Let’s start with a simple question. If you came across the role you’ve just advertised, would you actually apply for it?
Not the salary, not the company, but the process… the application itself. Because if we’re being honest, some recruitment processes look less like an opportunity and more like a test of endurance.
- Upload your CV.
- Now manually enter everything from your CV.
- Create an account.
- Verify your email.
- Complete a personality assessment.
- Record a video interview.
- Wait three weeks.
- Receive silence.
There’s no wonder some candidates disappear before they reach the finish line.
In fact, research suggests that around 60% of candidates abandon job applications because they’re too long or too complicated. Think about that for a moment. More than half of the people interested enough to start applying never actually finish the process. And yet many organisations are surprised when applications are low, quality candidates drop out, or accepted offers suddenly become rejected ones.
The candidate experience matters more than most businesses realise. Because every interaction sends a message about what it’s like to work for you.
Your Recruitment Process Is A Big Part Of Your Employer Brand
Many companies spend a lot of time talking about culture.
- They create careers pages.
- They produce videos.
- They post pictures of team events.
- They write about values.
They then go on to create a process that is neither aligned to those values nor shows the right ones candidates are looking for. Asking candidates to spend 45 minutes completing an application form for a role that took them 30 seconds to find when the careers page say you think innovatively and use technology to speed things up and not slow them down … we’ve all seen it and sighed very loudly.
The recruitment process is often the first real experience a candidate has with your business. And unlike your employer branding content, it’s impossible to fake, because it’s a direct interaction and a transparent view of what you prioritise when making decisions.
Candidates aren’t judging what you say, they’re judging what you do. If the process feels organised, professional, and respectful of their time, that’s a positive signal. If it feels slow, confusing, or unnecessarily complicated, that’s a signal too. Just not the one you were hoping for.
In fact, 65% of job seekers say the application process is one of the biggest factors shaping their opinion of an employer brand. So while businesses often focus on improving their reputation externally, many damage it internally through a frustrating hiring experience.
The Best Candidates Have Options
This is the part many employers overlook. The strongest candidates are usually not sitting around waiting for a response, they’re often already employed. They might be being approached by recruiters, or they’re having conversations with multiple businesses at the same time, which means they’re constantly making comparisons. Not just between salaries … between experiences.
If one company takes three weeks to schedule a first interview while another manages it in three days, candidates notice. If one application takes five minutes and another takes forty-five, candidates notice. If one business communicates clearly and another disappears into the recruitment equivalent of witness protection, candidates definitely notice. The market is competitive. Candidates compare experiences just as much as employers compare CVs.
And when qualified and experienced candidate shortages continue to challenge employers across multiple sectors, giving people reasons not to engage is a luxury few businesses can afford. Research from StandOut CV shows that candidates who have a positive hiring experience are significantly more likely to accept an offer and recommend the organisation to others.
The Small Frustrations Add Up
Most candidate drop-off doesn’t happen because of one major issue. It’s usually death by a thousand “next step” clicks…
- An application form that’s too long.
- A process that doesn’t work on mobile.
- A hiring manager who keeps rescheduling.
- Unclear interview stages.
- Weeks without updates.
- Feedback that never arrives.
Individually, they seem minor. Collectively, they create friction, and friction creates drop-off.
Think about your own behaviour for a moment…
How many online purchases have you abandoned because checkout became too complicated? Exactly! I rest my case, your honour.
Candidates do the same thing, the only difference is they don’t leave a basket behind. They leave an application. Research from Worldmetrics suggests that nearly three-quarters of candidates have abandoned an application because there were simply too many fields to complete.
The lesson? Every additional step needs to justify its existence. Because every extra click creates the risk and opportunity for the perfect candidate to walk away..
The Silence Problem
One of the biggest complaints candidates have is surprisingly simple.
Nobody tells them what’s happening. Most people understand they won’t get every job, rejection is part of the process. What frustrates candidates is uncertainty.
- Did my application get reviewed?
- Has the role been filled?
- Am I still being considered?
- Should I move on?
A quick update often takes less than a minute to send. But from a candidate’s perspective, it can completely change how they view your organisation. People remember how businesses communicate, especially when the answer isn’t the one they wanted.
Research consistently shows that poor communication remains one of the biggest frustrations candidates experience during recruitment, with many reporting they never receive any update at all after applying.
And here’s the thing, silence doesn’t feel neutral, it feels intentional. And it’s difficult to come back from once that feeling of intent has been created.
Candidate Experience Doesn’t Just Impact Hiring
Most businesses think candidate experience only affects recruitment. It doesn’t, it affects reputation too.
Research shows that 50% of candidates say they would be less likely to buy products or services from a company after a poor recruitment experience.
Think about that for a second. A bad hiring process isn’t just costing you talent, it could be costing you customers.
Virgin Media famously estimated that poor candidate experiences were costing them millions in lost customer revenue because unsuccessful candidates were cancelling services after being treated badly during recruitment. When candidate experience becomes customer experience, the stakes become much higher.
A Useful Test
If you’re reviewing your hiring process, always ask yourself these five important (yet oh so very simple) questions:
- Would I be happy completing this application?
- Would I tolerate this response time?
- Would I understand what happens next?
- Would I feel valued throughout the process?
- Would I still be excited about joining this company by the end?
If the answer to any of those questions is no, there’s work to do.
The Bigger Lesson
Employers often focus on attracting candidates, the challenge is keeping them engaged once they arrive.
A strong candidate experience isn’t about making recruitment easier for candidates. It’s about removing unnecessary barriers, respecting people’s time and communicating clearly.
It’s about remembering that candidates are evaluating you just as much as you’re evaluating them.
The businesses that consistently attract top talent aren’t always the ones paying the highest salaries.They’re often the ones creating the best experience, because recruitment is ultimately a reflection of how an organisation operates. If the process is efficient, respectful and professional, candidates assume the business is too.
And if it isn’t? They’ll assume that as well.
So before you publish your next vacancy, take a moment and ask yourself one simple question:
Would YOU apply for the job you’ve advertised?
Because if the answer is no, candidates are probably thinking the same thing.
At We Do Group, we specialise in creating effective recruitment experiences and connecting businesses with the right talent. From improving application journeys to sourcing high-quality candidates, we help organisations build hiring processes that attract and secure the people they need.
Looking for the right candidates?
Get in touch with We Do Group today and find out how we can help.
