Candidate Journey – In a Nutshell
The candidate journey encompasses all the steps prospects go through during the application process, from orientation and research to the actual application and their connection to a company. Throughout this process, the person has a variety of experiences – first as a prospect or applicant and then as an employee.
The candidate experience describes all the perceptions and experiences a candidate has with the company and its representatives during the individual steps of the recruiting process (from job search to the decision to accept or decline the job). The more positive these are, the higher the likelihood that a candidate will apply in the end.
The employee experience, on the other hand, encompasses all the perceptions and experiences employees have with a company. These experiences begin before the first day of work and extend all the way to employee retention. Here, too, positive experiences always strengthen employee retention.
The 6 steps of the candidate journey:
- 1. Orientation and Job Search
- 2. Application
- 3. Selection Process
- 4. Decision
- 5. Onboarding
- 6. Integration and Retention
Understanding the Candidate Journey – Why?
Ideally, employers make this journey as pleasant and straightforward as possible for candidates in order to increase the number of incoming applications. But that's not all. Of course, the quality of applications should improve as well. With this in mind, companies should define their applicant target group and provide the information that is relevant to them.
The best approach is to put yourself in the target group's shoes and experience your own application process from their perspective. This gives the company new insights into how the candidate journey and experience could be improved. If a company manages to make the individual steps of the candidate journey unique, simple, and informative, this has a positive effect on the candidate experience and ultimately attracts the right talent many times over:
"Congratulations, IT'S A MATCH!"
If the company also succeeds in integrating and retaining new employees through the right measures, this shapes the employee experience: a loyal employee becomes a promoter. In the war for talent, they are worth their weight in gold. But more on that later.
The 6 Steps of the Candidate Journey
Traditionally, the customer journey is divided into the following 6 steps. In each of these phases, the company comes into contact with prospects/applicants/employees, which is why they are also called touchpoints. From the company's perspective, candidates' interests must be the focus at every touchpoint. To achieve this, different things need to be implemented and considered in each phase.
1. Orientation and Job Search
The candidate journey usually begins with research across various channels – the internet is a frequently chosen source. Candidates browse job ads and gather information about potential employers. They specifically head to the largest job portals, such as StepStone and Indeed. Company career pages are also a popular destination for job seekers. Job ads in print media, however, are receiving less and less attention. Recommendations about employers from friends and acquaintances should not be underestimated in this phase. The last step of the candidate journey explains how important these company promoters are and how to win them. Job seekers also find out about open positions and employers on social (business) networks and/or at trade shows.
- Companies should make sure to communicate the requirements in their job ads clearly. Tasks, responsibilities, and required skills must be clearly stated, including easy-to-understand job titles.
- Prospects also want information about the employer, the company philosophy, its values, and its culture.
- Career advancement and professional development opportunities should also be addressed.
- Let employees have their say on your career page as well. Employee interviews are particularly effective here.
- Authentic insights into everyday work are also of interest. Short videos and photos work particularly well for this. The key is to stay authentic.
- If the company has already received employer awards or other special recognition, don't keep this information from prospects.
- Measures that support work-life balance for families must also be taken into account here.
2. Application
Have you convinced prospects of your company through simple processes and precise information? Then they are probably putting together their application documents right now to apply with you. Congratulations!
The most popular way to submit an application is via email. Candidates are also increasingly interested in applying via mobile device and one-click applications. Companies should offer all of these options.
In this phase, pay particular attention to the following:
- No technical difficulties when applying: landing pages, buttons, forms, uploads, etc. must work flawlessly
- Avoid long wait times and missing responses (e.g., confirmations of receipt)
- Having to attach a cover letter and references to the application is a nuisance for most applicants
- Application forms tend to deter potential applicants.
If employers keep these points in mind and break new ground, they can increase the number of incoming applications.
3. Selection Process
In this phase, applicants come into direct contact with a company representative – usually in assessment centers or job interviews. For the candidate experience, it is especially important to meet candidates' expectations. Applicants want to be seen and valued as individuals with individual strengths. Employers can also score points by introducing the future team during the interview and familiarizing applicants with the workplace. Companies also leave a positive lasting impression on candidates when they have informed them about the next steps in the application process.
Superficiality, unclear communication, and a lack of appreciation toward applicants, on the other hand, should be avoided.
4. Decision
The job interview took place a few days or weeks ago. Keep applicants up to date nonetheless and proactively communicate the next steps in the process – even if you already have. Communication with candidates should remain the focus in this step as well.
It's not only the company that is now assessing whether to work together. Applicants will also reflect and weigh whether the company – including its values, benefits, the actual workplace, and the tasks of the job – is right for them. The experiences gathered during the application process so far are also decisive for their decision in this phase.
To perform especially well as a potential employer, the length of the application process (from submitting the application to the offer/rejection) should not exceed six weeks. Otherwise, candidates may drop out. The shorter the intervals, the better the effect on the candidate experience.
5. Onboarding
"We've made our decision: You got the job!"
This example phrase usually marks the next step of the candidate journey. Applicants have become employees – the candidate experience becomes the employee experience.
Onboarding new employees begins before their first day of work: this includes sending the employment contract promptly. Important: the contact details of the responsible contact persons must be clearly visible, so the new hire can reach out directly with any questions. Sending brochures, guides, documents on company culture, etc. also makes it easier for employees to get started at the new company.
The first days in a new job are especially decisive for the employee experience. Employees quickly find out whether and to what extent the employer's promises from the application process are being kept and whether their own expectations can be met. Onboarding activities should aim to prepare the new hire as well as possible for their future role and tasks in the company. The following are particularly suitable:
- Mentors or buddies
- Internal training
- Explanations of workflows, tasks, and colleagues' areas of responsibility
- Conversations with managers about expectations and goals
- Fully set-up workstations on the first day
- Official welcomes
The initial period should therefore be structured and informative. But for the first days to be pleasant on a personal level as well, new colleagues need to be friendly and helpful. The new hire will certainly ask a lot of questions and won't understand everything right away – that's normal. This is exactly where the employee experience can be positively influenced by offering help.
Unfriendliness and lack of preparation are an absolute no-go!
6. Integration and Retention
The period of up to one year after the application and onboarding process is decisive in turning the new hire into a loyal employee. To make this happen, employers should enable ongoing dialogue and participation in what's happening at the company. This happens when:
- regular feedback meetings are held.
- the company's strategy and goals are clearly communicated.
- employees have the opportunity to contribute their ideas to the job.
- responsibilities are delegated.
- professional development opportunities are offered so employees can develop their skills.
- advancement and career opportunities exist.
Employees should also be shown appreciation, e.g., for outstanding performance. This also increases employee motivation and boosts productivity and commitment.
When such measures are implemented sustainably, the employee experience is shaped positively: the new hire becomes a loyal employee and a promoter.
Remember that these promoters have a particular influence on friends and acquaintances (who are looking for jobs). And in general, such advocates serve as an authentic voice for a company. For a strong employer brand and in the battle for qualified talent, they are a powerful weapon.
Conclusion
The candidate journey describes the entire process a person goes through when looking for a job, applying to a company, and then becoming a loyal employee. Along this journey, the candidate goes through several steps. Employers should make sure each one is as pleasant as possible. To do so, they first need to put themselves in the shoes of their applicant target group and think through the journey from the applicant's perspective. For each touchpoint, there are various dos and don'ts that are decisive in designing the candidate journey.
The bottom line: Only those who understand the candidate journey can take the right measures to improve the candidate experience and the employee experience that follows. If these experiences are positive in the long term, a company can turn a job seeker into a loyal employee.
Source:
metaHR, CANDIDATE JOURNEY STUDY 2017, URL: https://www.metahr.de/wp-content/uploads/Candidate_Journey_Studie_2017.pdf, last accessed: April 11, 2019