Providing an optimal candidate experience is vital for any professional services staffing firm. According to research, 83 percent of recruiters and employers have been ghosted by job seekers. This can be due to several reasons. For instance, if your recruiting and hiring processes are too long or too slow, then a candidate is likely to slip away. Providing an optimal candidate experience is vital for any professional services staffing firm. According to research, 83 percent of recruiters and employers have been ghosted by job seekers. This can be due to several reasons. For instance, if your recruiting and hiring processes are too long or too slow, then a candidate is likely to slip away.
Great candidate experiences can help change this and is the key to success for a professional staffing agency. Read on as we discuss how staffing companies can improve candidate experience and benefit accordingly.
How Can Staffing Companies Provide a Better Candidate Experience?
1. Enable Flexible and Easy Application Processes
As per Pew Research, a majority of the US labor force for 2017 was dominated by millennials (35%) and Gen X (33%). These job seekers dislike long application processes and look for speed and convenience. Consequently, traditional job application processes can quickly become frustrating for them. One study suggests that 60 percent of job seekers abandon online job application forms because they find them too lengthy.
Thus, to improve candidate experience, you need to provide an easy-to-apply process. This can help you source a pool of high-quality candidates and deliver better value to your clients.
2. Be Thorough When Screening Applicants
Most employers require candidates to pass a background check prior to hiring. This step is critical as it can determine the type of candidate experience your staffing firm provides. For instance, if you do not screen applicants properly and recommend them to the client, then you risk creating a bad experience for all parties.
If the candidate ultimately fails to pass a background check, the client will have to review the list of candidates all over again. This can translate into a longer-than-usual hiring process. On the other hand, the candidate will be unhappy because they are no longer among the list of prospective hires. You may also have missed out on recommending a more qualified candidate to your client.
To avoid this, make sure you have a standardized screening process set up that prevents such incidents from happening and allows you to provide a great candidate and client experience.
3. Keep Candidates in the Loop
Maintaining a feedback loop is essential for maximum candidate engagement during the hiring process. However, many staffing agencies struggle to keep track of applications and are unable to respond quickly. This can cause a major setback in a candidate’s journey. Research suggests that 53% of job seekers must wait 3 months before receiving a response to their job applications.
Professional services staffing firms need to maintain quick response times and improve the frequency of their communication to exceed a candidate’s expectations. This can quickly differentiate your company from the competition and speed up the hiring process.
You can also consider recruiting through text and chat messaging to generate quick responses. As per one source, these are currently the most popular communication platforms among job seekers and nearly 64% of candidates prefer to engage with recruiters via chat and text.
4. Address the Needs of the Candidate
Many staffing agencies struggle to balance the needs of their clients and candidate demands. This can lead to ineffective candidate engagement.
Remember, the candidate is as much a part of the placement process as the client. If you want to improve candidate experience and your overall hiring process, then you need to treat them as a priority.
One way to do this is by engaging in open discussions with them. You can ask them about their strengths, their passions, and why they feel they would be a good fit for the role. When you make a candidate feel seen and heard it automatically elevates engagement. Even if they do not get the job, they will be willing to work with you again to explore a different job opportunity.
Engaging in lengthy, in-depth discussions with a candidate can also help you learn more about their personality and skills-set. You can use this information and recommend them for a more suitable role in the future.
5. Build a Relationship
Candidate relationship management is currently viewed as an important HR metric. Even if a great candidate didn’t make the cut, staffing agencies must try and build a long-term relationship with them.
When you come across a high-quality candidate, we strongly recommend that you stay in touch with them ever after the hiring process. This can have a significant impact on your recruiting and hiring cycles.
Of course, successfully building a relationship with such candidates largely depends upon the type of experience you provide. If you have managed to keep the candidate engaged through prompt responses and prioritized their needs, then it will be much easier to end things on a positive note. You can let them know that they were a great candidate and you want to stay in touch with them. This can make it easier to follow up with them in the future and inform them of potential job opportunities.
The Bottom Line: Improve Candidate Experience to Deliver More Value
Negative candidate experiences can have serious repercussions for a professional services staffing firm. On the other hand, successfully engaging candidates can translate into a competitive advantage. It encourages candidates to apply again, generates positive word-of-mouth about your staffing firm, shortens your recruiting cycles, and reduces your recruiting costs.
These benefits can grow your talent pool and enable your clients to work with highly qualified candidates. Ultimately, a candidate-driven approach can help you build a long-term relationship with both parties and strengthen your position in the recruitment industry.
Need Help Finding a Job?
If you are looking to work with a staffing firm that believes in great candidate experience and engagement, then drop us an email at contactus@winmaxcorp.com. We have been providing staffing solutions to technology companies for more than a decade now and can help you find your dream job sooner than you would think!
