Candidate Experience Statistics: Why It Matters for Your Company’s Hiring Success

In the current job market, where the competition for top talent is fierce, a company’s success in attracting and retaining the best candidates largely depends on the candidate experience it provides. The candidate experience is the overall perception that candidates have of the recruitment process, including the application process, communication with the hiring team, and the company’s culture and values.

To emphasize the importance of candidate experience, we have compiled 40 eye-opening statistics that demonstrate the significance of candidate experience in talent acquisition. These statistics are divided into five sections, including the impact of candidate experience on hiring, candidates’ perception of candidate experience, candidates’ expectations for candidate experience, the cost of poor candidate experience, and best practices for improving candidate experience.

The Impact of Candidate Experience on Hiring

It’s essential to provide a positive candidate experience, as 69% of candidates are less likely to apply for a job with a company whose recruiting process takes too long. Additionally, 60% of candidates have quit an application due to its length or complexity. A negative candidate experience can also significantly impact the company’s reputation, as 72% of candidates share their negative candidate experience online. On the other hand, 64% of candidates would share their positive experience with friends and family, helping improve the company’s brand.

Furthermore, a positive candidate experience can result in better-quality applicants, faster hiring, and an overall positive perception of the company in the market. Job seekers also consider the candidate experience during their job search, with 58% of them prioritizing it. Moreover, companies that invest in candidate experience have a 70% better chance of hiring top talent. Finally, 82% of candidates say that the candidate experience can impact their decision to accept a job offer, with candidates who had a positive experience being 38% more likely to accept a job offer.

Candidates’ Perception of Candidate Experience

A recruiter’s responsiveness is a critical factor in a positive candidate experience, according to 70% of candidates. Furthermore, 60% of candidates view transparency in the hiring process as a crucial element in the candidate experience. Candidates also believe that the way a company treats them during the hiring process is a reflection of how they treat their employees, with 68% of candidates holding this view. Therefore, a company’s reputation for treating its employees is also crucial, as 63% of candidates would not apply to a company with a poor reputation in this regard.

A negative candidate experience can also change a candidate’s perception of a company they once liked, with 83% of candidates indicating this. Moreover, candidates are likely to tell others about their negative experience, with 72% of candidates doing so. A negative candidate experience can also have an impact beyond the recruitment process, as 40% of candidates will not buy products or services from a company after a negative candidate experience. Conversely, 46% of candidates are more likely to buy a company’s products or services if they had a positive candidate experience.

Candidates’ Expectations for Candidate Experience

Candidates have specific expectations regarding the candidate experience. For instance, 75% of candidates expect to hear back from a company within two weeks of applying, while 56% of candidates expect to receive feedback on their application. Additionally, 72% of candidates prefer to apply for jobs through a company’s career website, and 83% of candidates expect the application process to be mobile-optimized. Chatbots can also be an effective way to engage with candidates, with 64% of candidates indicating that they would apply for a job via a chatbot. Finally, 82% of candidates want to know the company culture before accepting a job offer.

Updating job applicants on their application status

In today’s competitive job market, candidates have the luxury of being selective. If they are unsure of their application status or feel that your organization lacks enthusiasm, they may channel their efforts towards other job opportunities. The solution is simple: maintain a steady stream of communication.

According to a Career Builder survey, 81% of job seekers believe that regular updates on their application status would significantly enhance their overall job-seeking experience. Furthermore, a Greenhouse survey found that 58% of candidates expect a response from potential employers within one week of submitting their application. Additionally, 85% of job seekers consider transparency in the hiring process to be an essential factor when choosing an employer, as per a Career Plug survey.

Based on Talent Board’s research, over half of job candidates, specifically 52%, experience a lengthy wait of three months or more before receiving a response regarding their application status. This extended waiting period can negatively impact candidate experience and potentially harm the reputation of the recruiting agency. Therefore, timely and transparent communication is crucial for ensuring a positive candidate experience and maintaining a positive reputation in the industry.

The Cost of Poor Candidate Experience

A poor candidate experience can result in a loss of business revenue, according to 72% of candidates. Companies with a poor candidate experience can also incur additional costs in terms of time and resources spent on recruitment. It’s estimated that a single bad hire can cost a company up to 30% of the employee’s first-year earnings. Moreover, the cost of lost productivity, training, and severance pay can add up to a significant amount.

Additionally, poor candidate experience can have a long-lasting impact on a company’s reputation. Candidates are more likely to share their negative experiences with others, and with the rise of social media and online review sites, this negative feedback can reach a wide audience. In fact, 55% of candidates have shared their negative experience on social media, and 72% have shared it on review sites like Glassdoor.

Harmonize with Culture and Values

It’s not always about the financial compensation when it comes to attracting top talent. Prospective employees are also keen on discovering how well your company’s mission and values align with their personal beliefs. Factors such as the demeanor of your recruitment team and staff, the overall corporate culture, and your steadfast commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion can all influence their decision to accept a job offer.

According to a LinkedIn survey, 75% of job seekers consider the reputation of an employer’s brand before submitting their application. Similarly, a survey by Career Plug found that 90% of job seekers place high importance on the work environment, while 86% value the interviewer’s experience when selecting an employer.

According to Talent Board’s findings, a significant proportion of job candidates, 25%, arrive at interviews without having received any preparation. To ensure a positive candidate experience and leave a lasting impression on clients, it is essential for recruiters to take the initiative and adequately prepare their candidates for the interview process.

The Impact of Technology on the Experience of Job Candidates

Global companies are looking to improve their recruitment processes by investing in various technologies, including video job descriptions (65%), optimizing job descriptions (55%), using text-based recruiting (48%), implementing predictive analytics (31%), and streamlining interview scheduling (29%). However, according to Talentegy’s 2019 survey, 56% of job applicants faced technical difficulties during the application process, indicating a need for improved technology and user experience. Furthermore, only 18.7% of those who experienced technical problems received assistance through online chat or feedback tools, and among them, only 52.7% found the support somewhat helpful.