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Creating a Positive Candidate Experience When Hiring IT Staff

In the hustle and bustle of day-to-day staffing, consistently ensuring the positive experience of every candidate can be challenging. But, providing a positive candidate experience when hiring IT staff is crucial. Not only does it help with networking and filling positions, but it significantly improves the company’s reputation. This article will discuss why positive IT candidate experience is essential and ways to improve their overall experience.

What is the Candidate Experience?

The candidate experience is how an applicant perceives or reacts to a company’s sourcing, recruitment cycle, interviewing, and hiring process. It begins when the candidate reads the job description and continues until the hiring and onboarding process is completed.

Nowadays, we often hear from job seekers about the endless applications they submit and the complete lack of communication from recruiters. Many companies are just trying to accelerate their hiring process. But you can accelerate your hiring process without sacrificing positive candidate experience.

What Does a Positive Candidate Experience Look Like?

The recruiting process can move quickly. But taking the extra step to ensure a positive candidate experience for tech candidates is worthwhile for the applicants and your company. In general, positive candidate experiences offer:

  • Easy-to-use, online application processes
  • Realistic expectations about the hiring process, your company, and the position
  • A smooth interview process that gets candidates in process quickly and efficiently
  • Consistent communication between your company and candidates
  • Onboarding to set new hires up with the necessary resources to be successful in the role

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Why Is a Positive Candidate Experience Crucial for Tech Candidates?

There are many reasons why creating a positive candidate experience is crucial for tech candidates. For starters, it makes them more likely to accept a job offer. The IT industry is extremely competitive, and most tech candidates have several options when it comes to job offers. Poor candidate experience reduces the chances of them accepting a job offer. They may even go on to work for one of your competitors.

Benefits of Providing a Positive Experience for IT Candidates

Creating a positive experience for candidates benefits them and your company. Some of the benefits of providing a positive IT candidate experience are:

  • Significantly improving your company’s reputation through word of mouth
  • Attracting more candidates to your company and requisitions
  • Increasing and strengthening your company’s brand awareness
  • Leaving a good impression on candidates to reapply if unselected for a role
  • Improving recruiting time, reducing costs, and increasing the chance of candidates accepting at the initial point of offer

Additionally, a positive candidate experience often means the company culture is positive, too. The more positive the company culture, the more likely employees will stay. But how can the IT candidate experience be improved?


INFOGRAPHIC: Employee Retention: How Do Culture & Connection Play a Role?


Improving IT Candidate Experience

You can improve the IT candidate experience within your company with just a few simple changes to your recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding processes. Here are 10 tips to try today.

1. Use the Right Recruiting Tools

The first step in providing a better IT candidate experience is using the right tools. Recruiting tools—like an applicant tracking system (ATS), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and social media—can improve the recruiting process and make applying easier for candidates.

2. Write Clear and Concise Job Descriptions

Before candidates are in consideration, they must apply via a well-written job description. Clear job descriptions are the first step in finding IT candidates. Provide a concise understanding of the position, the job title and summary, roles and responsibilities, required technical skills and qualifications, salary and benefits, and whether it’s remote, hybrid, or onsite.

3. Illustrate Your Company’s Brand and Demonstrate Its Values

A job description is also an excellent time to showcase your company’s brand and values. It’s an opportunity to express what’s special about your company, how the role is unique to others, and what your company can offer prospective candidates.

4. Be Transparent about the Recruiting and Hiring Process

Upon screening IT applicants, you can improve their experience by being transparent about the process. That includes how long it may take for feedback, how many interviews, describing technical assessments they may go through, and an estimated timeframe between a final interview and an offer.

5. Communicate with Candidates throughout the Process

Effectively communicating with your candidates through every step of the recruiting process builds a rapport with them. That includes confirming receipt of an application, post-interview follow-up, and guidance throughout onboarding. Consistent communication makes IT candidates more likely to have a positive experience with your company, even if they aren’t the right fit for the role.

6. Give Your Undivided Attention during the Interview Process

Just as you want a candidate’s attention during an interview, they want the same thing. Giving them your undivided attention, answering their questions, and preparing for the interview ahead of time by viewing their resume, profile, and application is critical. It shows tech candidates that they aren’t just another number in a long list of applicants.

7. Keep Candidates Updated

Remember that job seekers are anxious for updates regarding their applications. Connecting with every candidate can be challenging. But taking the extra second for a quick update shows them the company cares and improves your reputation.

8. Tell Candidates if They Aren’t Selected

Along with keeping candidates updated, it’s crucial to respect their time. If a candidate isn’t selected, tell them immediately. They’ll appreciate the transparency and will be more likely to consider your company again.

9. Provide Candidates with Feedback and Advice

When candidates aren’t selected for a position, they’ll likely wonder why. Be willing to offer them feedback and advice. The guidance will help them grow, learn, and hopefully improve the outcome of their next job interview.

10. Offer Support throughout the Onboarding Process

Onboarding is still a critical part of candidate experience. A rough onboarding experience can prevent IT candidates from recommending other qualified IT professionals to your company for future hiring needs. Ensuring a smooth transition for new hires helps your reputation and expands your network further.


Download our Free Onboarding Checklist for Hiring Managers. Keep track of your onboarding tasks to help make the onboarding process great for your new hire.


Elevating Your IT Candidate Experience Is Key to Exceptional Tech Hires

Because the recruiting process can move quickly, there are limited opportunities to make a good impression. Seize the opportunity to guarantee a positive IT candidate experience by implementing these valuable tips without delay.