Candidate and client experiences speak volumes about who you are as a recruitment agency.

Prospective clients and candidates will evaluate your agency based on these very criteria. As a result, a poor experience will negatively impact clients and deter other job seekers from applying.

However, with a drastic shift to remote work, businesses face the challenge of providing a positive experience in a remote setting.

In addition, staying on the same page with clients and candidates (remotely) can be challenging as well.

To help you provide a stellar remote candidate and client experience, here are six ways by which you can change your approach.

1. Foster a Positive Work Culture

In today’s job market, candidates are treated as customers and to attract these candidates, fostering a positive work culture is essential.

Showcasing a positive work culture helps differentiate your organization from other competitors. Great company culture is the secret to a steady and successful business.

Employers today recognize the importance of work culture for high employee retention and other business strategies.

When organizations develop positive work culture, they achieve significantly higher organizational effectiveness, improving financial performance, customer satisfaction, and employee engagement.

Research by Deloitte has also shown the effectiveness of positive work culture on business success. Fostering such a culture is crucial for remote teams as it promotes togetherness.

In terms of candidate experience, work culture significantly affects candidates as 46% of job seekers cite company culture as very important when applying to a company.

So the bottom line is– if you want to boost business growth and provide a positive candidate experience, focus on building a favorable work culture.

2. Amplify Your Communication Processes

In a remote setting, communication becomes all the more critical.

Amplify your communication efforts by going above and beyond to meet the expectation of candidates and clients.

CareerBuilder reports that 47% of candidates never receive any form of communication even past 60 days after applying. This leaves a massive opportunity for competitors to provide superior communication.

Recruiters can improve their communication processes by sending automated email updates or reminders throughout each hiring stage. Keeping candidates and clients informed about expectations through a client portal and other communication channels is an excellent opportunity to engage with them.

Remote settings pave the way for misunderstandings in communication. Therefore, it’s essential to be transparent and honest with your intentions right from the very beginning.

3. Invest in a Recruitment CRM Software

Any recruiter will know that a Candidate Relationship Management system is the best way to nurture existing client relationships with clients and candidates and build new relationships.

Nurturing relationships is crucial for business growth and retaining top talent.

A Recruiting CRM software can help businesses increase revenue, manage their candidates and recruiting sales pipeline, nurture leads, plan better recruitment marketing campaigns, and run team performance and client service reports.

As for candidate experience, a CRM system helps you centralize, optimize and streamline your communication.

Read more: How to use Recruit CRM as a client management tool?

The better you know your candidates, the stronger your relationships will be with them.

In addition, recruiters can also easily keep track of previous and current candidates, making communication and candidate sourcing easier.

4. Provide Useful Resources

A remote experience is still something new for candidates and clients to process.

Recruiters can go the extra mile by providing helpful resources to candidates and clients about how the remote process will look.

Resources can serve as a huge bridge between the employer and candidates, creating a positive perception of your organization from day one.

Moreover, providing resources is especially useful for remote settings where candidates and clients may not know what to expect.

Recruiters can create a common resource for candidates citing important pointers including:

  • What to prepare for
  • The type of technological tools and equipment that will be used
  • How the hiring process will look
  • Who the candidates will be speaking with
  • Major information about the organization

Apart from these pointers, don’t forget to mention what candidates should do if they encounter any technical difficulties.

Technical difficulties are a prevalent barrier to remote settings. Recruiters can stay one step ahead by letting candidates know beforehand what they should do.

This simple step shows how your organization values its candidates and will go to any extent to provide a smooth experience for them.

5. Follow a Well-Defined Plan

Remote work settings can often feel disorganized and undisciplined. To create a more organized and productive work setting, make sure you have a well-defined plan.

A structured plan makes it easier to identify what needs to be worked on and achieved. More importantly, it will help your team stay on track.

The more structured your processes are, the more satisfied candidates and clients will be. Defining each step of the process will also help you stay prepared and establish a solid foundation that can be relied on.

With limited communication, establishing a structured plan with boundaries is the best way to provide an unforgettable experience to clients and candidates.

6. Make a Lasting First Impression

As they say, the first impression is the last.

The way you treat your candidates and clients from the initial stage will reflect your organization’s values and ethics.

It doesn’t even take the first interaction to make a lasting firs
t impression!

Something as simple as an inclusive job description or social media post can create a first impression.

According to a study by CareerBuilder, 57% of candidates research an organization’s website before applying.

This makes it clear that your website’s presentation is what sets the first impression, not just for candidates but clients as well.

Your recruitment website should showcase your organization effectively and be updated with all relevant information.

With this being said, it is clear that your organization’s digital presence is a massive part of how candidates and clients perceive you in a remote environment.

Apart from this, basic etiquette and clear communication can go a long way in creating a positive first impression.

Read more: A recruiter’s etiquette guide to remote hiring.

Overall, delivering a positive candidate and client experience in a remote environment is key to candidate satisfaction and business growth.

Tell us in the comments below how you are planning ahead for the same!