The steps of your screening process, timeliness, and activities all matter to candidates and thus are factors in the candidate experience.

In a job seeker’s market, companies trying to hire can do a few things to ensure the process is positive for candidates. For example, if you want to enhance your screening process from the candidate’s perspective, you can:

• Tell candidates:
  • What the process involves,
  • What step or stage they are at,  as well as
  • What is yet to come.
• Keep the process moving.
• Advise candidates of any delays including reasons why and when the process will restart.
• Include face to face and phone calls in your process- the personal touch matters.
• Answer candidates questions to the best of your ability (if you don’t know, find out).
• Cut unsuccessful candidates loose kindly yet honestly (and ideally with tips for next time) as soon as you know they won’t be hired.
• Put yourself in a candidate’s shoes and interact and respond accordingly.
• Thank candidates for participating and their interest.
• Have ongoing opportunities to stay in touch for candidates you want to see again.

Think “Transparency, Responsiveness and Empathy” when you want to make your screening process more friendly to candidates.