Why is candidate experience important to your recruiting process?

The candidate experience is like a movie trailer for a candidate’s professional life—a sneak peek into what it’s like to work at your organization and the environment they can expect. For recruiters, it’s a chance to create a preview that leaves candidates excited about the main feature— their new workplace. In this article, we’ll explore what candidate experience really means and why it plays a critical role in modern recruitment.

The importance of candidate experience

Is the candidate experience really that important if it's just a preview of the full employment journey? The answer is a resounding yes.

When recruiting, you’re not just filling roles—you’re laying the groundwork for long-term relationships with potential hires. First impressions matter, and a strong candidate experience sets the tone for everything that follows. A well-designed recruitment process not only strengthens your employer brand but also fosters trust and respect from candidates right from the start.

In fact, 78% of candidates believe the recruitment process reflects how a company values its people. Additionally, 80-90% of job seekers say a positive or negative experience can change their perception of not just a job, but the entire organization. And in today's era of social media, bad experiences can spread quickly. A poor candidate experience, shared with personal networks, can hurt your reputation and discourage future talent from applying.

Key stages of the candidate experience

When recruiting, understanding the candidate  journey is essential to reducing drop-offs at every stage. Generally, the recruitment process can be divided into three main phases:

The pre-application phase

• Awareness: This is where candidates learn about your job openings through channels like job boards, social media, or employee referrals. At this stage, ensure your job ads are clear, engaging, and visible on the right platforms.
  
  

• Interest: Potential applicants evaluate your company based on job descriptions, reputation, and industry presence. To enhance their experience, offer relevant employer branding content, such as insights into company culture and employee testimonials.

• Consideration: At this stage, potential applicants are actively researching your organization. Transparent information about the role and expectations can help candidates to make decisions faster and improve their candidate experience. 

• Preparation: The soon-to-be applicant prepares the material they need to finally apply to the position. Help by offering interview tips, resume guidance, or information on required documents, such as certifications or degrees.

The application phase

When it comes to improving the hiring experience for the candidates, the application stage is perhaps your main opportunity to shine

• Application: A user-friendly, mobile-optimized application process is key. Simplifying this stage can significantly improve the candidate experience and make it easier to apply.

• Assessment: This is where you review applications and begin shortlisting candidates. Providing clear timelines and feedback, even to those not moving forward, contributes to a positive experience.

• Selection: It’s critical to conduct professional and well-structured  interviews. Treat candidates with respect and offer a transparent, efficient process, regardless of the outcome.

• Offer: When extending an offer, ensure you clearly communicate all the information candidates need to make the most informed decision, like job details, benefits, and growth opportunities. Make the acceptance process simple and smooth.

• Rejection: Most candidates will be rejected than given offer, making this one of the most sensitive touchpoints in the candidate experience. A thoughtful rejection can encourage candidates to reapply in the future. While a negative experience can deter them from considering your company again—and they may share their experiences with top talent in their networks. 
  
  It’s important to follow up with all applicants, no matter where in the process they get rejected. Early in the process, a standardized email will do. As candidates progress further, a personalized rejection with constructive feedback is appreciated. 

The post-application phase

• Onboarding: Help new hires transition smoothly with  a personalized and structured onboarding process, complete with training and team introductions. It is also great to set targets and goals that you can follow up on together, even after the onboarding process.

• Evaluation: Conduct reviews to assess the candidate's progress and integration. Offer regular and constructive feedback at this stage to give new hires a sense of direction and security in their new role.

• Retention: Ongoing engagement efforts—like professional development opportunities and recognition—help retain high-performing employees. Open communication fosters trust and can lead to long-term employment.

What is a positive candidate experience, according to candidates?

Candidates consistently point to the following factors as important during the hiring process:

Clear communication 

Candidates are often frustrated with the frequency, clarity, and quality of communication with recruiters and hiring managers. Consistent updates are key—whether it’s about the status of the process, an unexpected delay, or any other detail that affects their candidacy. 

Clear, timely communication builds trust and keeps candidates engaged. In fact, Gallup data from 2023 reveals that for 25% of employees, turnaround time had the most influence—aside from pay—on their decision to accept an offer. 

Efficient process 

Respecting candidates' time through a seamless process reflects positively on your organization. Don’t burden candidates with unnecessary steps or tests, especially if they don’t help identify the best fit for the role. Candidates want to be evaluated on the skills and knowledge relevant to the position and want the assessment methods to match the skills tested. 

Insight into company culture 

Provide a transparent view into your company's culture to help candidates assess their fit. Recruitment is a two-way process where candidates evaluate companies as much as companies assess candidates. It’s in the company’s best interest to provide an accurate representation of the role and organization to manage expectations and attract talent aligned with its culture. According to 2024 data from Gallup, newly hired employees who report an exceptional candidate experience are twice as likely to strongly agree that their job responsibilities match what was promised during recruitment. 

Interview preparation

Applicants appreciate it when they know how the interview process will look, who they will be speaking to, and how long it will take in advance. It shows you respect their time and are willing to be as transparent as possible. By reducing unnecessary cognitive load, you give candidates the mental space to focus on what truly matters during the interview. Clear guidance helps ease nerves and allows them to present their best selves.

Prompt feedback

Fast, thoughtful feedback—especially after interviews—ensures a positive experience and keeps candidates engaged. This applies for both positive and negative feedback. Let candidates know what they did well and what they can improve for next time, when they hopefully apply again to your company. 

Best practices checklist for improving candidate experience

• Simplify the application process: Create a process that encourages candidates to apply and is accessible on all devices, especially mobile.
• Keep candidates informed: Provide continuous and frequent updates on candidates’ status, regardless of if they are moved forward or rejected.
• Leverage recruitment technology: Use an applicant tracking system (ATS) and focus on functions like automated notifications, AI-powered solutions, and scheduling software to streamline the hiring process, improve efficiency, and enhance the candidate experience.
• Promote your company culture: Share your mission, values, and culture across different channels—your website, social media, and employee testimonials.
• Offer detailed feedback: For senior candidates, especially, providing constructive feedback can help them grow, regardless of the hiring outcome.
• Promote diversity and inclusion: Make sure all candidates are treated fairly by using inclusive hiring practices that reduce bias. This not only strengthens your employer brand but also helps create a more diverse and welcoming workplace.
• Provide interview details upfront: Clearly communicate important information like dress code, interview format, duration, and how to access the location. 
• Collect candidate feedback: Actively ask candidates for feedback on their recruitment experience. This helps gather valuable insights to help refine and improve your hiring process.

Summary

Optimizing the candidate experience is more than just filling positions—it’s about building relationships that benefit both the organization and the individual. A strong candidate experience can be a powerful driver of long-term success for your company, while a poor one can lead to missed opportunities.

By focusing on key elements like clear communication, efficiency, and providing cultural insights, you can create a candidate experience that attracts top talent and fosters long-term engagement.