“Last month I was called for an interview by a fairly large company. Needless to say, I was happy as if I had struck gold because it was a well-known business, a place I had been looking for for a long time, and I had friends working there.
After the first meeting, Ms. A. in charge of recruitment said that I would meet her boss during the next interview and would inform me of the exact meeting schedule via email. A week came and went. Then another week passed. I called but couldn't reach her so I left a message. 3 days later I sent another email to inquire. Can you believe it? I still haven't received any answer. Does the company not care about reputation and does that employee not care about her own professionalism?"
Perhaps all of us more or less know horror stories about such forgettable application experiences, and there are even "shocking" situations that spread faster than forest fires. Working in a recruitment role, we certainly don't want to become the "villain" in those stories, right? That's why it's important to pay more attention to candidate experience. Whether the candidate wants to work at the company or not, or whether we hire them or not, make them feel satisfied. But what to do?
Let's hear about the candidates' experiences below to find the right direction.
Important information should be exchanged through neat emails
“Even though chatting and connecting via Facebook and Zalo will be faster and more convenient, I think these platforms should only stop at the initial information exchange step, not to send important content. like an interview invitation. I once received an invitation via Messenger, but I honestly didn't trust it so I asked to resend it via email. I can't imagine it, everyone. The email is full of spelling errors, the font is sometimes one way or another, the signature only has the sender's name, even my name is spelled wrong. Just scrolling through the email makes me want to faint."
Recruitment tip: When sending interview invitations or job offers, email is the best choice. Always email yourself before sending to candidates and answer the questions: How does the subject line appear in your inbox? How does email appear on the phone? Did you enjoy reading this email? If the answer is no, the candidate probably won't either. Quickly fix it!
“I wish my time was more respected”
“The company I just applied for intentionally forced all candidates to wait more than 1 hour beyond the scheduled time before starting the interview. They explain that this is how they “filter” candidates because they will refuse to interview anyone who leaves during that waiting period. If the employer is suddenly busy, I can wait 15 - 20 minutes. But intentionally making you wait like this, I feel it's too much. I was one of 6 people who left (out of a total of 8 people present) and left a message: "Sorry to see you at such a busy time. Please call me back when you are ready.” Of course I never came back.”
Recruitment tip: Everyone has their own job, if we don't respect that, we won't be able to help them have a positive candidate experience. Don't change the schedule so often that candidates still receive update messages when they arrive at the appointment, always arrive on time for the interview and don't extend the appointment time beyond the scheduled time. Show candidates that we respect them and their schedules and they will reciprocate.
“Providing a compelling candidate experience is no longer just an option but a must if you want to enhance your employer brand”
“I am very impressed with the company for being flexible in interviewing outside of office hours”
“The weekend is a time to relax and rest, leaving behind the stress that has accumulated over the past 5 days, so I did not expect that my request for an interview on the weekend would be accepted, but surprisingly the employer did not. nodded, and gave detailed instructions on how to go, who to meet and what to prepare. That enthusiasm made me feel very strongly about the company. Although we are not destined to work together, I am willing to introduce so that the company can soon find the right person."
Recruitment tip: There are many candidates looking for a new job quietly because they do not want their current company to know about their intention to "jump" a job. Besides, the best candidates are the busiest and have the hardest time scheduling because they are working hard at their current job. Therefore, flexibly scheduling interviews in the evening or on weekends, or choosing video interviews will certainly be welcomed by them. At the same time, this will also help speed up the recruitment process when the company has too many positions that need personnel to fill.
“If I am not selected, I want to know the reason so I can do better next time”
“Even though I failed the interview, having a clear explanation of the reason also put my mind at ease more than silence or just a few general sentences: You are not suitable. I know that not every company has time for detailed feedback, but if you could give me a note or two about where I'm lacking, I'd appreciate it. Those valuable comments will help me better understand the position I'm applying for as well as the employer's perspective so I can prepare and perform better next time."
Recruiting tip: Taking the time to explain the reason for the rejection will greatly improve your candidate experience and employer brand because very few companies pay attention to it. If the feedback you give rejected candidates is constructive, they are four times more likely to reapply or refer others.
“Could the application process be more streamlined?”
“I ask because I don't understand why before the interview, I have to fill in all the content in my CV on more than 3 pages called Candidate Information. I sat there blankly for more than 10 minutes before deciding whether to fill it out or not. In the end, because I regretted spending more than half an hour traveling to the interview location, I finished but I couldn't help but feel angry. Telling this story to a few friends, everyone told me to be patient, but if I met them, I would have left halfway."
Recruitment Tip: Have you ever reconsidered what you're asking of candidates? Is it easy to send a CV? Are your application forms complex and usable on all devices? Evaluate your application process and do everything you can to make it simpler and less time-consuming.
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