Your Candidates Are Customers Too
Here’s something many businesses don’t think about:
The person sitting across from you in an interview may have another relationship with your company someday.
- They could become a customer.
- A referral source.
- A future employee.
- A business connection.
Or they may simply tell someone else about their experience with your company. That’s why the candidate experience matters long after the hiring decision. But there’s an important distinction. We shouldn’t treat candidates well because we’re worried they might become customers. We should treat them well because they gave us something valuable: their time.
The potential business relationship is simply another reason the experience matters. Every interaction communicates something about your organization. A delayed response says something. A disorganized interview says something. Silence after an interview says something. So does a thoughtful phone call, clear communication, and genuine respect. You don’t get to control whether someone accepts an offer. But you do control the experience you create.
Every candidate leaves your hiring process with an impression of your company.
What impression are you leaving behind?
