How to measure candidate experience at each stage
What is not measured cannot be improved, they say, and candidate experience has never been more important.
Measuring at each stage of the candidate experience is crucial if you want to correctly identify the holes in which your candidates are falling through in your process.
Pre-Application
Website User Experience Analytics: Tools like Google Analytics and heatmap software on your careers site can provide insights into the candidates user experience - how long they spend on different pages, and whether they find the information they're looking for. High bounce rates or short visit durations on crucial pages can indicate issues.
Social Listening: Monitor social media platforms and employee review platforms (Glassdoor, Indeed etc) for mentions, comments, and reviews related to your organisation's employer brand. Pay attention to what people are saying about your company as an employer and how they perceive your recruitment process.
Eyes on the Competition: Compare your career website and pre-application experience with those of your competitors. What they do well and where do they fall short? Use this information to improve your own processes.
The Application Process
Application Completion Rate: Measure the percentage of candidates who start and complete the application process. A high dropout rate could indicate issues with the application form or a cumbersome process.
Time to Complete: Assess the average time candidates take to complete the application. Lengthy or complex applications may discourage applicants.
Mobile Optimisation Metrics: If your application process is accessible via mobile devices (which it should be), monitor how well it functions on different screen sizes. High bounce rates or low completion rates on mobile may indicate issues with mobile optimisation.
Comms and Pre-Screening
Response Time: Measure the time it takes for recruiters or hiring managers to respond to candidate inquiries or application submissions. A prompt response demonstrates attentiveness and respect for candidates.
Automated Communication Metrics: If you use automated email templates or chatbots, monitor the open rates, click-through rates, and response rates for these communications. Analyse which templates are most effective.
Satisfaction Surveys: Send short surveys to candidates after the pre-screening stage to gather feedback on their experience and assess their satisfaction level.
Interview Confirmation and Scheduling Metrics: Measure the efficiency of interview scheduling and confirmation processes. Calculate the percentage of candidates who confirm interviews, and monitor any scheduling conflicts or rescheduling instances.
Candidate Portal Usage: If you offer a candidate portal where applicants can check their application status, track how frequently candidates log in and access information. High engagement indicates effective communication.
Candidate Net Promoter Score (NPS): Calculate the Candidate NPS by asking candidates the likelihood of recommending the company to others based on their overall experience. This provides a standardised metric for gauging candidate satisfaction and loyalty.
Interviews
Interview Feedback: Gather feedback from candidates about their interview experience, including the structure, clarity of questions, and overall satisfaction.
Interviewer Ratings: Ask candidates to rate their interviewers based on factors such as preparedness, professionalism, and communication skills.
Diversity and Inclusion Metrics: Track diversity statistics to ensure a fair and inclusive interview process, such as ensuring diverse interview panels, addressing potential biases, and tracking feedback on candidate diversity and inclusion experiences.
Assessment and Testing
Assessment Completion Rate: Measure the percentage of candidates who complete the required assessments or tests. A low completion rate may indicate issues with the format, difficulty level, or relevance of the assessments.
Candidate Performance: Evaluate candidates' performance in assessments or tests to assess the effectiveness of the evaluation process.
Post-Interview and Offer Stage
Offer Acceptance Rate: Measure the percentage of candidates who accept the job offer. A low acceptance rate could indicate dissatisfaction or issues with the offer terms.
Post-Interview Surveys: Send surveys to candidates who reach the interview or offer stage to gather detailed feedback on their overall experience, including their impressions of the company, interviewers, and the recruitment process.
By measuring candidate experience at every stage, you can identify areas for improvement, enhance the overall hiring process, and create a more positive impression of your organisation.
