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Let’s be honest: the candidate experience today is a mess. Applying for a job is a frustrating, dehumanizing exercise that leaves talented people walking away with a worse opinion of the brand than when they started. This isn’t just an HR issue. It’s a business risk.
Because here’s the truth: every candidate is also a potential customer, partner, or advocate. Treat them poorly, and you’re not just losing talent; you’re eroding trust and credibility in the market.
I’ve written about this concept before (nine years ago!): The Candidate Experience and the Customer Experience. But that’s not the only reason that you need to fix the candidate experience. This is truly a people problem (not just a business problem)!
When Does the Candidate Experience Begin?
It doesn’t begin with the interview. It begins the moment someone encounters your company: a job posting, a recruiter’s outreach email, a review on Glassdoor, or even word-of-mouth from someone in their network. From that very first interaction, candidates are forming opinions about your brand.
And right now? Too many companies are signaling that they don’t value people at all.
Why Is It So Painful?
The candidate experience is so frustrating for a variety of reasons.
- Candidates spend hours applying, only to never hear back. Ghosting is not just rude; it’s reputational damage.
- Poor communication, such as long silences, vague updates, or ghosting, create frustration and distrust.
- Complicated applications, unpaid projects (e.g., prepare a 90-day strategy plan), endless assessments, and multiple interviews with no clear progress signal a lack of respect for candidates’ time.
- Bias and ageism are real. Job postings coded for youth (“digital native”) and hiring managers dismissing experience as “too senior” or “overqualified” are blatant ageism. The irony? Experienced workers bring loyalty, adaptability, and insight companies desperately need.
- “Culture fit” is often misused. Culture fit should mean alignment with values and purpose, not “do I want to grab a beer with you?” Too often, it becomes an excuse for homogeneity, exclusion, and bias. Companies need to hire for culture add, not sameness.
- Let’s stop pretending that asking “If you were an animal, what would you be?” or “How many golf balls fit in a bus?” makes you innovative. It doesn’t. It makes you look superficial and disconnected from reality.
- There’s a power imbalance where companies treat candidates as if they are disposable, forgetting that the best talent truly has options.
- And, similarly, candidates are viewed as resumes, not as people. The human is forgotten in the process.
What BUSINESSES Need to Change. Now.
Five years ago, I gave you 8 Tips to Create a Great Candidate Experience. Here are some other ideas to ensure recruiters, headhunters, and hiring managers take ownership of the candidate experience.
- Communicate consistently: No more ghosting. Even a “no” is better than silence. A “no” with real feedback is best.
- Be radically transparent: Set expectations about process, timelines, status, and next steps.
- Confront bias head-on: Remove coded language, challenge ageist assumptions, and hire for values alignment, not surface-level sameness.
- Respect time and effort: Keep applications simple, assessments relevant, and interviews purposeful. (Why do candidates need to upload a resume AND complete a form that asks for the same information the resume contains?)
- End the gimmicks: Replace riddles and trick questions with meaningful conversations about skills, mindset, and problem-solving.
- Close the loop with dignity: Every candidate deserves closure, even if they don’t get the job. Deliver rejections respectfully, ideally with feedback. Treat candidates like future customers, because many of them are.
- Redefine culture fit: You’re not hiring for sameness. Hire for values alignment and culture add, i.e., people who will support the mission but bring fresh perspectives.
WHAT CANDIDATES MUST DO DIFFERENTLY
It’s not only companies that need to shift. Candidates must also take a stronger role in shaping their own experience.
- Stop tolerating bad practices: Ghosting and disrespect during the hiring process are signs of deeper culture rot. Don’t chase companies that treat you poorly. Walk away, and don’t be afraid to share feedback (with company leaders) or reviews (on social media, Glassdoor, etc.).
- Vet the company as hard as they vet you: Research and ask about culture, employee experience, turnover, and leadership. If they dodge your questions, that’s your answer.
- Challenge vague “culture fit” language: When someone says they’re looking for culture fit, ask them to define it. Do they mean alignment with values? Or do they mean “someone like us?” Candidates can call out lazy or biased framing by pressing for clarity.
- Treat interviews as a two-way street: Take notes. Observe and reflect on how the company treats you. How they hire is how they lead.
- Protect your worth: Push back on excessive unpaid projects, gimmicky assessments, or irrelevant hoops. Respect yourself enough to expect respect in return.
- Use your network as a filter: Current and former employees can tell you if the polished Careers page matches reality. Don’t just take the recruiter’s word for it.
- Don’t oversell yourself into misery: Too many candidates try to be what the company wants, not what they actually bring. That sets you up for a toxic mismatch. Instead, be clear about your strengths, values, and expectations. The right company will lean in, not push back.
Yes, companies need to do better. But candidates also need to stop settling for broken processes and start holding organizations accountable. Every interview is a two-way evaluation: Do I want to work here? If the answer feels like a “no” during the process, it’s almost guaranteed to be a “no” once you’re inside. Be bold. Provide them with feedback. (Go around the recruiter, if you have to, to ensure the feedback is heard/seen by people who can make an impact!)
And know this: A bad hiring experience is not just annoying; it’s a preview of what it’s like to be an employee there. Candidates who recognize that early save themselves the pain, and they push companies to raise the bar.
Here’s one more piece of advice: use your network as a way to find out about jobs and to get in. Networking is not over-rated; neither is asking for referrals and recommendations. (But please. Have a relationship with the person you’re asking. Don’t just think that because you’re a connection on social media that doors will open.) For most of my career, the jobs that I had were a result of who I knew and how they presented me to the hiring manager. Don’t overlook that.
IN CLOSING
The candidate experience is a mirror of company culture. If your hiring process is biased, disrespectful, and gimmicky, candidates will assume working for you is exactly the same. And they’re probably right. Remember: first impressions…
But candidates aren’t powerless. They can (and should) walk away from broken experiences, challenge lazy practices, and demand better.
Here’s the reality: people have choices. The best people won’t waste their time with companies that can’t get the basics right. And candidates who accept poor treatment only reinforce the bad behavior.
It’s time for both sides to raise the bar:
- Companies must stop hiding behind outdated processes and excuses. Respect people, communicate clearly, and eliminate bias – or get left behind.
- Candidates must stop settling. Don’t let desperation blind you to red flags. Demand the respect you deserve and invest your talent where it will be valued.
The candidate experience isn’t just about filling jobs or getting hired. It’s the opening act of the employee experience and a direct reflection of culture. Get it wrong, and you lose credibility before someone even joins. Get it right, and you win loyalty, advocacy, and long-term success.
The clock is ticking. The companies that refuse to evolve will keep losing out. The companies and the candidates that demand better will be the ones who actually shape the future of work.
Never forget that behind every resume is a person who deserves respect and consideration throughout the hiring process. ~ Jeff Moore, VP of Talent Acquisition, Toast
Related: The Man in the Chair Is Already Deciding — Before You Even Show Up