Candidate Experience: Why It’s Broken and How to Fix It

Candidates today are frustrated with the hiring process—and for good reason.

The Current State of Affairs
Candidates spend hours crafting tailored resumes, researching job openings, and navigating convoluted application systems. They submit countless applications, often with little more than a cold, automated rejection—if they hear back at all. The lucky few who land interviews find themselves going through multiple rounds while answering the same generic questions over and over. And after all that, the chances of securing an offer are still slim.

The result? Candidates left feeling drained, confused, and frankly, a bit jaded.

It's Not (Just) the Recruiter's Fault
It’s easy to point fingers at recruiters. We hear it all the time: they didn’t respond quickly enough, they didn’t screen well, they didn’t find the right fit, etc. Instead of playing the blame game, let’s focus on what we can control: creating stronger talent systems and practices to support a seamless candidate experience. 

Here’s How

1. Define the Role, Collaboratively
   Intake meetings might feel cumbersome, but they provide the framework for a great candidate experience. These are especially critical if there is a new recruiter, a new hiring manager, or a new role to hire for.
   

   Before posting a job, recruiters and hiring managers need to align on:
   - Essential skills and experiences
   - Acceptable alternative experiences
   - Attributes of successful candidates
   - Potential barriers and how to address them
   
   This foundational clarity enables recruiters to screen effectively and helps set realistic expectations for both sides.
   

2. Streamline the Process: Avoid Interview Fatigue
   Once you have a clearly defined role, recruiters and hiring managers should craft the interview plan.
   
   - Determine the number of interviews upfront
   - Identify your interviewers and assign specific focus ares to each one of them
   - Provide interviewers with clear guidelines and scorecards
   
   Each interview should have a specific purpose. Remember, more isn't always better! The reality is there will always be some degree of risk in recruiting, but the goal is to move intentionally and efficiently to find the right fit for both the candidate and the organization.
   

3. Control the Candidate Pipeline: Turn Off the Valve
   It’s incredibly tempting to keep your jobs posted until the position is filled, but this will lead to slower review times and less opportunity for personalized outreach. Instead:
   
   - Monitor your applicant-to-hire ratio
   - Turn off postings when you have a sufficient applicant pool
   - Process existing applications before reposting jobs
   
   By managing job postings more strategically, you can focus on timely, personalized candidate reviews. And when you’re ready to post again, your job listing may rank higher, boosting visibility on job boards. 
   

4. Communicate! Communicate! Communicate!
   While customizing every candidate email may not be realistic, you can enhance the experience by identifying key communication touch points in the candidate journey. 
   
   - Post-applicant acknowledgement
   - Application review status
   - Interview invitations
   - Rejection notices
   
   Use a combination of standardized and personalized templates where appropriate. Lock in automation triggers to streamline communication so recruiters can focus on high-touch interactions at key moments. Clear communication at each stage builds a positive candidate experience and shows respect for the candidate’s time and effort.
   

5. Be Transparent
   Honesty goes a long way. This starts in the job description. Be clear about:
   
   - Interview process
   - Required assessments
   - Expected timelines
   

   If things changes, update the candidate promptly. They'll appreciate your candor and it will go a long way to building trust. 

Why It Matters

A positive candidate experience isn't just good karma—it's good business. It shapes your future talent pool and sets the tone for the employee experience. After all, today's candidate could be tomorrow's star employee. By focusing on these improvements, we can break the cycle of broken candidate experiences and build a recruitment process we can all be proud of.