The true cost of a fragmented recruitment experience (and how to fix it)

For many, the recruitment process is broken. Whilst the job search is arguably one of the biggest decisions you make in your lifetime, the experience offered by many companies is about as user-friendly as trying to book a GP appointment.

Think about it: You search a few key terms in Google, and you’re delivered a slew of uninspired job adverts on Indeed. You search the company and find outdated information, get bombarded with generic emails, or leave interviews feeling more confused than informed.

This is costly. A broken recruitment process can drain you of valuable resources as well as your candidate’s patience.

Let’s break it down…

The consumer-grade conundrum

We spend years crafting exceptional customer experience (CX). We expect seamless interactions, personalised recommendations, and clear information at every touchpoint. So, if we’re investing significant efforts in creating a flawless customer experience, why aren’t we doing the same for our candidates… y’know, the people who will be delivering that customer experience?

By delivering a consumer-grade experience, you create a simple, exceptional, and consistent experience for all your candidates. It strengthens your employer brand and saves you real money. But it’s considered a thankless, resource-intensive task which means its often neglected by recruitment teams. Which is understandable, because to do it properly, you first need to understand each stage of the candidate’s experience. That means looking at your recruitment website, job adverts, interviews, offer process and more.  Only then can you identify key touchpoints to build a better experience.

But the benefits really do outweigh the costs. Here’s why…

The price tag of a clunky candidate journey

• Loss of top talent: A Glassdoor survey found that 70% of candidates would reject a job offer due to a negative interview experience. That’s a significant pool of potential hires lost due to a clunky process.
• Brand Damage: A negative candidate experience, can tarnish your employer brand, making it harder to attract future talent (and let’s not get started on ghosting). Remember, word travels fast, especially online.
• Wasted Resources: Fragmented processes lead to confusion, delays, and frustration, requiring your team to spend precious time answering the same questions repeatedly.
• Decreased Productivity: New hires who experience a poor onboarding process are 32% less likely to be productive in their first year, which quickly translates to lost revenue and decreased efficiency.
• Increased Cost-per-Hire: Replacing a bad hire can cost 6-9 times their salary, according to SHRM. By creating a robust, and seamless candidate experience you’ll ensure you’re attracting the right candidates first time.
• Decreased employee retention: Candidates who have a bad experience are more likely to leave their jobs within the first year which can translate to higher turnover costs and the need to constantly re-recruit for open positions.

Essentially, a poor candidate experience is a financial drain. By investing in a consumer-grade recruitment process, you can save money, attract top talent and build a strong employer brand that resonates with your target candidates.

How to fix a fragmented candidate experience

Personalise the journey

Treat each candidate as an individual, not just a number. Go beyond generic greetings and acknowledge their unique skills and experience. Consider sending a personalised welcome video from the hiring manager, introducing them to the role and the team. Small touches like this show genuine interest an sets the tone for a positive experience.

Consider what information each job role will want to know.

For example, a software engineer will want to know more about the tech they’ll be working with, methodologies used, hackathon details, development pathways and more. So ensure that information is available to them from the onset to understand if the role is right for them before the interview process.

This might be different for a marketing role, where they might be more interested in details about your target audience, team structure or recent campaigns.

Centralise your resources

Candidates shouldn’t have to hunt for information across different platforms. Utilise tools like HulerHub to create a centralised collection of relevant information. This could include their job description, company culture video, team bios, FAQs and more. Extend this into the onboarding experience too, so they’re not hunting for relevant policies, mandatory training links and more.

By making everything easily accessible shows organisation and respect of their time. Using a centralised platform will also reduce the need for candidates to send multiple emails asking the same questions, so keep a log of things candidates and new hires are asking for and incorporate that into your onboarding content.

Elevate your employer brand beyond your career page

Your brand isn’t limited to your career website. Every interaction, from the moment a candidate discovers your company, shapes their perception. Showcase your authentic employer brand across all your platforms…

• Share employee stories on social media, highlight company events, and actively engage with potential hires. This might look like a behind-the-scenes glimpse of your company culture through takeovers or hosting Q&As with team members.
• Infuse your job ads with your company’s personality and highlight unique benefits your employees enjoy

This consistent brand experience fosters trust and attracts candidates who align with your company values.

Preboard to set them up for success

Don’t leave new hires lost in a sea of information on their first day. Provide curated preboarding collections that include essential documents, company handbooks, training materials, resources and more. This not only reduces onboarding anxiety but also demonstrates your commitment to their success from the very beginning.

Remember, technology is your ally

Leveraging tools like Hulerhub can streamline your recruitment process and elevate the candidate experience at every stage. The ‘Collections’ feature allows you to curate personalised content, ensuring each candidate receives relevant and engaging information.

By personalising your approach, centralising your resources, ensuring relevancy, and elevating your employer brand, you can transform your recruitment process from a frustrating maze into a seamless and engaging journey. Remember, candidates are also consumers, and by providing them with the same level of care and attention you expect, you’ll attract top talent and build a strong employer brand that resonates in today’s competitive landscape.