This document outlines best practices for providing a great candidate experience during the hiring process. It discusses the importance of speed, communication, and transparency. Specific recommendations include acknowledging all applications, conducting interviews equally for all candidates, setting clear expectations, and providing feedback in a timely manner. The overall message is that candidates should be treated with respect and comfort throughout the hiring process.

1. The Biggest Gaps in Your
Candidate Experience
and How to Fix Them

2. The 3 Pillars of a Great
Candidate Experience
• Speed
• Communication
• Transparency

3. Success begins at
home.
• Develop positive relationships with hiring managers
• Write fair, honest and accurate job descriptions

4. Steer clear of the
Resume Black Hole.
• Acknowledgement of candidate applications
• Act quickly on candidates you want to talk to

5. Personalize outreach.
Connect part of their career history to the role you’re hiring
for, especially for senior and leadership positions.

6. Set realistic
expectations.
Discuss logistics, compensation and other realities in the
beginning to avoid wasting candidate time (and yours).

7. Candidate comfort is
paramount.
Candidate flying in? Make sure the flight and hotel are
comfortable. All-day interview? Make lunch arrangements.

8. Life happens.
Give every meeting enough leeway to accommodate for
reschedules due to last-minute emergencies.

9. Stick to the plan when
possible.
Many candidates already have full-time jobs and lives. Be
mindful of this and respect their time.

10. Arm all candidates for
success equally.
Give every candidate for a given role the same outline, brief,
interview structure and information.

11. No surprises.
Don’t keep candidates in the dark about protocol and
compliances.

12. Simulate the work
environment.
Don’t create ‘pop quiz’ culture. Replicate the conditions
candidates will work in to see them at their best.

13. Happy interviewers
make happy
candidates.
Keep an eye on load balance. An interviewer with burnout is
less likely to deliver a great candidate experience.

14. Don’t assign overly
time-consuming tasks.
Many candidates have full-time jobs and lives. Asking them
to perform complicated assignments is unfair and unwise.

15. Culture fit is a two-way
street.
Candidates are looking for a workplace that fits them.
Introduce them to potential peers and teammates.

16. Initiate the ‘next steps’
conversation.
Let candidates know what to expect following an interview or
assessment. Give them time to prepare.

17. Don’t let candidate
evaluations wait.
Collecting interviewer feedback within 24-48 hours will
expedite hiring and shorten your pipeline time.

18. Be quick to say ‘no’.
Deliver the bad news to rejected candidates quickly so they
can move ahead with other opportunities.

19. Candidate experience
goes beyond the offer.
Help new hires feel settled quickly, especially if they’re
moving from another city or region.

20. Nurture post-rejection
relationships.
You never know when someone might be an ideal fit for
another role in the future.

21. Thank you for joining
us!