Candidate experience refers to the series of interactions that a candidate has with your organization while undergoing the hiring process. According to a recent survey, 78% of candidates said that the overall candidate experience they receive is a great indicator of how an organization values its workforce. The same survey also pointed out that that 86% of candidates believe that prospective employers should treat candidates with the same respect as current employees. The survey findings clearly indicate that the lines between candidate experience and employee experience are blurring. Therefore, organizations must work towards strengthening their candidate experience.

The first step is improving the application process. If your organization’s application process is lengthy, you run the risk of application abandonment. A short and streamlines job application will ensure that candidates complete the application process and thereby increase your organization’s applicant pool. To win the war for talent organizations must fine tune their candidate experience in order to attract the best of the best. How you communicate with a prospective candidate also determines how the candidate perceives your brand. Organizations must establish timely and clear communication with candidates to develop a positive candidate experience both about selection and rejection.

Technology can also go a long way in enhancing candidate experience. By creating mobile friendly career websites and other resources candidates may need while applying for job openings, organizations can ensure that they optimize their candidate experience. Today’s candidate driven market means that organizations are in competition to attract top talent and in order to be successful they must take control of their candidate experience.