Creating the consummate candidate experience

As attracting and engaging with top talent becomes increasingly competitive, successful candidate care strategies are more important than ever.

Mark Pearce, Development Manager at Fircroft, and Amy Rosenblum, manager at Aston Carter, share their top tips to keep you ahead in providing the consummate candidate experience.

“When you contact someone on social media it has to be directly relevant to them,” says Pearce. “Candidates want to know what’s in it for them, not general information about a company. “I approached nine people during a recent campaign – seven came back. Focus on your conversion rate not big numbers.” “I advise my team to start macro and work micro,” says Rosenblum. “I will zero in on a company and then do an advanced search within that organisation to find individual candidates who are a good fit. This approach has a massive return on investment.”

“Most recruiters say they will give someone a call if something comes up,” says Pearce. “If you’re a specialist, you should be able to go to market and place that person very quickly. Otherwise, be honest and tell them.”

“Once you’ve placed a candidate, you should be in touch at the end of the first day, the end of the first week, and every month for the duration of their contract,” says Rosenblum. “Don’t place and forget. Recruitment is a relationships business, and our product is people.”

“Most junior recruiters believe, ‘I’ve done the phone interview, met the person, completed a reference and now the client wants to interview them; my work is done’ - but this is where the concentrated effort should begin,” says Rosenblum. “Preparation for the interview is crucial. I like to walk candidates through the upcoming interview process in detail and offer insights into the business as well as the culture. The SOAR model should be introduced to help answer behavioural questions. This is your opportunity to shine and show you’re a true business partner, not just a transactional service.”

“If a client says a candidate is not a good fit, talk at length using open-ended questions to identify why,” says Rosenblum. "Feedback should be provided to candidates within 1-2 business days. The focus should be on honest and professional advice using specific examples. “Ultimately, this feedback should help them improve for their next interview.”

“Good recruiters are curious recruiters, but curiosity is a dying art,” says Pearce. “Ask questions and learn everything you can about your industry, even if it doesn’t come naturally. How can we help anyone if we aren’t able to ask the right questions? “At the heart of recruitment lies relationships,” says Rosenblum. Your candidates become your clients and vice-a-versa. You’ve got to 'roll out the red carpet' for each and every interaction and come from a genuine place. In return, you’ll receive invaluable insights across the market and landscape.” Did you know that 65% of New Zealand candidates have never used a recruiter? Learn more in our What candidates really think about recruiters infographic.