“Candidate resentment” due to a negative experience during the recruiting process, from pre-application to onboarding, remains elevated in North America, according to the latest “North American Candidate Experience Benchmark Research Report” from the nonprofit Talent Board. Fortunately, according to the organization, employers can take steps to address it.
Resentful applicants, as defined by the Talent Board, are those who “will never engage the employer again based on having a poor candidate experience.”
Twelve percent of job applicants in North America — from inside and outside of companies with openings — have resentment about their experience, according to the report, which is based on feedback from more than 150 companies and almost 200,000 job candidates from around the world. That level is down slightly from 14% in 2021 but up from 8% in 2020. The Talent Board says the rate is “historically high” even though it fell slightly from 2021 to 2022, and it spells trouble for employers at a time when competition for high-quality workers is fierce.
“Employers need to keep in mind that resentment has major repercussions to their brands and the bottom lines, such as whether or not candidates will apply to their jobs again, whether they’ll refer colleagues and friends, whether they’ll be brand advocates and whether they’ll buy a company’s products and services,” Talent Board President Kevin W. Grossman said. Referrals can lead to 20% to 40% of a company’s annual hires, according to the organization.
Although the report doesn’t apply strictly to the United States or to the senior living industry, is it difficult to imagine that a job candidate who had a bad experience with your organization would be less likely to recommend it to friends and loved ones?
Around the world, candidate resentment has risen for the second consecutive year after lessening during and immediately after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Talent Board noted. The research, however, found that resentment rates were “significantly lower” among women, members of Gen Z, Black and Hispanic candidates compared with rates for members of other demographic groups.
The top three reasons that candidates feel resentment, according to the report:
- The recruiting process took too long.
- The company disrespected the candidate’s time.
- The position’s salary didn’t meet the candidate’s expectations.
The good news? “We know what constitutes a good candidate experience,” the report authors state. Competitive differentiators consistently have been revealed through the research, they said, advising that employers:
- Provide consistent and timely communication, from pre-application to onboarding.
- Set timely expectations about the recruiting process.
- Ask for timely feedback, and provide timely feedback more often.
- Be transparent and accountable about recruiting and hiring.
- Take steps to ensure a higher level of perceived candidate fairness.
- Build lasting relationships with candidates.
Happy hiring.
Lois A. Bowers is the editor of McKnight’s Senior Living. Read her other columns here.
