How a Candidates Journey improves your applicant experience

Content

1. What is a Candidates Journey?

2. The 6 phases of a Candidates Journey

3. Touchpoints of the Candidates Journey

4. The difference between active and passive candidates
   
   

5. Tips for a better Candidates Journey

6. A conclusion - The overall package of your Candidates Journey must be right

Every journey lives from the experiences we have during it. That's why the experiences your candidates have during their Candidates Journey are also central. The Candidates Journey is the journey that a candidate undertakes on his or her way to becoming a fully-fledged employee. If you succeed in optimizing the experience during this candidate journey, your recruiting will improve in qualitative and quantitative aspects.

That's why we want to use this article to help you understand what a Candidates Journey is, which phases it is divided into, which touchpoints it includes, and how you can design an optimal Candidates Journey. Because let's be honest, have you ever actively thought about what experience your candidates have during your application process? Haven't you? Then how should you influence or optimize those experiences? So let's talk together about optimizing your Candidates Journey:

Most companies make a mistake: they want to do extraordinary things and preferably still in all areas. Only late do they then realize how hard it is to be exceptional. Especially if you try to reinvent the wheel every time. That's why in this article we won't reinvent the wheel and present you with anything extraordinary. Instead, we'll show how you can do ordinary things exceptionally well. Starting with your Candidates Journey. Be honest, have you ever even thought about how your candidate journey resembles a journey? No? Yes? Most will probably answer "no", yet it's such an obvious comparison and throughout this article you'll understand why.

Let's start our journey together with a fact:

Finding a new job is difficult, and so is finding the perfect employee.

Once we have accepted this fact, another question arises: With this knowledge, what should your Candidates Journey focus on to make potential candidates choose your company?

The answer to this is clear as it is simple: the applicant experience. This is so important because the days of half-baked newspaper ads and backroom job interviews are over. You need to stand out with your employer brand, and you can do this by doing the simple things well. So if you've never thought about your candidate experience before, start with the following question: Customer and user experiences are central to any business, but what differentiates a customer from an employee?

After all, we all know how important capable employees are to moving forward, and yet we don't really make an effort to hire them. Just think about your own last application process. What could have gone better? Have you ever applied to a company where the application process was so ideal that you were still talking about it weeks later? So well that you haven't forgotten it to this day? If you, as a company, guarantee such an application experience, you won't be able to save yourself from applicants.

All of this can and will succeed if you put some thought into improving your Candidates Journey.

And the best is yet to come. Designing a better Candidates Journey is neither difficult nor expensive. You simply need to start thinking about it in a different way. Then you will automatically start doing the simple things better. So from this point on, think of your application process as a journey where you and your candidates need to come together.

Let's talk together about what a Candidates Journey is, why it's important, and how to use it to pave the way for future employees.

What is a Candidates Journey?

The candidate journey is comparable to a customer entering a store to buy something.

Before making any purchase decision, this customer will ask himself whether the selected product is suitable for him. To do this, he will make an effort to find out more about the brand. At the same time, he will evaluate the company's service, read product and brand reviews, and finally decide whether to buy.

This analogy perfectly mirrors the journey of a candidate looking for a new job. A candidate searches for a job that suits them, researches the company, and makes a decision based on the experience they have during the hiring process.

The bottom line is that improving your Candidates Journey is always about the experience of your candidates throughout the recruitment process.

And here's another scary fact: According to a CareerArc survey, nearly 60% of job seekers said they had a bad applicant experience, and 72% of them shared their feelings about the company online. So you can see the leverage you can have for your recruiting if you pay a little more attention to your applicant experience.

But why do we actually talk about a Candidates Journey? The shortest answer to that question would probably be this: Because we are all on a journey we call life. No doubt you can't do much with that answer. Therefore, let's talk a bit about the nature of a journey. Why is it beneficial to think of an application process as your candidate's journey?

What is the goal of a normal journey? To experience something extraordinary.

So the experience is the focus of a trip. Learning about a new culture. Learning a new skill. Falling in love with a previously unknown person. All of these things have the intrinsic character of a journey because they all deeply stimulate human experience.

So when you think of your application process as your candidate's journey, this way of looking at it focuses you on the experiences your candidate has. Similar to how a Costumer Journey focuses you on your customers' experiences.

Every company wants their customers to feel good about themselves. Therefore, why should it be any different for the applicant? There is no one answer to this question, yet many companies still don't consider their application process to be a journey.

So what is the definition of a Candidates Journey?

Much like shoppers go through different stages when looking for services and products to buy, candidates go through different stages when looking for new job opportunities. This is the reason why candidates today need to be treated like customers. There are 6 of these stages and all job seekers go through them.

Therefore, when you talk about your Candidates Journey, you are actually always talking about these 6 phases.

The 6 phases of a Candidates Journey

If you want to optimize your Candidates Journey, you should first know the phases of one. You need to know which phases a candidate goes through in their contact with your company.

So what are the six phases of a Candidates Journey?

The six phases of a Candidates Journey:

1. Attention: The candidate becomes aware of your employer brand.
2. Consideration: The candidate does research about your company.
3. Interest: The candidate selects your company.
4. Application: The candidate applies for your open positions.
5. Selection: The candidate goes through your selection process.
6. Hiring: The candidate becomes your new employee!

Structure your Candidates Journey according to these six phases and always keep in mind the needs of your candidates in the different phases. But how do you identify the needs of a candidate in the six phases?

It's simple. Just ask yourself a single question:

Which thoughts and feelings control my candidates' behavior in the different phases?

Specifically, you want to know what question your candidates ask themselves in the different phases. At jacando, we start with the following questions:

• The attention phase: the candidate only becomes aware of your employer brand.
• The question of consideration phase: What are my advantages at this company?
• The question of the interest phase: What differentiates these companies?
• The application phase question: Did you receive my application?
• The selection phase question: Are you looking for someone like me? Do I feel
  comfortable here?
• The question of the hiring phase: I got the job! Where's the champagne?

These six phases represent your basic framework. In each phase, your candidate has touchpoints, called Candidates Journey touchpoints, with your company. If you want to continue to improve your Candidates Journey, the next thing to think about is your touchpoints.

Touchpoints of the Candidates Journey

An applicant's journey can be tracked through touchpoints, or touchpoints. These touchpoints can serve as landmarks for job seekers and recruiters.

Basically, there are always several touchpoints with a company that a candidate, will reach during his Candidates Journey. These touchpoints are reached both online and offline.

Candidates Journey Touchpoints

• Viewing the published job offer
• Interaction with a social media post
• Family and friends
• Local events
• Visit to a career site
• Blog article from a company
• Glassdoor or other employer comparison portals
• Customer interaction with the company
• Conversation with company representatives at a job fair
• The company's talent network
• Email campaigns
• Company employees
• Feedback on the application
• Job interviews

Of course, this list could be continued indefinitely. Therefore, it is important that you know the specific touchpoints of your individual Candidates Journey.

To do this, however, you must first be aware that each touchpoint in your candidate's journey plays a crucial role in whether or not they decide to proceed with their application. So if you want to improve your recruitment process, make sure that each touchpoint is a positive experience for candidates.

In the graphic below, we've put together a fictional sequence of touchpoints to give you a basic idea of what the touchpoints of a Candidates Journey might look like in reality.

The touchpoints of each Candidates Journey vary from company to company. Reviewing your own touchpoints will help you improve the candidate experience from first contact to onboarding.

Now that you know the basic stages of the Candidates Journey and the importance of your touchpoints, you still need to understand the difference between active and passive candidates and how a functioning Candidates Journey affects them.

The difference between active and passive candidates

First of all, EVERYONE is a potential candidate for a position in your company!

However, you should always divide candidates into two categories - active and passive. The majority of candidates will always be passive because they are not actively looking for a job. In fact, active candidates are specifically looking for a new job opportunity.

Now, companies that only look for active candidates often miss a great opportunity to attract the best possible candidate for the job. After all, even someone who is not actively looking for a new job could be motivated to apply by the right job or the optimal offer.

While the passive candidate unfortunately does not actively apply for a job, 91% of active people check job offers at least twice a year. However, since the group of passive candidates is always larger than that of active candidates, every recruiter must design a plan to attract passive candidates to their company.

But the good news is that by building a smarter Candidates Journey for your company, you can not only leverage every touchpoint, but also target active and passive candidates equally.

You now have a rough idea of how to design a Candidates Journey, but what might such an effort look like in concrete terms? We have put together 8 simple tips for this.

Tips for a better Candidates Journey

1. Put your candidate in the center

The journey should be candidate-centric at every stage, or you risk alienating job seekers.

To create a candidate-driven recruiting model, the focus must always be on the candidate's needs and overall experience. However, the goal of candidate-driven recruiting is not only to provide a great experience and make it easier to select the right person for the job, but also to build a long-term relationship with them. So that they continue to interact with your company even if they are not hired.

Dr. John Sullivan, a thought leader in talent management, says that a candidate-centric approach means that the design of the recruiting process should always put the needs of the candidate first. This includes the application process, the interview schedule and the information provided to candidates.

To accomplish this, you could use applicant, candidate, and new hire surveys as a way to determine your candidates' expectations of the process and then see where the hiring process could become more candidate-friendly.

2. Put your main focus on the first phase

If you think your candidate's journey begins with the application, you are wrong. You should already have understood this through our introduction. But where should the main focus of your candidate journey be?

Well, 3 out of 4 job seekers interact with an employer's brand before they even apply. Also, a study by CR Magazine found that 69% of people wouldn't take a job at a company with a bad reputation, even if they were unemployed. It's important to think about what candidates see in your company before they actively decide whether or not they want to work with you.

A candidate's journey begins as soon as he reaches one of your touchpoints. Whether it's looking at your company online, reading your reviews, or receiving an email from you. To build a smooth Candidates Journey, you need to think about how people interact with your company and how you can be confident that you are attracting quality talent.

Every touchpoint your company has that a potential candidate interacts with has the potential to convert that candidate into an active job seeker. Making a good impression is therefore the first step to attracting the right candidates.

After all, remember, 92% of people would consider changing jobs if offered a position with a company that has an excellent reputation.

Therefore, creating and maintaining a strong employer brand is crucial to ensure a smooth candidate journey and thus attract more talent.

3. Identify the needs of your candidates

Recruitment is not just about filling a position in your company. It's about what your candidates are looking for in their ideal position and therefore in your company.

It's important to be transparent and ask yourself what your candidates need to know in order to engage with your company? Previously we talked about the needs of your candidates at different stages, but one level down, what needs of your candidates can you address?

To do this, let's look at what a candidate's deeper needs might look like based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Need satisfaction starts at the bottom of the pyramid. Only when the bottom layer is met (physiologically) does the candidate move on to other layers, such as safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.

If we use the pyramid as a visual to identify a candidate's needs, it's easy to see that it's up to you to communicate how your position fits with the candidate's life and career goals and how it can meet their needs. A Forbes study found that employees are most looking for flexibility, health benefits and a deeper sense of purpose in their work.

Identifying and addressing needs early in the process paves the way for a smoother candidate journey.

So let's look together at how you can meet the various needs of your candidates.

1. Physiological needs: The basic needs of a candidate to any job. Salary, vacation, etc.
2. Security Needs: Physical and emotional security in the form of company doctors and a permanent position with a reputable employer.
3. Social needs: At this level, you need to show your candidates how employees interact in your company.
4. Individual needs: At this level, candidates are looking for trust, appreciation, and self-affirmation. Show your candidates how they can develop in your company.
5. Self-actualization: This level is about the desire or tendency to realize one's own potential. Help your candidates to do this.

4. Go through your own application process

How easy is it for candidates to apply for your positions?

A great way to address this issue is to go through your own application process. If you have to answer a million questions, can't apply on mobile, or can only upload necessary documents like a resume in a certain format, it means your application process is causing friction. Make an application as easy as possible, because optimal candidates always have multiple options.

One goal in this regard might be to minimize the time it takes candidates to apply, for example, by removing unnecessary fields from your forms. You should also give your candidate as much control as possible in managing the application process. As an example, allow candidates to apply on mobile devices as well.

Furthermore, you can let your candidates schedule interviews themselves based on a recruiter's availability. This not only reduces the number of emails and calls with a candidate, but also adds interview appointments directly to your calendar.

5. Organize your ideal candidate pathway

It's important to get a sense of how your ideal candidate will interact with your company.

To do this, map out the steps they will take on their Candidates Journey. Consider equally the six phases and touchpoints here. Then create a diagram based on these insights. This could serve as a basis for you:

Tracking your candidate's path is important for several reasons. First, this allows you to see what touchpoints a candidate might reach at each stage of their journey. Second, a visual representation helps recruiters see what factors might influence a candidate's behavior, experience, and attitude.

6. Show what it's like to work in your company

The most important question an applicant asks is whether or not they can imagine working for your company.

A job may look perfect on paper. But if a candidate doesn't get a realistic idea of what their day-to-day life at the company will be like, it's hard for them to get into the role. Your company needs to communicate what your core values are, what your team looks like, and what your culture stands for.

Many companies now create career pages specifically designed to convey this message to potential candidates. And with two-thirds of job seekers visiting a career page after reading about a job opening, you could be falling behind if you don't already have an attractive, mobile-optimized page.

An example of a career site that clearly and effectively communicates core values, responsibilities, culture, and expectations is Netflix.

Not only does the page contain a wealth of information about the company's stance on inclusion and diversity, work-life balance, and philosophy, but it even has its own podcast. The WeAreNetflix podcast gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it's really like to work at the world's largest streaming company.

7. Keep the promises you make

Nothing is more discouraging to a candidate in the hiring process than a recruiter who breaks promises.

Whether you promised to respond to an email or make a decision on an application, if you have a timeline with a candidate, stick to it. Think of every job posting as a marketing campaign, not just a job ad, and consider how your company is represented. With 72% of job seekers sharing their opinions of a company online, you can't afford to break your promises during or after the Candidates Journey.

That's why automation is also a game changer when it comes to hiring candidates. Software can now trigger automated actions based on candidate status or engagement level, automating and therefore improving your entire selection process from "apply" to "hire." For example, you can use your applicant screening tool or applicant management software to automatically follow up with candidates on your shortlist or after an interview.

So, you can most easily deliver on promises if you have HR software designed specifically for this purpose. Similar to jacando's HR software.

8. Make onboarding a part of your candidate's journey.

It's important to remember that your candidate's journey doesn't end once they accept your job offer. Rather, you should use this phase of the candidate journey to get the candidate excited about working for you and build their commitment to you.

This process is generally referred to as onboarding.

As part of this process, begin to build a relationship with your new hire and let them know how excited you are to have them join you on your mission within the company. After all, you don't want to lose an employee you've invested so much time, effort and resources into hiring after just a few months.

What's the best way to go about your onboarding? Well, this is where our article on the perfect onboarding concept can help you.

A conclusion - The overall package of your Candidates Journey must be right

The best way to have a smooth Candidates Journey is to be organized and empathetic.

That's because the hiring game has changed. Gone are the days when a simple interview and job offer was enough. Now recruiters need to think more about their employees' needs and their impression of the company. They need to convey a message that goes beyond a simple compensation package.

Today's employees are looking for the total package. This total package can be more cohesive and effective if you make an effort to map and plan your hiring process in advance. It's about understanding exactly what a candidate is thinking and feeling at each stage of the Candidates Journey, and how that knowledge can help you improve the experience they have at each stage of the process.

Always remember one thing: you are not only interviewing your candidates, they are interviewing you. Therefore, it is your job to ensure that you meet their expectations at every stage of the Candidates Journey.

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