How Candidate Experience Leads to Better Retention

Candidate experience is important because it determines whether or not candidates apply to your open roles and can impact their recommendation of your company to other job seekers. It’s easy for individuals to post reviews of your hiring process online that can affect your company’s reputation, so it’s important to create a hiring experience candidates will positively review.

How does candidate experience directly relate to employee retention?

Let’s take a look at how candidate experience is directly related to employee retention.

A job they can do

Employees are more likely to stay with your organization if their role aligns with the job description they applied for. If your job description was vague or you weren’t clear about the position’s requirements, your new hire may find themselves continuing their job search.

A culture they can be a part of

Today’s candidates highly prioritize company culture, and the candidate experience is your chance to make a good first impression of your team’s dynamic. They want to work for an organization whose mission and values line up with their own values and beliefs. It’s also important for them to work for a company where they’ll be a good culture fit, and get along well with their coworkers.

Use your website and job descriptions to accurately describe the company culture to help candidates decide if they might be a good fit. If they join the team and realize they were largely misled about the culture, it won’t be long before they hand in their notice.

A strong onboarding process

This is one of the most crucial factors in employee retention. New hires tend to decide within the first week or so if they want to stay in their new role. They will be more likely to settle into their new role and feel included if you make an organized effort to make them feel welcome and begin to bring them onto projects and shared goals early in their onboarding process.

A company that cares about the individual

Good communication and a positive candidate experience shows that your company cares about their employees as humans. This means your new hire is more likely to feel valued and want to stay in their new role.

A glimpse of the future

The hiring experience is a reflection of your company culture. If they have a poor experience during the hiring process, this means they may have trouble envisioning a future at your company. A strong hiring process sets good precedent for what their working life will be like, and is the first step to making a new hire that wants to stay with your organization long term.

Are you ready to boost your candidate experience for better retention?

Candidate experience is crucial, from the moment you post your open jobs online, to the moment your new hire steps into the office on their first day. It’s clear there’s a link between a positive candidate experience and higher retention. So, if you hope to retain new hires for years to come, start with your hiring process.