The Lasting Impact of Exceptional Candidate Experiences

An intentional, focused candidate experience allows organizations to communicate role expectations and confirm that a candidate’s skills and interests align with the role. Recently hired employees who report having an exceptional candidate experience are twice as likely to strongly agree that their job responsibilities are consistent with what was promised during recruitment and 2.7 times as likely to say that their job is “as good as” or “better than” they expected it would be.

Strong candidate experiences also have a positive connection with long-term employee experiences and satisfaction. Among employees who have moved to a new job in the last five years, those with an exceptional candidate experience at their current company are 3.2 times as likely to strongly agree they are connected to their organization’s culture and three times as likely to be extremely satisfied with their work.

Candidates Choose Organizations That Treat Them Well

When employees accept an employment offer with a new organization, it is more often than not preceded by a strong candidate experience. Gallup finds that among employees hired in the last year, two in three reported that the candidate experience they had with their current company was “exceptional” (27%) or “very good” (39%).

Relatively few employees describe the candidate experience as “acceptable” (10%) or “poor” (2%) — employees are less likely to accept an offer from an organization that provides lackluster experiences. To maintain a strong talent pipeline, it is essential that organizations meet or exceed candidate expectations throughout the recruitment process.

The Key Components of an Exceptional Candidate Experience

To identify the meaningful components of the candidate experience, Gallup studied what aspects of the candidate experience, other than pay, had the greatest influence on new hires’ decisions to accept an offer with their current company.

Interviews with hiring managers and other key stakeholders remain the most pivotal part of the hiring process for many candidates. Employers can put their best foot forward by approaching the interviews with structure and intention, treating candidates with respect and courtesy, and using interviews to highlight their culture and the value they provide to employees.

Through interviews and other interactions with the hiring team, candidates consistently evaluate an organization’s culture. By providing an accurate, transparent preview of what it’s like to work in their organization, hiring teams allow candidates to confirm that the organization is a good fit. To grow the number of accepted employment offers, organizations may highlight opportunities for a candidate to develop positive relationships, learn and grow, and contribute to mission-based work.

Candidates have increasingly highlighted the time between applying and receiving an offer as a crucial part of the recruiting process and a key factor in how they perceive organizations. In 2023, 25% of employees indicated turnaround time had the greatest influence (aside from pay) on their decision to accept an offer, up from 22% in 2022. Organizations that progress candidates through the recruiting process with efficiency communicate respect for a candidate’s time and efforts. When organizations fail to make timely decisions, they lose momentum, allow a candidate’s excitement about a role to wane, and allow more time for candidates to explore other opportunities.

Talent acquisition and recruitment teams often focus on the materials and information they provide a candidate. Gallup research finds that providing clear information about a role helps to drive applications and set clear expectations for candidates, but the experiences a candidate has with the hiring team are often paramount in their decision to accept a job offer.

Make the Most Out of Candidate Interactions

Organizations stand out when they offer a robust and consistent candidate experience that effectively communicates expectations and illustrates their value to employees. Leaders must assess their employee value proposition and cultural previews to ensure they are aligned with what their candidates are seeking in a job and embed those elements in their recruiting practices. Organizations optimize the candidate experience when they make efficient use of candidates’ time, create meaningful moments during interviews, and provide transparent and exciting previews of their culture.