It can be easy to focus on your company’s needs and objectives during the hiring process. But, as a leading executive search firm in Northern California, Pacific ExecSearch knows it’s equally important to invest time and effort into the candidate experience. Remember, the best executive candidates are going to have their choice of opportunities. So why should they choose yours? When designing your candidate experience, be sure to focus on:

Communicating With the Candidate

This starts before you even bring in a candidate for an interview, when you communicate on the phone or via email. The more personal contact you extend, the better – whether you’re delivering the job offer or following up to make sure the candidate received and understands the particulars of a document you sent them. Also, make sure you always promptly return calls and emails and that you prepare ahead of time before a phone conversation to ensure you’re delivering a consistent message about your company and the position.

Welcoming the Candidate

When the candidate comes to the office for an interview, make sure someone from HR is ready to greet them. Give them a tour of the offices before the interview starts so they have time to orient themselves and feel more comfortable in their surroundings. Offer coffee and water and show them where to hang up their coat. Be sure to go over the agenda for the day so they know what to expect. It may sound trivial, but ensuring a candidate feels at home and well taken care of will go a long way in making a position impression.

Soliciting Champions

During the interview, have core team members – those who are true brand advocates for your company – available to talk with candidates about the company mission, vision and culture. Before the interview, be sure to meet with them to ensure you’re all delivering a consistent image about the company.

Selling Your Employer Brand

Your brand as an employer is the set of attributes and qualities – often intangible – that makes your company distinctive, promises a particular kind of employment experience, and appeals to those people who will thrive and perform best in its culture. When recruiting executive candidates, it is critical to promote your employer brand. To do so, focus on achievements and awards the company has received, new initiatives, community involvement, the potential for advancement, and all the other perks and benefits of employment at your company.

In business, the companies that hire the best are the ones that win. That’s why it is so important to design a positive candidate experience in order to hire the most talented leaders.

If you’d like additional help with your executive search, call Pacific ExecSearch. As a leading executive search firm in Northern California, we have extensive experience in sourcing, evaluating and helping companies hire top industry professionals. To learn more about how we can help your organization, please contact us today.