Candidate Engagement Strategies for 2023

Candidate engagement is at the heart of nearly every conversation talent acquisition leaders are having about today’s challenges. Everyone wants to know: what are the best strategies for getting—and keeping—candidates engaged at a time when they have so many options? It’s clear that the tactics and processes that worked 10, five, or even three years ago no longer produce the same results. 

So, which candidate engagement strategies deserve your attention now?

Top Candidate Engagement Strategies for 2023

Today’s most effective talent acquisition leaders are using several strategies to drive candidate engagement, a key factor in meeting hiring goals and ensuring great hiring outcomes. The top candidate engagement strategies are to:

• Differentiate with mobile-friendly recruiting tools;
• Invest in your employer brand and shape your reputation; and
• Measure and improve your candidate experience.

Leverage Mobile-Friendly Tools To Stand Out

Stiff competition for top candidates is a big challenge for employers in most industries. According to Jobvite’s Q1 2023 Employ Quarterly Insights Report, more than half (58%) of job seekers think the labor market favors candidates, while 51% said finding a job in the current labor market is easy. With the number of available jobs still outnumbering active job seekers, candidates still have the upper hand. This means talent acquisition teams need to be strategic and creative to stand out. Offering mobile-friendly tools is a powerful way to do that.

Most organizations are still not using virtual recruiting tools, which boggles the mind since a clear majority (83%) of job seekers who have attended a virtual recruiting event say they prefer them over traditional recruiting methods. Even if you’re still recruiting in person, adding virtual tools can make the process easier and more convenient for today’s tech-savvy job seekers, especially at the top of the funnel. Driving candidate traffic from job ads to virtual informational events or recruiter office hours that job seekers can easily participate in with the mobile device of their choice—without having to install an app or create an account—makes a great first impression.

Strengthen Your Employer Brand & Reputation

Today’s job seekers want to learn about potential employers before they engage. In fact, Leoforce found that 71% of candidates do their homework before applying for a job, which suggests that your organization’s reputation and employer brand may be more important than ever.

Since candidates are being proactive about learning a potential employer’s reputation, from both employee and customer experiences, TA teams that are equally proactive will see the best results. Monitor employee and customer sentiments on social media, so you’re aware of what’s out there. Use your social media profiles, career hub, and recruiting events to tell your organization’s story.

Host recruiting events, both virtual and in-person, that give candidates opportunities to learn what your organization is really about. Popular events include “Meet the Leadership” events, employee resource group events, and events that include video testimonials from current employees. These conversations and events can bring your employer brand to life more easily than any other method and make your organization stand out from the competition.

Measure & Improve Your Candidate Experience

Candidate experience can make or break the decision point for many job seekers. CareerPlug’s 2023 Candidate Experience Report revealed that 49% of job seekers declined a job offer due to poor experience, and 81% of job seekers reported that candidate experience influenced their decision to accept the offer.

To deliver a stellar candidate experience, you must first be able to measure your starting point. Adopt virtual tools that capture candidate data, make it easy to automate candidate feedback, enable candidate communication and follow up, and offer on-demand reporting for maximum visibility. Many people shop for virtual recruiting tools and focus only on what they can do. Features are obviously important, but don’t overlook what your tools can tell you.

Candidate Engagement: A Strategic Approach

Like most talent acquisition challenges, you can improve candidate engagement with a strategic approach. Carefully review metrics that actually tell you what’s happening in your funnel, consider the needs and preferences of today’s job seekers, and create a candidate journey clear of barriers. Continuing to measure candidate engagement over time—and especially after making changes—helps you track the impacts of your decisions, reveal opportunities for improvement, and work toward crushing your hiring goals.

Ready to learn how you can drive candidate engagement with Brazen?
Let's talk. 

Like this post? Try these!

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• Work Smarter, Not Harder: Using Technology to Amplify Great Candidate Experiences
  

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