How important do you think it is for candidates to trust you as a hiring manager? Have you ever stopped to think about it? Candidates dedicate a great deal of time and effort into finding jobs. While every candidate’s circumstances are different, there are some who treat looking for a job like a full time, 40-hour a week mission. 

What are 5 ways to build trust with a candidate?

With this in mind, candidates should be able to trust in several things when it comes to your organization. All of these factors contribute to a more positive candidate experience which in turn increases your hiring success. They include:

1. They need to trust that you will treat their information as secure.
2. They need to know that you will respond to their application in a timely manner.
3. They need to know that you will respect their time as you invite them for interviews and other aspects of the hiring process.
4. They need to know that they can trust being themselves when they do meet you.
5. They need to know you will be honest and keep them informed of the process and outcome.

Why does the candidate experience matter so much?

The impression that your organization makes in the earliest moments in the candidate experience have a lasting impact on them. If it’s positive, your organization stands a chance of hiring the top talent. If it’s negative, you can say goodbye to the best talent. And not only that — they will share this experience with others. CareerArc research showed that, “72% of job seekers that had a bad candidate experience told others about it, either online or in-person.”

Just one negative review can be damaging to the reputation of a company, creating havoc on future hiring efforts. The job market is highly transparent, with company review sites popping up everywhere, and social media sharing at an all time high. A survey from Software Advice revealed that,”63% of job seekers will likely reject a job offer because of a bad candidate experience.” Your company cannot take a chance on a bad candidate experience as it’s very damaging to your employer brand.

Pro-tip: Shake up your candidate experience with these strategies

The benefits of building rapport and a positive candidate experience

There are many benefits of creating a positive experience, starting with building rapport with candidates. It’s important to establish a connection with talent from day one, so they feel like they can see themselves working for your organization. This rapport can be developed by treating candidates with respect and taking an interest in their professional background or skills. Show candidates that this is what they can expect from their future career experience too. If they get a glimpse of your corporate culture through the way you treat them, they are likely to consider your company over the competition.

How to establish trust in the interviewing process

Trust between your company and each candidate can occur in the earliest stages of the recruitment and interviewing process. Start by being open and informative about the process, so they know what will happen. Then, keep in touch with candidates via emails and text messages that update them on their status and invite them to the interview. Allow them to self-schedule to ensure they show up and demonstrate respect for their time. During the interview, inform candidates that your interviews are structured to make the most of your time with them and so they get the full picture of what the company has to offer. After the interview, thank them and let the candidate know what to expect next — then deliver on your promises.

Read more: If candidates are turning down your job offer, it might be because of one of these 8 reasons

Using technology to maintain trust and rapport with candidates

Post-interview, make use of recruiting technology like emails and chatbots to keep in touch with candidates, answer any simple follow up questions, and maintain regular updates. Be transparent about everything. This includes when the company has concluded interviews, if the company has chosen someone else, and if the candidate is being considered for another position. What most candidates need is either a job offer or solid closure. Be willing to be honest and deliver both the bad and the good news, but do so with understanding of the candidates’ perspective.

Remember, candidates are people who have a lot happening in their lives. They worry about a lot of things, from resumes to applications, but hope for the best. If you can demonstrate that you care about their efforts and see how they could become part of the fabric of your company, you’ll go a long way in establishing trust. And if that candidates gets multiple offers, that trust might go a long way in swaying their decision in your favour.