Benefits of a Positive Candidate Experience

Recruiters... Candidates do not want to feel like just another application or resume. They are human and the recruitment process should have a personable human touch to it. In the fast-paced world of recruitment, one of the most underrated but essential elements of success is the relationship between Recruiters and candidates. It’s not just about filling a role—it’s about fostering trust, communication, and long-term connections. When you recruit with these aspects in mind, this is what can happen: 1. A Positive Candidate Experience: Regular check-ins and communication demonstrate that you genuinely care about the candidates’ progress and career goals. This leaves a lasting impression, even if they aren’t selected for a role immediately. A positive experience could ensure they’ll come back to you for future opportunities, which has happened to me personally many times before! 2. Helps Build a Strong Talent Pipeline: Staying in touch allows you to keep a pulse on candidates, even if they aren’t the right fit for a current role. You’ll have a go-to list of qualified individuals ready for when new opportunities arise. A deep network of engaged candidates is an invaluable asset! 3. Gives You Better Insights: Regular interaction helps you understand candidates’ goals and preferences, allowing you to find the best match for both sides. Just like any human relationship, the more you interact with one another, the more you learn about each other. 4. Trust and Transparency Matter: Pause and read that again! When candidates trust you, they are more likely to be open and transparent about their career goals, compensation expectations, and other critical details. This helps you find the best match for both the candidate and the client, leading to successful hires. 5. Encourages Referrals: Strong relationships often lead to referrals! (And we all know how much a Recruiter loves a good referral!) Candidates who feel valued are more likely to refer their friends, colleagues, or other professionals within their network, expanding your talent pool and giving you a competitive edge in your search. Ultimately, recruitment is all about relationships. When you build trust and keep the lines of communication open, everyone benefits in the long run. So take some time to really focus on QUALITY of your conversations and interviews over quantity. #RecruitmentTips #Relationship #Network #QualityOverQuantity

A smooth and thoughtful hiring process has far-reaching impact. But every once in a while, you come across a hiring manager who takes it to the next level. Not by doing anything flashy, but by mastering the fundamentals. Recently, I had the pleasure of working with a hiring manager who knocked it out of the park with candidate experience. The client had originally been trying to fill a role on their own. They were looking for someone with in-house experience in pharma or biotech, with experience working with cross-functional teams. From our very first kickoff call, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a typical search. The hiring manager came in prepared and focused. We aligned on the ideal candidate profile, compensation expectations, and interview logistics. We even discussed external factors that might slow things down, like summer vacations or competing priorities, and planned around them. Within just a week, we had strong candidates in play. But what made this process stand out wasn’t speed. It was intentionality. The manager designed a process that made each candidate feel seen and respected. It started with a 45-minute video screen (with a human, no AI here), followed by a series of 1:1 interviews with key stakeholders from both within and outside the department. Each panelist was briefed on the candidate’s background and assigned a different focus area to explore so interviews didn’t feel repetitive, and candidates weren’t asked the same questions by each person. Sadly, this approach is the exception vs. the norm in most interview processes. Hiring managers, take note! Before each round, candidates received a short, personalized briefing: who they were meeting with, what the conversations might focus on, and what to expect next. It sounds simple, but this small step made a big difference. It gave candidates the confidence to show up prepared and the space to have real, productive conversations, not just rehearsed polished talking points. The manager also prioritized closing the loop quickly. Candidates received timely updates and, when possible, constructive feedback. It wasn’t just courteous. It reinforced the company’s brand as a thoughtful and organized employer. Every touchpoint was handled with care. The result? Candidates walked away feeling like they were being recruited, not processed. Multiple people told me it was one of the best interview experiences they’d ever had. And it didn’t require bells and whistles. Just preparation, consistency, and a little bit of empathy. So often we overcomplicate hiring. But this process was a reminder that when you get the basics right—clarity, communication, respect, you don’t just make better hires. You build trust, elevate your brand, and turn candidates into advocates, whether they get the job or not. It’s not rocket science. But it is rare. And it’s something every team can aspire to. #interviewprocess #hiring #feedback

Whether a candidate gets a job or not, they deserve feedback or a response, not to be ghosted. A rejection is better than silence. ❌ > 🫥 When I was a recruiter at my last company, my manager set an expectation that all candidates would receive a response no matter if they got an offer or not. In addition to that, the interview process would provide them updates every step along the way. By ghosting and not providing a response or feedback, it shows the culture of the company. Companies who provide transparency, empathy, and communication to job seekers are more likely to see a positive outcome of : 👏 Strengthens Candidate Experience: Providing clear communication, even in rejection, contributes to a positive candidate experience, which can impact how candidates talk about your company to others. 🤝 Reflects Company Culture: How you treat candidates reflects your organization’s values and culture. Consistent, respectful communication shows you prioritize transparency and integrity. 🫶 Enhances Employer Brand: Candidates who feel respected, regardless of outcome, are more likely to view your company positively, boosting your employer brand and making it more attractive to future talent. Candidates deserve transparency on where they are at and that’s why I love ActiveCampaign. It is an essential tool for keeping candidates informed during the interview and offer process, ensuring they receive timely updates and don’t feel ghosted—even if the decision is a rejection. With automated follow-ups and personalized messaging, it shows respect for candidates' time and efforts, creating a positive experience that builds trust and professionalism. A clear response is always better than silence, and ActiveCampaign makes it easy to deliver that respect throughout your hiring process. The candidates that didn’t end up getting an offer or moved forward through the process,  expressed that they appreciated that there was some form of response even though it was a rejection. The job search is hard enough, let’s not make it harder by ghosting 💙 #activecampaignpartner

If you are hiring talent, take notes, folks! Yesterday I shared a disappointing story about an organization I felt was trying to take advantage of me and my work, but today I want to share another side of the coin with you. This is a best practice y'all! I was invited to interview for another part-time Facilitator role earlier this summer. Within days of applying, I received an invitation to apply with an outline of their organization's hiring process. 1st Interview - 45 minutes with interview questions given to me in ADVANCE!! A rubric would be used to score responses. I would know within 15 days if I would be moving to the next round. 2nd Interview - Facilitate a PAID workshop with the interviewer. One hour to facilitate/1 hour of prep. Yes, they were paying me before I was even hired for my time and pre-work. 3rd Interview - Two candidates will advance to a faculty conversation, that would lead to a final agreement about the best candidate for the role. For other reasons, I withdrew my candidacy but the transparency and ease this organization led with spoke volumes to me about their leadership but also about their commitment to equity. Here's a couple things to note: ✅ The whole process would likely be wrapped up in a month ✅ I knew what to expect in each phase of the interview process ✅ I was given a calendar of dates and workshop topics in advance ✅ The process ensured more equity and was consistent for all candidates ✅ They were paying candidates for delivering a workshop AKA No Free Work ❗ ✅ They provided contact information in case I wanted to talk through anything That's what I'm talking about! While I may not have ended up there, I am actually considering taking one of their programs in the near future because I was so impressed by their transparency. I'm not in a hiring position so I can't say this would work everywhere but what I do know is that as a candidate, this was the process that impressed me the most and won me over big time. What positive experiences have you had when it comes to the interview process? #interview #leadership #transparency #hiringprocess

Whether a candidate gets the job or not, one thing is certain: they deserve a response, not silence. 🚫🫥 Imagine investing time and energy into an application, only to be met with… nothing. Ghosting is not only disrespectful but also a missed opportunity for companies to leave a positive impression, even in rejection. In my previous role as a site director, I was committed to responding to every candidate and keeping them updated at each step of the process. A simple rejection text/email can make all the difference in a candidate’s experience and perception of your company. Here’s why a rejection note is ALWAYS better than ghosting: 👏 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: Clear communication, even when delivering bad news, contributes to a positive experience. Candidates remember how you made them feel, and even a rejection can leave them with respect for your company. 🤝 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: How you treat candidates is a direct reflection of your organization’s values. Respectful, consistent communication shows a culture of integrity and empathy. 💼 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝: Candidates who feel respected and informed are more likely to recommend your company, enhancing your brand and making it more attractive to future talent. Let’s make the job search journey a little less painful by providing the transparency candidates deserve. It’s time to end ghosting in recruitment and embrace a culture of respect and communication. 💙 Need help with anything? Book a free 15-minute chat on my calendar below: https://lnkd.in/eVyWV9b2 👣 Follow me for more job search support! 🔁 Repost to help others in their transition! #CandidateExperience #JobSearch #HiringProcess #RespectInRecruitment #EmployerBranding #EndGhosting #Transparency #TalentAcquisition #LinkedIn

"If you want to get hired, send a thank you note" - influencers everywhere. But what if - and here me out - we shifted from putting this expectation on candidates, to asking employers to show some gratitude to the people who put time and energy into interviewing with them? The people doing the interviewing? They're being paid by their employer and doing their job by building their teams. But jobseekers are spending hours on each interview process with no guarantee of payoff. So here are a few ideas employers might consider to show some appreciation to those people who invest in your company through the interview process: 1. candidate.fyi recently rolled out a cool new feature allowing employers to offer exclusive discounts to candidates as a "thank you" during the interview process. Their platform manages and tracks all of this for you as well, and it could give candidates even more insight into your product and brand which can help them be more competitive in the future. 2. Consider compensating candidates when you ask them to put extensive time into a take-home project, or if anything in their work could be utilized by your company in the future. If this is too tricky, a gift card, swag, or even a personalized thank you note following an interview could be a show of appreciation for their efforts. 3. Provide other helpful resources! For example, at Zapier, we've gotten a lot of positive feedback on sharing a list of other remote companies that are hiring as well as some of the organizations we partner with that could be helpful to candidates in their own job search. These are all low-lift steps you can take to help candidates feel a bit more appreciated, build your employer brand, and keep those top candidates excited to come back and explore opportunities next time you have an opening. And if you're an employer thinking that a bad candidate experience doesn't negatively impact your business, think again. Back in 2017, Virgin Media realized they were losing $5M annually as a result of a poor candidate experience. Perhaps investing in candidate experience in 2024 could be the reason you hit bonus in 2025! P.S. I would be remiss if I didn't say that a thank you note isn't going to get you hired. It's always a polite thing to do but it's not going to be a game changer. - someone who has hired tens of thousands of people over the years.

Navigating the employment market in the U.S. can be a daunting task. Despite our efforts in meticulously editing our CVs and tailoring cover letters for prospective jobs, success in the #recruitment process often hinges on 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. Having recently undergone a positive recruitment process, I am eager to shine a spotlight on how Elisabeth Cohen of the Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency - City and County of Denver executed equitable hiring practices. 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: Sending interview questions in advance is a good practice as it allows candidates to prepare thoroughly, fostering more thoughtful and well-structured responses. This approach promotes #fairness, ensuring all candidates have an #EqualOpportunity, while also reducing interview-related stress. 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 (MBI): Prioritizing MBI extends beyond evaluating technical skills, offering insights into authentic enthusiasm, passion, and commitment. In certain instances, possessing relevant skills alone may not suffice; individuals overflowing with enthusiasm and passion often contribute to work with equal or greater efficacy. 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬-𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡: By prioritizing 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 over traditional markers, CASR paved the way for candidates from diverse backgrounds. 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡: From the first screening interview onwards, it became evident that the hiring manager strongly prioritized transferable skills. Recognition of the value of transferable skills speaks volumes about CASR's commitment to assessing candidates beyond traditional qualifications. It's a game-changer that not only acknowledges the wealth of experiences individuals bring from various backgrounds but also enriches the organization with diverse perspectives and capabilities. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲: The CASR team demonstrated effective communication with candidates throughout every stage of the process. Transparency was key – from a clear timeline at each stage to ample time for tasks, the CASR Team ensured no guessing games about application status. Feeling #seen, #heard, and #valued throughout the entire journey was an empowering rarity. 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: The recruitment process fostered a secure and inclusive atmosphere, allowing the candidates to bring their authentic selves. CASR's recruitment practices are a beacon for other organizations aiming to create inclusive and equitable hiring processes. Hats off to the CASR Team for their unwavering dedication to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (#DEI). Encourage more organizations to embrace these practices by sharing and commenting on this post, thereby raising awareness on #EquitableHiring practices.

A sales guy I worked with recently received an offer letter for $140K. He was looking for $180K. This company in particular has experienced high levels of growth and have been standardizing thier offers. Even though the company wanted to, they were capped at 140k in the budget. But…. The offer was accepted. Why? 1. Candidate Experience: the interview process was flawless. Great communication, fast, and tidy process. 2: The Hiring Team sold the vision, early and often. The first 18 months in this role is a grind. They painted a picture of success for the next decade. 3. The Owner called. The offer was extended in person by the hiring manager and that evening, the OWNER called the rep for 15 minutes and talked through everything. This candidate came from a Billion dollar org and the thought of this was unheard of. 4. Recruiter Partnership: a quick feedback loop. After ever step of the process, the recruiting team and the hiring team were sharing notes and working together to paint the picture and sell the vision. The interview process is the first sign of what it looks like to join an organization. If you can roll out a red carpet, the level of talent you can close and attract, in budget, increases. People want to be wanted - so show them. This candidate would have turned down a standard offer delivered via an HR email. Without a doubt. This is one of the ways we win top talent. If you’re not doing it, your competition is. Henry North