The Candidate's Experience

In this market where the supply is greater than the demand for candidates, it is understandable that companies are having a hard time keeping their employment brand intact. I've been there, I know how hard it is to ensure all parties involved in the hiring process are reflecting the values of the company and shining a good light on the company culture. Resumes are pouring in, emails are filling your in-box, messages are left in voicemail and candidates drop in unannounced to get their face in front of you. It is hard to keep up under normal circumstances, even harder when you are short staffed and the candidate pool is enormous.

My motto is this:

Treat every candidate just like you would treat a customer or prospect.

That's it. Pretty simple to say, pretty hard to do. Each candidate's experience leaves an impression of your company, both good and bad, and these candidates could be future customers or influence your future customers. They also could be your next "rock star" who probably knows a lot of other "rock stars" who they can bring to join your team.

Recently I applied for a position at a forward thinking, up and coming technology company and was actually surprised at the candidate experience I encountered. Their product is great, their culture is fun, and those that work there seem to love it. They are getting tons of press as a great place to work and seem ahead of the curve when it comes to social media. All of these attributes attracted me to the company and drove me to apply. I went to their careers page, filled out the application, answered a few questions and submitted my resume. The overall process was pretty simplistic and generic---not what I expected from a cool, hip company. There wasn't an interactive website with lots of bells and whistles, no off the wall, crazy questions in the application to give me a feel for what they were looking for and no follow up from anyone at the company after I submitted my application. None at all.

What is my impression of this company? As a HR person, I cut them a little slack, since I understand how overwhelming it can be.....but as a job seeker who is looking for a new company to join, I question whether I want to work there. If they treat candidates this way, how do they really treat their employees? And how do they treat their customers? Is it a great place to work or is it spinning out of control and growing too fast without the proper processes to protect their employment brand? Does management "get it" and understand that taking care of people, both internally and externally, goes a long way in whether a company will be successful?

My gut tells me they are just experiencing growing pains. Lots of growth, a whirlwind ride and just not finding the time to stop and think about how it looks to the outside world. It could be a conscious decision in their brand reflection to attract people who are more flexible and don't want or need a process. My gut tells me I don't think that is true.

Many candidates today look beyond the "experience", since they are desperately looking for a job. When the market turns and candidates have the upper hand again, the candidate experience and employment brand will be key factors in a company's success in attracting and retaining top talent. Take time to look at your processes and ensure they reflect your brand appropriately and you are treating all those who come in contact with your company like a customer.....it will make a difference.