Candidate experience is how an applicant feels when moving through your company’s hiring process. This includes their initial job search and application process, as well as your screening methods, interviews, follow-ups, and overall UX of your hiring.

Consequences of a poor candidate experience include:

• They likely won’t apply again.
• They may avoid buying from the company.
• They might share their negative experience with close friends and family.
• They can leave negative reviews about the company on platforms like LinkedIn and Glassdoor.

Here are several candidate experience statistics that illustrate this point:

• 58% of surveyed candidates feel that a good recruitment process increases the likelihood of them accepting the role
• 69% of candidates will never reapply to a company with a bad candidate experience.
• 72% of candidates who’ve had a poor recruiting experience have shared it online or with someone
• 93% of job seekers experience anxiety due to interviews.

A great candidate experience can relieve stress among candidates, enabling them to focus on showing your team their best qualities and skills. Improving the overall experience in your hiring process requires you to start out by thoroughly evaluating every step of your hiring process.

How to build a positive candidate experience at each stage of your recruitment process?

• Make sure you’re hiring to fill a real need
• Write clear job descriptions
• Clearly define the interview process