When going through an interview process as a candidate, a company will decide if they want that candidate to be a part of their future plans. This is also true on the reverse end, candidates have just as much say in whether or not they want to continue having a relationship with a company. If either side poorly represents themselves, the relationship will probably not continue, but not many people consider what happens when a company poorly represents themselves or provides a poor experience for candidates.

One of the more seemingly obvious impacts of offering a bad candidate experience would be losing out on a good candidate because of their negative view on the company, but that is not the only repercussion of treating applicants poorly.

A recruiter wears many hats in the interview process, especially in the early stages. Having the first call with a candidate is not only about the actual interview, it is also an opportunity for the recruiter to act as the marketing and sales departments. When a candidate goes through an interview process with a small or mid sized company, it is likely the first time they have even heard about the company’s existence. The recruiter is tasked to represent the entire company in what is usually one quick phone call.

As mentioned, job seekers are more likely to reject a job not because of pay, requirements, or benefits, but entirely because of their perception of the interview process.

This is just the beginning, as 72% of job seekers will tell friends and family about the bad experience. Seemingly, some candidates will brush off the negative experience and move on, but an overwhelming majority will provide that negative marketing to at least one other person.

Also, 64% of job seekers say that they will not provide business to a company because of a poor candidate experience. Thinking about how an interview process can directly impact marketing and sales efforts can seem irrelevant to some, but for those of us who have our own horror stories of bad candidate experiences, it makes a lot of sense.

As a recruiter, being the face of a company can seem like kind of an afterthought, but it really is one of the most important parts of the position. For a majority of candidates, interviewing with a company will be the first interaction they will ever have with them. Making sure they leave with a positive first-impression can help avoid a domino effect that can negatively impact the entire business. Delivering a constant positive experience for candidates is usually something companies and recruiters strive for, but it may impact the business as a whole more than realized.

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