I was working with a company that had strong name recognition and was recognized as a leader in its industry. They frequently hired for relatively junior positions and received a high volume of well-qualified applicants for many of their open roles.
At first glance, it doesn’t sound like a problem. However, their hiring process was usually managed by an HR team of two people who balanced recruitment along with their other responsibilities.
The problem: Creating a positive experience for all candidates
The company wanted to ensure that they were carefully reviewing everyone who applied, providing timely updates on their status to candidates, and were able to give a high level of attention to those they interviewed.
They operated in an industry where relationships are crucial, and they were mindful of the fact that the candidates would also be their current and future colleagues. Understanding that the job market may not always favor employers, they aimed to protect their employer brand for the long term.
Additionally, they wanted their recruitment process to reflect their organizational culture, which prioritized respect and collaboration.
The solution: A streamlined candidate experience
We evaluated their entire recruitment process to identify ways to manage the candidate flow effectively.
1. Intentional job placements
We started by being intentional about when and where we posted the positions. If we knew that a manager would be traveling or unavailable to attend the intake meeting and discuss candidates, we held off on posting the position.
We intentionally post jobs on industry-specific and relevant sites, rather than advertising all open jobs on every available job platform. We also worked with managers to develop the ideal candidate profile.
When we had many qualified candidates, we wanted to ensure that we could identify the highest-caliber candidates at the resume review stage by aligning on what we were looking for.
2. Optimize Applicant Tracking System
Their applicant tracking system enabled them to require candidates to answer basic screening questions. While every application was still reviewed by a recruiter, we prioritized the applicants who indicated they met the basic parameters of the job-had U.S. work eligibility, were open to hybrid work, and had relevant language and software experience when applicable.
3. Notify unsuccessful candidates as soon as possible
Leaving positions posted for weeks or months often meant that dozens or hundreds of candidates applied after we had entered the interview phase with multiple candidates. We limited the amount of time positions were posted.
It varied depending on the position, but it was something the recruiter and hiring manager discussed based on the quality and quantity of the pool at each stage of the process, including selecting candidates for phone screens, moving candidates to interviews, and after each interview phase.
This required some education for managers. Managers can be reluctant to let candidates go, sometimes out of concern that they won't find someone suitable and don't want to start the process over. However, managers also tend to want to give candidates every opportunity to showcase their skills. While this is a kind impulse, it can ultimately be unfair to candidates who may believe they are contenders for a position when they are not well-suited for it.
4. Communicate with candidates—even when there's no news
We also reviewed their standard emails to candidates at every stage of the process. We added information to the auto confirmation email on how long it typically takes for a candidate to hear back on the status of their application and assured them that even if things took longer, we would notify all applicants of their status.
For candidates who made it to the final interview stages, they still received individual follow-up, either through a phone call or personalized email. For other candidates, we still wanted to ensure we could quickly give them updates on whether they were moving forward.
We even drafted “no update updates” emails to let candidates know our process was going to take longer than we’d expected, and we’d be in touch when we were ready to move forward. Here is the template we used:
Hi [Name],
I wanted to reach out to provide an update, as things are taking longer on our end than we initially anticipated. You are still under consideration for the position, and we hope to move forward within [specified timeframe]. Please be assured that this delay does not reflect our interest in you as a candidate. We understand that this may affect your availability, so please let us know if there are any changes on your end. Otherwise, we will be in touch as soon as possible.
Best regards,
[Recruiter]
The outcome: Improved candidate experience
As part of their commitment to improving their processes and the candidate experience, the team implemented a candidate feedback survey. They sent a few multiple-choice questions along with a space for comments to all interviewed candidates. The survey feedback provided direct insights into how their candidates viewed the recruitment process.
Going forward, it will allow them to identify problems and tweak their processes when necessary. It also offers data to help educate managers who may not see the immediate need for a positive candidate experience and identify trends and patterns between different teams and hiring managers.
How to streamline your candidate experience
To enhance the quality of your candidate selection and optimize your recruiters' time, review your processes and communications. Here are a few tips you can implement right away:
- Ensure job postings are clear and the titles align with industry-standard titles. Highlight critical job details such as required certifications, travel, and in-person requirements, and the salary range using effective formatting.
- Use your applicant tracking system to highlight candidates who don't fit. If someone is unlikely to move ahead, the fair thing is to let them know as soon as possible. This creates a positive impression that strengthens your employer brand.
- Take inventory of the emails you are currently sending to candidates. While some of these may be automated messages with limited personalization, you can still ensure you are setting expectations with your candidates and that the messaging reflects your employer brand and appreciation for candidates’ efforts in your process.
- Explain your hiring process to candidates. Let candidates know what the typical recruitment process and timeline look like and reassure them you will be in touch about the next steps, or let them know they aren’t moving forward.
Want to improve your hiring process?
Employer branding is just one of the areas where recruiting expertise can give you a competitive edge. Working with a talent acquisition consultant can help you improve every aspect of your hiring process, including:
- Compensation and benefit planning
- Job design and frameworking
- Talent sourcing
- Equitable hiring practices
- Onboarding and engagement
Ready to get started? Book a call with a Helios HR consultant today and learn how you can improve your hiring process!
