9 things that are important to candidates right now

9 things that are important to candidates right now

One of the ways to connect with the ideal candidates for your organisation is to know what they’re looking for. Without this essential information, you might be missing the mark with your adverts, your selection process and your interviews could be angled towards the wrong candidates instead of the right ones.

So here’s our list of the top things we believe candidates are looking for at the moment – why not match it against your current process to see if you’re hitting the mark?

In your recruitment advert

• State the salary: candidates bypass job ads where the salary isn’t clear. They often feel it’s a waste of their time to go through the application, only to discover down the line that the salary isn’t right. Increasingly, stating a salary range will help to attract the right candidates for your role.
  
• Mention working environment: if you are offering remote or hybrid working, make sure it’s on your advert. This is a big thing for candidates now, so you may be able to gain a competitive advantage by being upfront about the options you provide.
• Clear application process: candidates get frustrated if the application process is unnecessarily difficult. Many won’t complete the process, meaning you could lose out on good candidates.

In your selection process

• How do recruiters represent you? the initial contact with your recruitment company is the first impression that your candidate will get about your business. Candidates want to get a good feel for your organisation so that they know whether they want to progress, so make sure that you work closely with your recruiters to get this stage right.
  
• Be clear about the role: There’s only so much you can put in a recruitment advert, so the early stages of the selection process is where you can be clear about the role, responsibilities, the team, your culture and more. The more you share early on, the more likely candidates are to rule themselves in or out – and that can help you find the right person faster.

In your interviews

• Smooth process: candidates form an impression about your business from the interview process. So clear communication about what’s needed, along with a smooth and positive approach on the day will put candidates at their ease – and they feel that’s important for them to make the most impact.
  
• More than an interview: candidates are becoming used to interviews being more than a panel. If you’re in the office, a tour and meeting other members of the team helps candidates get a better feel for your organisation – and you’ll also gain from additional feedback from the people they meet.

After the interview

• Quick decisions: candidates are usually in the running for several positions at once, so the sooner you can make the decision the better. This applies to second and third interviews as well, so make sure your process is designed to keep things moving – or a candidate may well take another role before you get to them.
  
• Consider feedback: this will depend on the type of role and the number of people you’ve seen, but offering feedback is important to candidates, and can also be good for your wider brand reputation.

By matching some of these common candidate needs, you’ll streamline your recruitment process and attract the best candidates. By working with us to manage the initial advertising and selection process, you can be confident that we represent your business and culture accurately and professionally, helping to drive the right candidates to your door.