12 statistics to help you meet candidate expectations

April 12, 2022

 

iCIMS Staff

6 min read

There’s a new race to attract top talent. Job seekers have more power than ever to choose their employer so TA teams need to work smarter to stand out. But what do candidates actually expect from your hiring process and is it worth the investment?  

According to a 2021 study, 58% of job seekers declined a job offer due to poor experience. That’s over half your candidates, recruiter’s time, and budget washed down the drain. On the flip side, 80% of candidates surveyed said a positive experience influenced their decision to accept an offer.  

What impact could this have on your bottom line? Talent Board’s Candidate Experience Resentment Calculator can help you estimate the potential revenue lost from job seekers that take their business elsewhere due to a bad experience.  

In a highly-competitive talent market, your team needs every advantage possible to secure top talent. These statistics will help you understand how to align your hiring process with candidate expectations so you can fill open roles with the right talent, fast.   

Transformation requires people, process and technology. Learn how an ATS can improve your candidate experience.  

Align with culture and values 

It’s not always about the money. Candidates want to know what it’s like to work for your company and align your mission to their personal values. Interactions with recruiters and employees, company culture, and your commitment to DEI can all play a factor in their decision to accept your offer.  

1. 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying for a job. (LinkedIn) 
2. When asked to rate the factors that are “important” or “very important” when choosing an employer, 90% of job seekers selected atmosphere of the workplace and 86% selected interviewer experience. (CareerPlug) 
3. When it comes to evaluating your commitment to DEI, 49% of candidates consider benefits like remote/flexible work arrangements, coverage for gender affirmation treatments, etc. (Greenhouse) 

Deliver seamless, consumer-like experiences 

Most candidates want a quick, frictionless process like they experience with their favorite consumer brands. Talent leaders should test their hiring process firsthand to identify areas where accessibility, automation, and personalization can be included.   

4. Only 1 in 3 employers have applied to one of their companies’ jobs and just 46% report a “very good” experience. (Career Builder) 
5. Just over 60% of job applications in 2020 were completed on mobile devices. This represents a 21% increase in mobile apply rates compared with 2019. (Appcast) 
6. In a survey of Fortune 500 companies, 91% of career sites did not present job recommendations based on a candidate’s profile and 89% did not have an intuitive job search and apply process requiring less than three clicks to apply. (Phenom) 

Keep candidates in the loop  

In this candidate-driven market, job seekers can afford to be selective. If they don’t know where they stand in your hiring process, or feel you’re not that interested, they will likely spend more of their effort pursuing other job opportunities. The solution here is simple: communicate, communicate, communicate.  

7. 81% of job seekers say continuous status updates would greatly improve their overall experience. (Career Builder) 
8. 58% of candidates expect to hear back from companies in one week or less regarding their initial application. (Greenhouse) 
9. 85% of job seekers rated hiring process transparency as an “important” or “very important” factor when choosing an employer. (CareerPlug) 

Consider the entire experience 

Candidates expect a great experience from their very first touchpoint to their first day on the job. Leverage an onboarding portal that makes it easy for candidates to complete required tasks and prepare for their first day.   

10. 40% of job seekers experience a lack of communication between acceptance and their first day. (Career Builder) 
11. About half (46%) of new hires said they received calls from their hiring manager prior to their start date — and 49% of candidates who rated their new hire experience five stars said they received a call like this. (LinkedIn) 
12. Employees who strongly agree they have a clear plan for their professional development are 3.5 times more likely to strongly agree that their onboarding process was exceptional. (Gallup) 

Transform your candidate experience  

To meet candidate expectations, you need the right people, process, and technology. Learn how an applicant tracking system can improve your candidate experience.