Defining the Candidate Experience: From Myth to Mastery and Why it Matters Presented by Gerry Chrispin, Founder -The TalentBoard What would it mean if candidates and employers were “equals” when it comes to sharing information about themselves during the business process we call recruiting? Would it change how you present yourself as a desirable company to work for? Would you be compelled to tell the truth about the pay, the challenges, the previous incumbent…and more..before a prospect even considered applying? Would it make a difference in the quality of candidates that applied? This session will answer these questions and more as we explore how candidates are treated and what it means to the firms that do it well. For the last three years, a non-profit, TalentBoard, has conducted a six month campaign each year with dozens of volunteers to get companies to describe how they treat candidates and the candidates of these companies to describe how they were treated. The results are changing the way we think about recruiting. In 2013 more than 35,000 candidates of 90 companies detailed their experiences by completing a 40 minute survey beginning from when they began researching the firm they eventually applied to until, if they were hired, they were onboarded. (Since only 15% of the candidates were hired, we know even more about the attitudes, opinions and actions they took before, during and after their application.) Come learn about US best practices and how this evidence-based movement is spreading to the UK, Australia, New Zealand and beyond.

1. Candidate
Experience
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Gerry Crispin, sphr

2. Source: CareerXroads Candidate Experience monograph, March, 2011

3. A.) Anyone who can
possibly do the job.
B.) Anyone who expresses
interest in a specific opportunity.
What makes a person a
C.)Candidate?
Anyone qualified,
and considered.
D.) The ‘Finalists’ we interview.

4. Why do we even care?
How did I learn about you?, What prompted me to Apply?,
How was I prepped at each stage?
How were expectations set at each stage?
How were the results of each stage communicated?
Was I able to compete fairly?
Did you ask my opinion?
Did you listen?
Candidate Experience
Re-apply; Refer;
Buy; Convert; Influence
Retain; Perform
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5. by the Numbers
2013
May
46,000
Candidates
completed
surveys!
July
138
92
64
CandEs.org
Oct
The
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6. Employers
- 50% Large i.e. Fortune 500
- 25% Technology; 20% Retail; 10%
Financial
- 96% US; 4% Canadian
- 20% Hire < 100; 10% Hire > 10,000
- 31% < 10 Recruiters; 13% > 200
Recruiters
- 85 Prospects applied for each position
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7. Candidates
- 80% Were Not Hired.
- 10,000+ had a bad experience.
- 20,000+ had a good experience.
- Gender was equally divided
- Hourly-36.8%; Entry-14.7%;
Exp-30.2%;
Supv/Mgr-13.9%;
Exec-2.0%
- Millennial, 28.0%; Gen X, 39.0%
Boomer, 28.0%
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8. + Candidate Experience
2/12/2014
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9. Under Armour
Interview Prep
Genentech
Intel
2-Way Interaction
Transparency
Feedback
Intuit
Lockheed Martin
pipeline
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Training
Adidas
Enterprise
Contacts

10. Candidate:
(gender, age, job applied, how far
they got, initial connection, attitude, behavior, etc.)
Selected/Not Selected/Withdrew
-
2/12/2014
Researching
Appying
Interviewing
Not Selected
Onboarding
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©
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11. AFFINITY: 60%
of candidates
believe they have
a „relationship‟
BEFORE
Applying
COMMUNICATION: the more
aligned to candidates‟
preferences the more +:
CareerSite, LinkedIn, Facebook,
Twitter. Job Boards not in
danger of dying. Mobile
essential.
Attracting
RESEARCH:
40% of Candidates
needed to research 1-2
hours before applying.
17% more than 5.
2/12/2014
CONTENT: 80% of
Candidates are aware of
and find Job
Descriptions useful
But candidates #1 Q is
still avoided.
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12. Fewer than ½ of the candidates knew
the firm they applied to had an Employee Referral Program
8
3 ERP candidates/opening
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13. POSITIVE EXPERIENCE:
97% were satisfied
(31% extremely
satisfied) they fully
presented their SKE
TIME:
1/3 needed 16-30
minutes
1/3 needed 31-60
minutes
NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE:
35% were dis-satisfied
(9% extremely dissatisfied) that they were
able to fully present
their SKE
2/12/2014
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14. POSITIVE EXPERIENCE:
97% were satisfied
(46% extremely
satisfied) they fully
presented their SKE
60% had 1 or 2
interviews
2/3 were phone
interviewed
5% video
interviews
2/12/2014
NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE:
54% were dis-satisfied
(26% extremely dissatisfied) that they were
able to fully present
their SKE
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15. ONLY 6%
failed to get
some response
55%
Anonymous
email
25%
Recruiter
email
10%
Were called
2/12/2014
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16. “How Likely are you to APPLY AGAIN?”
62.0%
5.7%
“Extremely Likely”
“Extremely Likely”
“Definitely Not”
“Definitely Not”
0.6%
24.7%
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17. “How Likely are you to change your status as a CUSTOMER?”
38.8%
customer
“I…will increase
my purchasing power.”
30.8%
“I…will take my
Purchasing power somewhere else.”
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18. “How Likely are you to REFER someone in the future?”
I would actively encourage
others to apply
I would actively discourage
others from applying
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61.5%
encourage
5.8% I would actively apply
others to
0.5%
discourage
27.0% I would actively applying
others from

19. 82.3%
65.4%
“How Likely are you to SHARE with your Inner Circle?”
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20. 50.4%
32.0%
“How Likely are you to SHARE your experience publicly?”
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21. #1 – Build a Business Case.
#2 – Ask EVERY Candidate if
they are satisfied they’ve
shared fully their skills,
knowledge and experience.
#3 – Seek Feedback.
Especially if you aren’t
going to give it.
#4 – Set Expectations.
Publish them on the career site
#5 – Walk in their shoes.

22. http://www.theCandEs.org
http://bit.ly/2013CandE_Report
@GerryCrispin
/in/GerryCrispin
Good
Hunting!
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