The applicant’s experience is vital to the success of any organization. A bad experience can lead to a bad reputation, which can spiral into a talent shortage. A good experience, on the other hand, can build a loyal talent pool and turn applicants into promoters. Here are six ways to rebuild the applicant experience. 

Make The Application Process Easy

The first step to an outstanding applicant experience is an easy application process. You’ll lose candidates if your process is long, confusing, or requires too much information. Keep it simple, and make sure the instructions are clear. An easy way to do this is to invest in a digital recruitment agency that will take care of your application process.

Most people now use their smartphones as their primary device, meaning your hiring process should also be mobile-friendly. This includes everything from ensuring that your website is responsive to ensuring that your communications can be easily read on a small screen. By making your process mobile-friendly, you’ll make it easier for applicants to engage with your brand—and make it more likely that they’ll see the process through to the end. 

Define What A Good Experience Looks Like

A crucial step to building the applicant experience is identifying a good experience. This means taking a close look at every touchpoint in the process and asking yourself how you can make it better. Are your communications clear and concise? Is your website easy to navigate? Do you provide timely ? By defining what a good experience looks like, you can start making changes that will positively impact your applicants. 

Make sure you also involve your team in this exercise. Everyone from the recruiter to the hiring manager should have a say in what a good experience looks like. This will help ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goal. 

Ask For —And Act On It 

No process is perfect, which is why it’s so important to ask for from your applicants. After all, they’re the ones who have firsthand experience with your process. What did they like? What didn’t they like? What could be improved? Use this to make tweaks and improvements to your strategy. And don’t forget to let applicants know when you’ve made changes based on their input—it’ll show that you’re listening and that you care about their experience. 

You can also use to improve the way you communicate with applicants. For example, if you find that candidates are getting frustrated because they haven’t heard back from you, send them a quick update to let them know where they are in the process. This will show that you’re attentive and responsive—two qualities that are sure to impress any applicant. 

Be Transparent 

Another way to rebuild the applicant experience is by being more transparent throughout the process. This means being upfront about what you’re looking for, providing detailed after each step, and setting realistic expectations about timing and next steps. By being transparent, you’ll build trust with your applicants—and make it more likely that they’ll want to work with you in the future.  

It’s also important to be transparent about the decision-making process. Let them know why an applicant isn’t selected for a role. This can be incredibly valuable and show you’re committed to improving. 

Keep It Consistent 

When it comes to the applicant experience, consistency is critical. This means having a consistent brand voice across all communications, providing constant at each stage of the process, and maintaining a consistent level of quality throughout. By keeping things consistent, you’ll help applicants feel confident in their decision to apply—and increase the likelihood of having a positive experience from start to finish.  

Of course, consistency doesn’t mean you can never change things. Sometimes, it’s necessary to make changes based on or new information. But when you do make changes, be sure to communicate them clearly to your team and your applicants. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the process runs smoothly. 

Measure Success 

Last but not least, it’s essential to measure the success of your efforts to rebuild the applicant experience. This means tracking metrics such as time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, quality-of-hire, and employee retention rate. By measuring success, you’ll be able to see whether your efforts are paying off—and make necessary adjustments along the way.  

But measuring success doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by establishing a system to track applicant data, such as an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). This will help you keep track of key metrics and identify areas for improvement. You can also use surveys and other mechanisms to gather insights from your applicants. This can be precious in ensuring that your process meets their needs. 

Final Thoughts

Rebuilding the applicant experience is vital to the success of any organization—but it doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. By taking a close look at every touchpoint in the process and asking for from applicants, you can start making changes that will positively impact your business—and help you attract and retain top talent.

Key Takeaways: 

• Start the process on the right foot by hiring a digital recruitment agency for your company.
• Define what a good experience looks like by closely looking at every touchpoint in the process.
• Ask for from applicants and use it to make tweaks and improvements to your process.
• Be transparent throughout the process by being upfront about what you’re looking for and setting realistic expectations.