Employer Branding: Candidate Experience Matters

Recently, one of our senior recruiters had an extremely positive experience with a candidate.

A candidate who didn’t get the job he had applied for. A candidate who had been rejected.

Rejection is never a comfortable experience and can take a toll on anyone.

However, the outcome of this particular interview had been nothing but positive.

The candidate told our senior recruiter that although he had not received a job offer, he considered the interview and the interview situation the best he had ever experienced.

And it had everyone on our team excited.

A big win-win situation for everyone

Why is the interview experience so important, you might ask?

A positive interview experience is important for your company.

It signals to potential candidates that they can expect to be treated professionally from the beginning.

If a candidate’s first experience with your company is a poorly prepared interview situation, chances are they won’t be very intrigued.

That’s why employer branding is so important; it shows candidates that they are a priority and that your company is a great place to be employed.

But first: What is Employer Branding?

Employer Branding is the complete image a company has – how potential applicants and talents see a company as a workplace. It’s a way to position your company as the ultimate choice of employer.

Employer Branding means deliberately establishing company work culture and values towards the outside so they reflect both current and ideal potential candidates’ point-of-views.

It is both difficult and complicated to create a strong, positive, and authentic employer brand. But it is worth it.

4 reasons why employer branding is important

Not convinced employer branding is the way to go? Let us guide you.

We have identified five reasons why employer branding is so important for your company to more easily recruit new employees that fit perfectly into your company and its culture.

1: It’s cheaper in the long run

LinkedIn research shows that companies with a strong employer brand spend nearly half as much on cost per hire as companies with a weak employer brand.

Investing in employer branding means potential candidates might consider you more greatly. Bad employer branding, on the other hand, could lead to losing both current as well as potential candidates.

2: You give a great first-hand impression

The difference between a candidate and a current employee isn’t that big.

And given the choice, who do you think the candidate will choose – the company with aligning values and a comfortable job interview, or the company with neither?

A cohesive employer brand and a great job interview experience will make sure your candidates have the optimal point-of-view from the start.

3: Make use of already existing marketing power

One of the main conveyors of knowledge about a company’s work culture is former and current employees. Your current and former employees’ opinions hold a lot of value to potential candidates.

The point behind this is twofold: it’s important to keep your current employees happy, thereby maintaining a positive internal employer branding that also can be applied externally for branding activities.

Think of it as corporate karma: When your current employees share their positive work experiences both in person and on social media, it all comes back to you.

4: Improve current employee engagement and satisfaction

Shifting to a company brand with a focus on the employees and workplace culture, prioritizing and engaging employees becomes a very prominent and important part of your company culture.

And intentionally doing that turns into an increase in employee productivity and thus profit. Engaged and satisfied employees work more efficiently.

When you invest in your current employees and their satisfaction, it results in a low turnover. And a low turnover means easier attraction of potential candidates for expanding or new positions.

Why was it “the best interview situation the candidate had ever experienced”?

So, let’s dial it back a few steps. Why was it such a great experience?

When asked to explain her approach and what she had done in the specific interview, our recruiter said the following golden words:

“The purpose of a job interview is to find out if a candidate is qualified, motivated, and experienced to perform in the given role.

The interview approach needs to be structured, not mechanical. You should have a certain range of questions that need to be answered, but give space and time to the candidate to do so. “

That sounds simple as ABC. But in reality, these principles can be pretty difficult to apply.

Example: How to make your candidate content in an interview situation

Want to know, if a candidate is an excellent decision-maker?

First, you must not simply ask: “Are you a good decision-maker?”.

Instead, you can make the candidate describe work situations, behavior, and improvement efforts. This will allow you as a recruiter – and the hiring manager – to get a fuller picture of the candidate’s experiences, actions, and reflections.

Instead, you can ask:

“Have you ever had to make difficult decisions?”
“Describe a situation”
“What made the decision difficult?”
“How did you prepare before taking the decision?”
“What was the outcome?”
“What did you learn?”

It’s a simple step that, granted, takes some practice but will help ensure a good-quality interview and improve your employer branding by making the candidate feel seen, heard, and considered more than merely a worker – rather a candidate.

Think interviewing is difficult? Let us help you out

Often underestimated, interviewing is a discipline that often gets far less attention than it should. It’s difficult, time-consuming, and demands certain knowledge for it to be fruitful.

If you find interviewing challenging, you’re not alone. And it’s exactly our purpose at SlaterConsult – to make sure you find the best candidates for your company in the most optimal way.

Contact us today and let us help you with your recruiting process – we’ve got the skills and experience to assist you in finding the right fit.