In 2025, creating a positive candidate experience isn't just a nice-to-have - it's a necessity if you want to attract and onboard top talent.
A poor candidate experience can harm your employer's brand. At the same time, a great one can give you a competitive edge in attracting top talent.
Below are seven proven ways to improve candidate experience with accurate data and actionable steps.
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Let's dive in.
1. Are Your Job Descriptions Clear and Accurate?
In recruitment, we always need to wear the applicant's shoes and imagine the frustration when job descriptions don't explain or match the actual role.
This instantly leads to a poor experience and, often, early turnover. In fact, LinkedIn's 2024 report found that 36% of candidates turned down roles after discovering discrepancies in job descriptions (LinkedIn).
How to instantly improve your job descriptions:
- Write clear, accurate job descriptions that reflect the actual responsibilities and company culture and avoid generic job descriptions. Specify the skills, experience, and expectations for the role.
- Mention any unique aspects of your company values, benefits packages, and career growth opportunities. You need to always build your employer brand.
- Avoid buzzwords unless they are real terms required for the role. If you use buzzwords, you might attract lower-quality candidates, as top talent will likely see right through them.
By setting realistic expectations and providing clear descriptions that candidates don't need to reverse engineer, you create a positive first impression and attract the right candidates from the get-go.
2. Is Your Application Process Easy?
CareerBuilder reports that 60% of job seekers abandon applications due to complexity (CareerBuilder).
A lengthy or complicated online job application process can instantly discourage potential candidates - and remember, if your job description and application process are easy, this leaves a positive impression that your company is easy to work for, too - which is vital for your Employer Brand.
How to improve your application process:
- Simplify the application form and requirements. Only ask for essential information and keep the initial steps, like employer references, simple.
- Allow candidates to apply through LinkedIn profiles or upload resumes without redundant fields or complicated steps and pages of data entry.
- Use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to streamline the application process.
An efficient application process removes candidate frustration, and it can also give you an edge over competitors who may appear clunky and outdated.
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3. Are You Consistently Communicating with Candidates?
Communication gaps lead to candidate anxiety, and top candidates applying for more roles can give widely negative impressions of your company.
A 2024 survey by Glassdoor revealed that 58% of candidates expect updates within one week of interviews (Glassdoor).
But if you were to ask us, try to respond on the same day, even if it's just a "thank you kindly, we're now scheduling time to look at your application" style message.
How to improve your candidate communications:
- Set clear expectations on when candidates will hear back at each stage. You can also use tools like Vouch, which make communications a lot more personal and can help you secure top talent.
- Send regular updates that are personalized to make your candidates feel more human. There's nothing worse than a bulk email with a no-reply address.
- Maintain consistent communication through the recruiting process, even with unsuccessful candidates, to leave a positive impression and build your future talent pool.
Transparent communication shows respect for candidates and keeps them engaged throughout the hiring journey.
4. Are You Providing Constructive Feedback?
When it comes to recruitment candidate experience and your employer brand, candidates who receive no feedback are less likely to consider your company for future opportunities.
Talent Board found that 70% of candidates would reapply if they received helpful feedback after interviews (Talent Board).
How to improve your feedback loops:
- Offer honest feedback to both successful and unsuccessful candidates, and consider using a video tool like Vouch to send more personal messages than just an email. This alone will do wonders for your employer branding.
- Focus on constructive points that can help them in future applications. The kind of candidates that you want to reapply are those who always want to improve.
- Encourage qualified candidates to apply for other future openings.
Feedback is a powerful tool to build goodwill and maintain a strong talent pool for future roles - just keep in mind that email or text will only get your message so far.
Be sure to use Video to create a personal connection, create a positive experience, and help build your future talent pool.
5. How Empathetic Is Your Interview Process?
A poor interviewing experience, whether due to unprepared interviewers or lengthy interview stages, can quickly lead to negative reviews and lower-than-expected acceptance rates.
According to IBM, 80% of candidates base their decision to accept a job offer on their interview experience (IBM).
How to improve your interviewing process:
- Train interviewers to be respectful of candidates' time and to come prepared. This is also where recruitment enablement comes into play, helping to educate and prep your TA and recruitment teams.
- Minimize unnecessary interview stages to avoid a lengthy hiring process. This will also help you, onboard candidates, before your competitors beat you to top talent.
- Schedule interviews thoughtfully, paying attention to the candidate's time zones to avoid last-minute cancellations.
A positive interview experience shows candidates you value their time and effort, making them more likely to accept an offer if you extend one.
6. Are You Actively Measuring Candidate Experience?
The problem without data is that it's hard to know where your recruitment process might be falling short.
Lever's 2024 survey showed that companies with a high Candidate Net Promoter Score (CNPS) see 30% higher re-application rates (Lever).
Here's how to improve your candidate experience in 2025:
- Use candidate experience surveys, including through Video, to collect feedback on each stage of the hiring process.
- Track vital recruitment metrics like Candidate Net Promoter Score (CNPS), application completion rates, and feedback on communication quality.
- Regularly analyze candidate and public feedback to make data-driven improvements to the recruitment process.
Measuring candidate experience helps you identify areas of improvement, making your recruitment process more efficient and enjoyable.
7. Are You Aligning Your Recruitment Processes with Your Company Culture
The problem: If the recruitment experience doesn't reflect your company's culture and values, candidates may feel misled.
This mismatch can lead to dissatisfaction and early turnover among new hires.
How to improve your recruitment and company culture alignment:
- Infuse company culture into your job descriptions, interviews, and all candidate interactions.
- Encourage current employees to share testimonials about their experiences to give candidates an inside look.
- Highlight company values in your recruitment marketing to attract best-fit candidates.
When candidates understand and resonate with your company culture, they're more likely to feel like they've found a "perfect match" and accept an offer.
FAQs
Why is candidate experience important in recruitment?
It builds a strong employer brand, improves acceptance rates, and enhances the candidate pool for future roles.
How can I simplify the job application process?
Use an ATS to reduce redundant steps and only ask for essential information.
What's the best way to communicate with candidates?
Consistent, personalized communication ideally through Video, and with clear timelines always works best.
How can feedback improve candidate experience?
Constructive feedback respects the candidate's effort and encourages them to apply in the future.
Why should I measure candidate experience?
Metrics like CNPS are there to help identify strengths and weaknesses, allowing for targeted improvements.
How does company culture affect candidate experience?
A recruitment process that's closely aligned with your company culture attracts best-fit candidates and reduces turnover.
What's the impact of a negative interview experience?
A poor interview can lead to candidates rejecting offers and sharing negative reviews online - everything you need to avoid at all costs. By focusing on clear communication and respectful interactions and by writing accurate job descriptions, you can create a high-quality candidate experience that leads to hiring top talent. In today's competitive job market, a stellar candidate experience at all stages is not only a competitive edge, it's essential for long-term recruitment success.
Improve Your Recruitment Candidate Experience With Vouch Video
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Be sure to book a Vouch demo today to chat with a content expert.
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