How a Bad Candidate Experience Can Cost Recruitment Agencies

Good manners are free but a poor customer service will cost your agency dear.
Reputation is a truly valuable commodity for recruiters which is why negative press brought on by an avoidably poor candidate experience, can tarnish an agency and lose you future business.
In a recent survey by Shortlister.com, 80% of candidates who experience an unsatisfactory recruitment process revealed that they openly tell people about their experience, with a third proactively doing so.
Social media now acts as a shopfront for disgruntled customers to very publicly plaster their experiences with an agency on, and according to visual content marketers Visual.ly, 70% of candidates take to social networks with their gripes.
Alternatively, a good candidate experience is one of the best forms of free marketing you have available to you, as word of mouth referrals and a glowing reputation will drive traffic to your agency equally as much as complainants will bat it away.
So what makes a good candidate experience?
The right role for the right candidate
Time is valuable in business which is why nobody wants to waste their time chasing a role that is either not suitable to them or they’re not qualified for, and the last thing a candidate wants to experience is finding this out later rather than sooner.
Clearly define the role your advertising so that candidates are clear on the necessary qualities they need and whether they are the right fit – this also means recruiters vetting processes need to be thorough from the start.
Simple application process
A drawn out ten page form where the answer to one question is dangerously similar to another, and all comes to a loss when it refuses to submit on the last page, is going to infuriate candidates. Keep it simple and keep it relevant.
Maintain the lines of communication
No news is certainly not good news, which is why a candidate will thank-you for regular feedback on how the process is going. If a candidate does not get the role then make sure you don’t leave them in the dark over the outcome, as they could be better dedicating their time searching for another role.
Follow-up and feedback
Taking the time to feedback on the recruitment process, regardless of whether a candidate gets the role or not, it will allow recruiters to better tailor their candidate experience moving forward.

About:
Peter O'Donnell is responsible for Business Development for Sonovate, contract finance provider for recruitment agencies placing contractors, that was set-up by recruiters for recruitment. It guarantees 100% weekly profit with the technology to eliminate the administration of running contractors.