Just a little blog, this one.  Because the issue isn’t complex.

Last year I was job hunting.  It made me think a great deal about candidate experience.  What makes it good, what makes it bad.  What makes it important.

For me, a good candidate experience depends on just two, very simple things; honesty and communication. Simple, but easy to get wrong.

You messed up the interview

You did brilliantly

Your presentation didn’t cut it

Your presentation rocked

They saw someone more suitable / with more experience / better qualified

They’ve cancelled the vacancy

You said / wore / did the wrong thing

You failed to demonstrate [insert as applicable]

You didn’t get it

They loved you.  The offer is in the post.

Just tell the truth to the candidate.  Give them good feedback.  Make it count.  And make it timely.  There is just nothing worse than waiting and waiting for the phone to ring.  The decision to arrive.

An acknowledged application.

Information on the process, the next steps, the when and the how.

Accurate job descriptions, useful company information, how to get here and who to ask for.

Constructive feedback after the interview, whether you got it or whether you didn’t.

Help to make it better, the next time, if you need it.

Keeping your promises about when and how you’ll be in touch.

Making the offer, making the rejection.

Communication.   Do it well, make it honest and make it quick.  Ditch the auto junk.  Make it personal, human.  Have genuine dialogue with the candidates, the applicants.

Because these people are your future employees, if not today then maybe tomorrow.  And do you know what, job hunting is hard.  Let us help people on the way.

These are the things that matter to your candidates. Just two little things, but so often we get it wrong.