To Recruit Passive Candidates
See how new technology and thoughtful tactics, can help HR professionals build a network of passive candidates.