The hiring process can be grueling for some, full of worry and anxiousness. To ease these jitters, we, as the employer, can do a number of things to support the candidate and promote a positive recruiting experience, no matter what the outcome is.

To start off on the right foot, transparency is key. Keep the candidate updated with the hiring timeline with things such as:

• What are the next steps?
• How long is the interview process?
• When can they expect to hear from you again?
  

It’s always better to loop the candidate in with where you are in the hiring process. In fact, limited communication can easily translate to ghosting and lack of seriousness. How does this impact you? Well, this is the first impression the candidate will have of your company and what it would be like to work there. Don’t let this be the reason to lose out on top candidates.

Here are some recommendations to improve your process:

Have an up to date job description

This is a foundational step because it briefs the recruit about the company, what the role is, and qualifications needed. It allows for some insight about the job beforehand to help gauge their interest in the position leading to a higher amount of applicants.

Set the candidate up for success

If your interviews are lengthy or require the candidate to perform their skills on the spot, prepare them. Provide them with a schedule, subject matters, the people whom they’d meet with, etc. This ensures that everybody is making the most of their time.

Follow up

Just as important as it is for the candidate to follow up after an interview, it’s important that the employer has consistent communication as well. This helps keep the candidate engaged throughout all stages of the hiring process.

Communicate results

Once your team has finalized their decision, be sure to communicate that to all candidates, even those that didn’t land the role. Being abrupt, or worse, ignoring them, benefits no one and impacts everyone. Thank the candidate for their time they’ve spent with you on your journey to fill the position and let them know that you chose to go another direction. If possible, contribute a bit of feedback. This will help the candidate through the rejection and not leave things on a sour note, so that they can continue to be interested in your company for future opportunities.