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Candidate Care: Why It Matters and Five Tips to Improve It

One thing we know about today’s candidate market is that it will be more competitive tomorrow. And, as hiring becomes more aggressive, a skills shortage is soon to follow.

Don’t let the record high unemployment rate fool you—the healthcare job market is just as competitive as it was pre-pandemic. That’s why it’s important to understand the factors that impact your business’s approach to finding, attracting, and retaining top talent.

It’s important to provide your candidates consistent support. For example, I call candidates to ensure they are prepared for their upcoming interviews and then I also call candidates after the interview to see how it went. I do this because if I were the candidate, I would appreciate this level of attention and care.

Candidate care should start the second you first open a job requisition and extend all the way through the rest of the hiring process, regardless of whether the candidate is offered the job or not. The entire process is an opportunity for your practice to build a relationship with the candidate. Do everything right and he or she can become a spokesperson for your organization. Do it wrong and it could affect your company’s reputation and interview process moving forward.

Here are five reasons why the candidate experience matters along with helpful tips on how to improve your own:

1. It improves communication and trust

By going out of your way to find opportunities and update candidates, you’ll immediately foster a relationship of trust. Providing feedback, good or bad, will prevent you from burning any bridges. Maintaining regular communication with candidates through the hiring process will also keep you updated on the candidate’s overall job search (for example: if they receive and accept another job offer or decide to stay with their current employer). I make it a point to stay in touch with candidates that I think are impressive because even if they’re not a good fit for one position, they could be for another position down the road. One time, even though I had to pass on a candidate after our initial interview, she was so pleased with the process and my responsiveness that she referred someone else to the role. So, I can tell you from experience that candidate engagement and interest will come naturally if you put forth the effort.

The #1 way people discover a new job is through a referral

 

2. It influences interview outcomes

It’s important to keep in mind that the interview process can be daunting, especially for candidates who are new to the job market or have worked at the same company for many years. If you can help alleviate some of the stress they’re feeling, they might have a better chance of succeeding. Prepping candidates before they interview with the decision-maker is vital. For example, even though I prep candidates for front office positions before they interview with an office manager, it’s up to that office manager to then prep the remaining candidates before the final interview with the owner. Tell them who they will meet, what to bring, what to wear, and any other tips that might be beneficial. Afterward, provide feedback on any areas where they can improve so they can sharpen their interview skills. Job seekers want and appreciate constructive feedback.

94% of job seekers want to receive interview feedback

 

3. It creates allies and can strengthen your brand

Many candidates believe how they’re treated during the interview process is indicative of how they would be treated as employees. This is their first insight into what a typical day looks like at the company. In other words, they’re evaluating you just as much as you’re evaluating them. Any inefficiencies in your hiring process or lag in response time could be seen as red flags to potential hires. And if candidates have a negative experience with your practice, there’s no guarantee they’re going to keep it to themselves—they might tell their friends and family, they might post about it on their social media, they might even leave a review on Glassdoor. On the other hand, a positive candidate experience can propel your brand and lead to more referrals.

78% of candidates will tell friends and family about a bad interview experience

 

4. It increases the quality of hires and decreases the time to hire

By providing a superior candidate experience and making a good first impression, there’s a much greater chance that when you do extend an offer, it will be accepted. Research shows employers have only 10 days before qualified candidates disappear from the job market. An easy, user-friendly career page and application can speed up the process and ensure your perfect employee isn’t taken by the practice down the street. CQ’s experienced recruiters can help streamline your practice’s hiring process by working with you to develop core competency models and job descriptions as well as interview and assessment questions. We’ll even prescreen candidates to evaluate their skills and provide timely feedback on each, allowing you to make the final hiring decision with greater confidence (while also conserving a lot of time and energy).

68% of candidates think the way a company treats them in the hiring process reflects how it treats its employees

 

5. It increases candidates’ likelihood to stay at the company long-term

Once an offer has been extended and accepted, be sure to check in with your new hires regularly. It shows that you care about how they are doing and that they are happy in their new role. Answer any questions and address any concerns they may have (questions about human resources policies/procedures, suggestions for improvements, etc.). Being there for them as they start their new position ensures that you’re able to work towards a solution, if needed, and that your placements become long-term.

Remember that a candidate’s experience doesn’t end the moment you extend an offer. Providing new employees with the resources to be successful and creating a positive workplace culture will help them become a valuable contributor to your practice’s growth. Every company has room to improve its candidate care. We should always be considering how we can improve our processes to attract an even higher caliber of talent. Doing right by people is always good business.

Take the stress out of staffing. Leave it to CQ Recruiting!

About the Author

Jason DiOttavio

Jason DiOttavio joined CQ Partners as a Corporate Recruiter in 2011. Previously, he worked as an agency recruiter for a staffing firm specializing in IT/Administrative roles including such large companies as Dietz & Watson. When not working, Jason enjoys spending time with his wife and two young daughters. He’s also obsessed with cooking shows and finding new ice cream and donut shops.