When it comes to Talent Acquisition, everyone’s talking about candidate experience. It’s a staple in HR goals and objectives for most organizations. But what does it actually mean?

Here’s a fresh perspective: A great candidate experience starts with a great customer experience.

When organizations are clear about who their customer is, what they do for that customer and how they treat the customer before they become one, they have laid the foundation for their organization’s culture. That clarity makes the employee experience a mirror of the customer experience.

What Does This Mean for Your Organization?

In March 2024 Forbes Advisor predicted that Content Marketing will be a $600 billion dollar industry by the end of this year.

You may be asking how that translates to the candidate experience. It happens like this:

Your employee goes out to Glassdoor and posts a review of what it is like to work for your organization. Glassdoor aggregates that data and gives you a rating. When a candidate is considering working for your organization, they look at that rating and read what your employees have written about working for your firm.

💡Pro tip: Have your Talent Acquisition team and Marketing team partner to respond and engage with those reviews. A thoughtful and timely response demonstrates that your organization values feedback – a quality that appeals to employees and customers alike and it’s decision-making for candidates.

Consider this example: An employee shares on Glassdoor that their manager provides regular feedback and recognition. A candidate reading this review will likely associate your company with strong leadership and support, increasing the likelihood that they’ll apply.

Similarly, when a future customer considers doing business with your firm, they read a Google review or solicit feedback from customers or vendor partners that know your business. Digital marketing has made it possible for consumers to know within minutes what an organization’s customer satisfaction rating is. That knowledge drives your future customer’s buying behavior.

💡Pro tip: Encourage your best customers (and employees who are customers) to write reviews and ensure that all your employees know your organization’s (recruiting) story so they can share it confidently with future hires.

Your Employer Brand is Your Competitive Edge

Your internal recruiters are proactively contacting candidates on platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Circa. Candidates respond more often when they can easily learn about your organization through your website and social media company pages. Your internal recruiter’s job becomes easier when your organization’s brand holds a reputation of desirability.

When candidates can easily learn about your organization using their preferred digital platforms, you’re already ahead of the competition. But it’s not enough to be present online—you need to ensure that what’s being said reflects your values, culture, and brand. Ask yourself:

  • What does LinkedIn, Indeed, YouTube etc. say about your company?
  • Is your customer experience a mirror of your employee experience?

💡Pro tip: Create consistency using branded materials with the company logo, company colors and images on all content, including a standard marketing template for PowerPoint decks, QR codes and curated content in the digital space.

For example, ensure your LinkedIn posts and job descriptions have consistent branding—this small change can have a big impact on how candidates perceive your company’s professionalism.

Bottom Line:

This does not mean that “the customer is always right.” Let me say that again—this does not mean the customer is always right. What it does mean is that your organization is clear about who your customers are, what you do for them, and how you do it. When your customers experience this clarity, so do your employees. The result? Employees talk about it. They refer friends and former colleagues to work for a company with a great culture. This word-of-mouth advocacy is powerful. It’s your first opportunity to begin the recruiting process. Get it right, and you win.

 

If you are interested in learning more about how JWS Group can help can support your organization’s talent acquisition strategy: Julie.shipman@jwsgroupllc.com