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September 18, 2022

6 Big Candidate Complaints and How Its Affecting the Candidate Experience

Tima Rassool

Tima Rassool

Content Writer

A recruiter using AI to provide exceptional candidate experience

In today’s candidate-driven market, the candidate experience is more important than ever before. Candidates are looking for a seamless and positive experience from start to finish, and any hiccups along the way can sour their opinion of your company.

Here are six big complaints candidates have and how you can avoid them to provide a great candidate experience.

Vague job descriptions

Vague job descriptions ruin candidate experience

Candidates often complain about vague job descriptions that make it difficult to understand what the role entails. This can lead candidates to feel frustrated and misled, especially when it comes to applying for jobs. Therefore, organizations should take extra measures to ensure that their job descriptions are clear and concise. Where they should thoroughly outline the key responsibilities and requirements of the role. This will help to ensure that candidates have a better understanding of what is expected of them. Which will help them make a more informed decision about whether or not they are suited for the position. Vague job descriptions can also result in a high turnover rate, as candidates may be disappointed after starting a role that is not aligned with the job description. Therefore, it is important that organizations take the time to create accurate and informative job descriptions in order to attract the right candidates for the role and reduce turnover rates.

Lack of communication from recruiters/hiring managers

Lack of communication from recruiters is not good for providing a great candidate experience

Lack of communication is one of the candidates’ top complaints about recruiters and hiring managers. It can be extremely frustrating when you’ve applied for a job and don’t hear back from the company. Or when you’re in the middle of an interview process, and the communication suddenly stops. This lack of communication can have a major impact on the candidate experience. It can make candidates feel like they aren’t valued or that their time isn’t worth anything to the company. It can also make it difficult to assess whether or not you’re actually making progress in the hiring process. If you’re a recruiter or hiring manager, it’s important to be as communicative as possible with candidates. Let them know if they are being considered for a role, provide feedback after interviews, and keep them updated on any changes in the process.

Lengthy and unnecessary application processes

Lengthy application process will ruin the candidate experience

Most job seekers have this common complaint about the application process. It’s often too long, overly complicated, and requires too much information. This can be especially frustrating when applying for a good job that fits your skills and experience. The problem with lengthy and unnecessary application processes is that they can dissuade qualified candidates from applying for a position. If a candidate is required to jump through too many hoops, they may decide it’s not worth their time and move on to another opportunity. This can be costly for employers who rely on these applications to screen candidates. By making the process more streamlined and focused on the most important information, employers can attract more qualified candidates and improve the overall candidate experience.

Feeling like just a number

candidate experience is often a key factor in whether or not they'll accept a job offer

Candidates who feel like just a number are often left feeling frustrated and even resentful. This is because the candidate experience is often a key factor in whether or not they’ll accept a job offer. Therefore, companies that don’t take the time to personalize the experience will be missing out on top talent. On the bright side, there are a few ways to avoid making candidates feel like just another number.

  • First, focus on quality over quantity when it comes to recruiting. It’s better to have a smaller pool of highly-qualified candidates than a large pool of unqualified ones.
  • Second, keep communication channels open throughout the process so candidates always know where they stand.
  • Finally, be transparent about your company’s values and culture so candidates can self-select whether or not they’re a good fit.

Candidate experience is more important than ever in today’s competitive job market. You may have a great company, but if you don’t treat candidates well, your job ads will go unanswered, and your open positions will remain unfilled.

Feeling unheard

Providing an exceptional candidate experience is important

Candidates feel unheard when their concerns are not being addressed, or they are not receiving feedback. This can lead to frustration and a feeling of being devalued. Candidates may start to question if the company is truly interested in them and if they will be able to advance in the process. This can lead to a lack of motivation and even discouragement from applying to similar positions in the future.

Feeling unimportant

Providing feedback is necessary for a great candidate experience

Candidates frequently report feeling unimportant and disregarded during the hiring process. This can be a result of many things, such as the employer not responding to phone calls or emails, taking too long to make a decision, or not keeping the candidate updated on the status of their application. This can be extremely frustrating for candidates who have already invested time and effort into applying for the position. Feeling unimportant can also lead to candidates withdrawing their applications or accepting offers from other companies. Employers should be aware of how their actions (or inaction) might affect how candidates feel. Plus, they should take the necessary steps to ensure that all candidates are treated with respect. This includes staying in touch with candidates throughout the process, letting them know when decisions have been made, and providing feedback, even if it’s negative.

The takeaway

The six complaints we’ve outlined here are certainly not the only gripes candidates have with the hiring process. But they are some of the most common complaints that could be detrimental to the candidate experience. Providing a positive candidate experience is essential for attracting top talent and building a successful company. So make sure you keep these tips in mind when hiring this year. Looking to create a wonderful candidate experience from day one? See how our ATS can help! EVA-REC is a futuristic ATS that provides exceptional candidate experience by automating and improving the hiring process with AI technology. It arms leading enterprises with world-class features that help them create a rich and immersive hiring experience for recruiters and candidates alike. With EVA-REC, companies can drive merit-based, objective, and fair hiring practices that minimize bias without dehumanizing the hiring process.Want to see EVA-REC in action? Get a free walk-through demo here!

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Author

Tima Rassool

Tima Rassool

A storyteller at heart and strategist by craft — Tima is a content writer at Elevatus, where she transforms complex recruitment technologies into compelling narratives. With an MBA and over 6 years of experience in HR, she’s authored 2,000+ blogs that have helped businesses worldwide revolutionize their hiring with AI. Through her words, Tima bridges the gap between innovation and impact, helping Elevatus clients stay ahead of the curve.

Turn top talent to employees fast

Hire, assess, onboard and manage top talent for every job. See how Elevatus streamlines everything; from acquire to new hire.

Request a demo