candidate experience and employer branding – two sides of the same coin?

employer branding helps attract the right candidates but only a good experience ensures quality placements

candidate experience is no longer a mere hr catchphrase. it has evolved beyond just facilitating a reasonably easy and simple interview and hiring process. earlier, organisations could hold their ground on how they conduct their recruitments. today – when finding the right talent has become an uphill task – hr needs to provide potential candidates with enriching and delightful experiences to ensure better placements. and it’s not only about having advanced technology to aid the recruitment process. technology can only do so much; hr personnel need to build a more personal, human touch into the process if they are looking to on board the best talent that can eventually help the organisation grow. 

whose job is it anyway?

systematic on boarding of experienced and skilled talent is a shared responsibility jointly owned by the talent acquisition, talent management, and hiring team. while each has a distinct role to play, providing a superior and consistent candidate experience should be at the forefront of all on boarding activities. then again, hr needs to ensure that the candidate experience does not surpass the actual job experience as this can lead to employee dissatisfaction eventually resulting in bad perceptions about the brand. 

how can hr ensure delightful candidate experiences?

attracting and retaining skilled talent is the primary objective of any structured recruitment initiative and hr professionals should understand that a superior candidate experience can directly translate to an enhanced employee experience, which in turn can augment the organisation’s brand appeal. 

create channels of clear and open communication: communication is key to creating an atmosphere of transparency between the employer brand and potential candidates. clearly highlighting the work environment and culture, business policies, objectives, and vision of the organisation will help candidates understand more about the brand and their specific role in working towards achieving primary business objectives. 

build interpersonal relationships: technology is an enabler in the recruitment process; however it should never replace interpersonal, human touch. an organisation may consider making recruitments through the phone or through their website, but this initial stage should always be accompanied by a personal acknowledgement of acceptance of the candidate’s interest in the organisation. this will boost the confidence and morale of candidates applying for the job and project the organisation as a candidate friendly, best place to work.

promise only what’s on offer: sometimes hiring managers tend to get overwhelmed with the quality of talent available at their disposal and make promises that are later difficult to keep. this is a big deal breaker especially in the case of senior level recruitments. the brand has to live up to its projected image in the market and present a clear picture to potential candidates of what they are getting into. maintaining transparency at all levels is essential to build a successful connect at the hiring stage that will eventually lead to more loyal ambassadors for the employer brand. 



candidate experience is directly linked to employee experience and the employer brand. a good employer brand will attract skilled talent; a rich candidate experience at the time of recruitment will lead to a great employee experience; and this in turn will further enhance the employer brand by creating internal brand loyalists who will promote positive brand perceptions on all channels of communication.