Article: Good candidate experience creates great brand value

Employer Branding

Good candidate experience creates great brand value

You need to know the target audience before you create a structure for candidate experience.
Good candidate experience creates great brand value

When was the last time you posted a position on the job portal and you got just the right candidate for the position?

With a surge of job portals and social sites shouting out loud promises to get the best fit , we still struggle on a daily basis. And the struggle is bigger than a forum list the job opening. It is about giving the best "Candidate Experience".

Let’s get something clear: posting a quirky job listing is a far cry from using recruitment marketing in your recruiting strategy. It is no longer enough to slap a mission statement on some company branded mugs and t-shirts, companies are doing much more and are presenting their own unique experience to candidates in a competitive fashion. This is not about gimmicks or tactics, it’s about a total strategic effort that begins with recruiting.

This new generation of candidates  are looking out for something different  if not more than their predecessors.

It has therefore become important to do a  deep dive (first) into what makes working at your company different. If the answer is nothing, change that before embarking on any recruitment marketing plan.

Some questions to make it easier:

  • What can a candidate expect to learn?
  • What sort of work-life support do you offer? (This doesn’t have to mean work from home, it can mean having a playroom in the office or letting the volleyball team take off at 3pm on Thursday as long as their tasks are done)
  • How will a candidate be treated by the Manager? Their team? Their executive?
  • What kinds of projects will they be working on?


Once you know and have written what you have to offer, you need to align it with what your target pool is looking out for. This again will be dependent on the research that you undertake.

Know your target market: What might work for some, won’t work for others. Does your target talent pool put an emphasis on social media freedom, salary, vacation time, or something as small as dress code? Know what they’re looking for, and let them know that you offer that.

Present an all around brand experience: Even before the interview, the candidate should have a clear picture of your company culture and employer brand. The message should be evident on  social media, job listings, your website and employer branding videos. Strategic communication is crucial during the employer branding experience.

Keep it real: Yes, a big part of this process is to attract talent that you want and need, however, be honest about what you really are. Don’t present a 9-5, suit-wearing, clock-punching business as a fun-loving, jeans-wearing environment. The goal here isn’t to misrepresent yourself in order to get those great candidates, it is to present yourself in the best light and let them know what you can offer them. If you are rigid and demanding, that’s okay. But you need to ensure that you balance it with the positive sides of that equation, like ambitious, driven and unparalleled.

Don’t forget the website! The website is hugely important in candidate experience, especially the latter stages. Make sure that it is authentically representing you. It’s not enough to have a nice, easy to navigate site, your career portal should really reflect how you wish to be seen by candidates and in turn, show them what it’s like to work for your organization. 

Aim for an overall experience that will make the candidate become your advisor to the talent pool that he meets and talks to.

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Topics: Employer Branding, Employee Relations

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