Connect Through Your Virtual Candidate Experience

Connect Through Your Virtual Candidate ExperienceIts no secret that, here at Spark Hire, we love video interviews. They create a better candidate experience, give you better insight about your hiring options, and are just easier for everyone involved. But there is one thing that makes many organizations skeptical about using video interviewing in their hiring process the idea that you cant create a real connection with candidates you never meet in person.That myth stems from the fact that, even in a traditional interview, companies have a hard time reaching candidates. A 2014 Jibe survey found that 57 percent of HR professionals have a hard time keeping candidates engaged throughout the application process. And 55 percent of HR pros struggle to create a connection with candidates. Logically, if its that hard to begin to build a relationship with someone you actually meet face-to-face, it must be twice as hard to do that via a computer screen, right? Wrong.In reality, video interviews offer unique opportunities to better connect with candidates. It just takes a little bit of creativity and effort on your part to get your new hires off on the right foot. That way, they can transition smoothly into their new position at the company.So whats the key to creating a solid foundation for the employment relationship during the video interview process? Its simple create a mora human candidate experience.Job seekers need to feel and believe that theres an actual person on the other side of the screen who is reading, considering, and interested in their application. They want to get to know you just as much as you want to get to know them.Here are four ways you can surpass candidates expectations by creating a strong, real connection with them via video1. Be a person, leid an email address.In a lot of ways technology has made our lives infinitely easier. Video interviewing wouldnt even be possible without such advances. But in other ways, its also made us lazy when it come s to being actual humans.Now when job seekers apply for an open position, they get an automated response telling them that their application has been received. While the automation saves you time, it sends the signal to candidates that their employment fate is in the hands of a machine. This immediately disconnects them from the organization. If they have questions or issues with the process, there is no one for them to contact for answers. At best, they might be told to send an email to an impersonal address like infoacme.com. In fact, the number one herausforderung with the application process for many job seekers is automation. A 2015 survey by CareerBuilder found that 57 percent of job seekers feel the process is more difficult because of its lack of human contact. So ask yourself are the few minutes you save by letting the computers handle communication worth the terrible candidate experience it creates?57% of candidates say the jobsearch is hard because it lacks human contact (CareerBuilder)Click To TweetHow to do betterAdd a few personal touches here and there. Instead of sending out form emails updating candidates about their status in the application process, write individualized ones. Use their name. Reference details from their resume or list any connections they may have within the organization based on their education history. And dont forget to include your professional contact information so they can reach out if need be.In the aforementioned CareerBuilder survey, 59 percent of candidates said they had a more positive impression of the company if they received a personalized email during business hours. Just 36 percent had a better impression after getting an automated email. It also helps to put a face to the name. Consider sharing your professional headshot in your email signature or even sending out a video of you telling candidates how excited you are to review their application.In fact, you could create a video template for each stage of th e interview process. A quick Congratulations with instructions for what comes next. Have fun with the videos and include aspects of your company culture. Different videos can feature different people within the company. Anyone from the CEO to the office receptionist is a great option. Talk to candidates like you would if they were a regular employee. That way theyll have a friendly face, and not black and white text, to connect with with each step.2. Give future co-workers a face.Who we work with has a huge impact on how much we love our job. In a 2015 Virgin Pulse survey, 40 percent of employees said that their co-workers were what they loved most about their organization. That makes perfect sense considering unterstellung are the people with whom we spend the majority of our working hours.However, during the interview process, current employees are noticeably absent. In the CareerBuilder survey, just 15 percent of job seekers said theyd spent time with their future co-workers befo re they took the job offer. In some situations candidates who go through video interviews dont visit the office before theyre hired. In that case, they arent chatting with employees in the elevator. They cant see what decorations people put on their desks or get an idea for what interests everyone has in common. They dont get a complete idea of what the company culture is really like and that theyd fit in at the office.But thats only because youre not taking the opportunity to show them.How to do betterFind ways to introduce co-workers during the hiring process. One particularly easy method is to have each employee record a short introduction video. Then, depending on which department a candidate would be working with, you can send them the videos and let them get to know the workforce.Encourage employees to share more than just their position and how long theyve been with the company. Youre looking to create a clearer idea of what its like to work with behauptung people, not share the credentials on their resume. Have employees talk about their favorite pastime or what type of music they listen to while at work.Another way to get future co-workers involved in the hiring process is to create an applicant/employee buddy system. Turn to the members of your team who exemplify the company culture and values and see if theyd be interested in mentoring candidates. It doesnt have to require a lot of their time a short phone call to answer questions and give advice would be enough. The idea is simply to give them a real person to connect with. Someone they wont have to go through awkward introductions with on their first day of work. And treat this responsibility with respect the employees who decide to get involved are becoming ambassadors for your employer brand. Thank them and reward them for helping out. Something as simple as a free catered lunch for every candidate they mentor or a shorter day on Friday once in awhile are great ways to acknowledge their time.If location isnt an issue, you can go one step further and invite candidates to a company function. Whether its the weekly softball game or happy hour, gives candidates the mglichkeit to immerse themselves in the company culture and experience it first hand. And dont think the hiring team needs to be there. That way, candidates can get to know employees without feeling like their professional skills are being judged.3. Stop lurking on social media.Social media platforms have become an essential part of both the job search and the hiring process. Another 2015 CareerBuilder survey found that 52 percent of employers use social media to research candidates.52% of employers use socialmedia to vet candidates (CareerBuilder). But do you interact w/ them?Click To TweetMore and more, youre turning to candidates social media profiles to find out more about them. Youre looking beyond LinkedIn in order to create the most complete picture you can about candidates.Yet aside from sending a friend re quest in order to gain access to their profiles, recruiters and hiring managers rarely interact with candidates on social media. Essentially, youre just out there creeping on job seekers profiles, trying to not make yourself known.But job seekers know youre out there and it seems a little rude to not at least say hello.How to do betterThe point of social media is you guessed it to be social. Stop hiding in the shadows and start interacting with candidates. If they dont already, encourage them to follow you. And dont be afraid to reach out beyond LinkedIn. Twitter and Facebook have countless professional and industry groups to which your candidates probably already belong. Get in there and start posting.Also, interact with candidates posts. You dont have to retweet the cute puppy videos they like, but follow and comment on their professional content. If they share a particular industry-specific article, suggest another that they might enjoy. That way theyll know youre not just inte rested in hiring them, but also in creating a relationship.You can also create groups candidates can join that are centered around your hiring process. They can go there with questions and provide their feedback about the entire process. It also gives them a great opportunity to connect with others who are going through the same thing they are.4. Show them you care about what happens after the decision is made.If you want to create a real bond with candidates, show them you care about what happens to them once the hiring process ends. That means helping them be successful in their career. Even if that doesnt include a job at your company.Yet, for some reason, organizations dont believe theres a place for feedback in the hiring process. And its really letting candidates down. A 2015 LinkedIn survey found that 94 percent of job seekers want to receive feedback about how they did during the interview, but only 41 percent had ever gotten any. Whats worse, in many cases, candidates arent even told why they werent made an offer. In the aforementioned Jibe survey, 51 percent of job seekers expected to get some information about why they werent hired, but only 16 percent did. Basically telling them youre cutting all ties with them without any warning.How to do better Give candidates feedback. Let them know what they did right and what they could work on. Be specific, without getting too personal. For instance, dont just say a candidate wasnt a good fit. Let them know if they didnt have enough experience with the required software. And give them suggestions on how they can improve.Not only will candidates thank you for the input, but it will also keep the relationship youve built with them alive and well. In fact, the previous 2015 LinkedIn survey found that a job seeker was four times more likely to consider future employment opportunities with a company if they received feedback during their original interview process. If you do decide a candidate isnt right for that particular position, let them know youll keep them in mind for future opportunities. File away their resume with notes you learned from their original interview, and actually return to it when new openings come up. Reach out with information about similar positions. Even if theyre no longer looking for a job, theyll appreciate that you thought of them. Who knows, the gesture could be enough to woo them away to your company.Creating a connection with candidates who you only meet via video interviewing is possible. In fact, if you understand all the technology available you can even make a stronger bond than you could with a traditional interview. Its worth your while to think of ways to improve your candidate experience. After all, if you want these candidates to turn into long-term employees, its best if you set a strong foundation well before theyre hired.What are some other ways to create a candidate experience that connects job seekers with the company? Share in the comments bel ow