Candidate experience is important for talent management because top talent typically has multiple opportunities at any given time. In the quest to get top talent to say “yes” to your company and “no” to another, it’s important to provide a positive and welcoming candidate experience. Effective talent management includes crafting great candidate experiences. Here, then, are some steps you can take to improve your candidate experience. 1. Invest in first impressions. The quality of your first impression will determine whether top talent will even take another look at your company when a job opens up. First impressions can come through an employer-branded website, social media pages, or an email newsletter. They can also come through in-person networking at conferences, training sessions, or fundraising events. Any time your company comes into contact with potential employees or the public, it needs to be aware that top talent could be watching. 2. Build relationships before hiring needs arise. Social media probably offers the best opportunities to do this, but a variety of methods (even handing out your card at networking events) will yield the best overall results. When you have lots of professional relationships with others in your industry, you will have a talent pool on which to draw when you have a hiring need, and you may be able to fill an open position faster and with a more preferred candidate than if you are starting from square one. eBook: Using Social Media for Executive Search – Learn how to leverage social media in your executive search process more effectively. 3. Make your application process candidate-friendly. Many good candidates abandon job applications without completing them if they are too time-consuming or complex. The initial application should be short and simple; you can always collect more information later in the process. In addition, chatbots can offer help if applicants seem stuck, and hiring managers can reach out via email to offer help when an a candidate abandons an application. These assists will increase the candidate pool and keep the search process moving along. 4. Be organized but friendly during the interview process. Candidates will typically appreciate a well-thought-out interview process, but they often feel more welcomed by a friendly process, such as conducting an interview over dinner or a meet-the-team reception before the sit-down begins. More informal interactions will give candidates some sense of the corporate culture, which can help them make an informed decision about how they might fit in with your company. 5. Keep candidates updated throughout the hiring process. It is bad form to keep people waiting weeks or months to find out whether they will be hired, so set a time frame for each decision and stick to it if you do not want candidates to get discouraged and move on. Software like ThriveTRM can keep candidates in the loop about each step in the process with electronic notifications and a way to log in to see updates. Communicating is important in keeping candidate interest high and ultimately finding the best person for a position. Schedule a demo and see how ThriveTRM software can improve your candidate experience as you search for top talent.