5 Ways a High-Touch Candidate Experience Keeps Potential Hires Engaged

Have you ever applied to an open job role and go months without hearing from the company? How many of you haven’t heard back after going in for a job interview? It happens to the best of us.

But nowadays, it’s a candidate’s market. The tables have turned, and there’s a new trend in town: candidates are now ghosting employers. According to a survey by Indeed, 83% of employers have been ghosted by candidates. Those who have ghosted employers noted that they were driven by communication issues between the candidate and recruiter.

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of five ways a high-touch candidate experience keeps candidates engaged.

1. Follow Up

One of the simplest mistakes recruiters make is not following up. If a candidate just had an interview, why not reach out to the candidate to ask them how it went and if they had any additional questions? Or maybe you haven’t heard from the candidate in a few days. Following up with the candidate may reduce the chances that they’ll ghost you.

2. Follow Through

The other simple mistake that recruiters make is not following through. If you tell a candidate that you’re going to send them a calendar invite for an interview, you can bet that they’re waiting for that invite to come through to their inbox. Set expectations for when candidates should expect to hear a response so it doesn’t seem like you’ve forgotten to follow through.

3. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Job hunting is stressful. A study by CareerBuilder found that 73% of respondents said that the job search process is one of the most stressful things in life. And one of the top frustrations that drive candidates to ghost an employer is the lack of communication from recruiters. In fact, that same study by CareerBuilder discovered that 81% of candidates say employers continuously communicating status updates to them would greatly improve the overall experience.

Candidates don’t want to be left out in the dark. Make candidates feel valued by giving them consistent updates.

If you’re a larger organization and have an overwhelming volume of job applications come through, turn to recruiting automation software. Find ones that have AI integration, where you can leverage automation to schedule interviews and automate conversations.

4. Keep Communication Timely

Not only do candidates want a brief hiring process, they also want (and expect) timely communication. According to a LinkedIn survey, it takes about 2-3 months for candidates to move from application to hire. That timeline doesn’t do employers any favors when you take into consideration that top talent only stays on the market for 10 days.

As we mentioned earlier, it’s a job-seeker’s market. Opportunities are knocking at the front, back, side, and garage door for candidates, and if it takes you one week to respond to an application, you’re already too late.

Another LinkedIn survey found that 89% of candidates say being contacted by their recruiter can make them accept a job offer faster. Don’t leave candidates hanging—employers need to move fast if they find qualified candidates.

5. Send candidates valuable content

When candidates prep for interviews, they’re most likely also studying up on your employer brand by looking up organizational values, company culture, and LinkedIn profiles of interviewees.

Instead of leaving candidates playing scavenger hunt across the Internet, why not send these resources directly to them? Highlight key points that candidates should take note of to help them along the way. Sending candidates this kind of information is a positive way to keep them engaged and interested in your candidate experience.

The recruiting process isn’t a one-and-done deal. From when an employer receives an application to when an offer is extended, the recruiting process is a multi-touch experience. Recruiters need to keep candidates fully engaged from start to finish to prevent them from ghosting so you don’t eventually lose that top talent.