Candidate Experience Optimization

Today's job descriptions are awful. They drive away top talent and waste everyone's time. Here are 8 things every great job description should include: 1. A Realistic Salary Range Sorry, but $0 - $400,000 isn’t a real range. You’re not fooling anyone with this. You’re just telling candidates that you think pay transparency isn’t something you’re serious about. 2. Location Transparency Remote means remote. Fully in office is fully in office. Saying a position is “remote” only to mention it’s hybrid or in office at the bottom doesn’t help anyone. 3. Clear, Realistic Qualifications Listing every platform, skill, and qualification imaginable in an industry isn’t realistic. Get clear on your needs and goals, research the specific skills this hire needs, and include them by name. 4. Who Will Excel in This Role Outline the ideal hire for this role, including: - Traits - Tendencies - Work Style - Cultural Fit Be specific and share examples! 5. Who Isn’t a Fit for This Role Outline who wouldn’t be a good fit for this role, including: - Expectations - Tendencies - Work Style - Cultural Fit Be specific and share examples here too. 6. Describe What Success Looks Like Describe what success will look like for this hire, including: - Tangible Goals - How Goals Are Calculated - How Goals Are Monitored - How Employees Are Supported In Reaching Goals 7. Describe the Team Culture Culture is key for both employers and employees. Describe yours including: - Work Style - Boundaries - Values - Expectations 8. Outline the Hiring Process Include a step-by-step timeline of the hiring process, including: - How many rounds - Stakeholders involved - Estimated response times Then stick to it. What did I miss?

📞 Hiring Company to Recruitment Agency: "Yeah, we won’t be able to get back to you on the candidates until the end of next week. If we lose them, fair enough, we understand." 🗣️ Hiring Company to Recruitment Agency (6 weeks later): "I don't understand why we have no candidates for our role!" The number of times I’ve seen this exact scenario is crazy. One of the biggest killers of candidate experience is slow communication and excessive time between stages. I get it. Things come up. But here’s the deal: 🚫 If you’re not ready to hire – don’t hire yet. 🚫 If the budget isn’t signed off – don’t hire yet 🚫 If you haven’t mapped out the process – don’t hire yet 🚫 If internal candidates are still being assessed – don’t hire yet This exact scenario happened to me about three weeks ago. I won’t name the business, but while working on a couple of roles for them, it became clear they have a bad reputation among candidates in their niche due to similar poor experiences in the past. And guess what? People talk. If you find it difficult to hire, maybe it’s time to look in the mirror first. #Recruiters, how can we avoid this? Share your tips! #Jobseekers, what are your biggest frustrations with slow hiring processes, and how has it impacted your job search? #Hiring #CandidateExperience

Your job postings are repelling top talent. Here’s why. Most companies think about hiring people like this: "We need to fill this position.” But here's the reality: Top talent isn't looking for positions. They're searching for stories they can be part of. The biggest mistake companies make in job postings? They sell jobs. Not journeys. This is what I mean… Two identical roles. Two different approaches. First approach: "Senior Project Manager position available" → 47 applications Second approach: "Lead our expansion into Asia, build teams across 5 countries" → 312 applications The difference? One offered a job. The other promised a journey. Here's what most companies do vs. what they should do: Traditional Approach: ↳ Lists responsibilities ↳ States requirements ↳ Mentions salary range ↳ Describes benefits package The Journey Approach: ↳ Shows growth trajectory ↳ Paints future possibilities ↳ Reveals mentorship programs ↳ Demonstrates impact potential ↳ Highlights learning opportunities Because exceptional candidates don't just want: - A salary - A title - A desk They want: - Impact they can measure - Challenges that stretch them - Stories they'll tell for years Here's what I've learned about attracting top talent: 1. Paint the future, not the present 2. Show growth paths, not job descriptions 3. Highlight challenges, not just responsibilities 4. Share the 'why,' not just the 'what' The companies winning the talent war aren't selling jobs anymore. They're offering chapters in people's life stories. And that's what makes all the difference. Share in the comments if you’ve experienced great hiring 👇 🔔 Follow me (Mostyn Wilson) for more insights on career development. __ P.S. Enjoying these insights? Subscribe to my newsletter for fortnightly deep dives: https://lnkd.in/eE287NTG

Had an eye‑opening conversation with a potential client this week. They told me their biggest hiring bottleneck wasn’t volume, it was quality. Their current vendor wasn’t spending enough time truly screening candidates, the questions asked were very basic and didn’t reflect the depth the role required. The result? Candidates came in misaligned, underprepared, and not fully briefed on what the job truly demanded. And here’s the real impact: When a recruiter doesn’t take time to understand your business, your brand takes the hit, not theirs. What’s worrying is that more vendors in the Philippines are lowering their rates just to win accounts, and clients are now experiencing the consequences: ⚠️ Low engagement, ⚠️ Poor screening, ⚠️ Weak candidate experience, ⚠️ Roles left unfilled. This race to the bottom doesn’t help anyone, not companies, not candidates, not the industry. The right recruitment partner shouldn’t be the cheapest, the right partner should be the most invested. Choose the one who screens deeply, The one who protects your brand, The one who acts as a trusted advisor, not a CV supplier. Because in hiring, quality isn’t an expense, it’s protection.

CANDIDATES BEWARE A poor candidate experience can be a sign that there is something going on in the organization beyond the recruiting team. At the very least if you experience any of the below, consider it a flag, and proceed with caution. 💠 The interview process drags on and on. More people continue to be added to the process. ➡ This may indicate that the organization has a culture of consensus, and with everyone needing to weigh in, and agree it becomes challenging to make any decisions. 💠 Your interviews keep getting changed at the last minute or you go weeks without hearing anything from your recruiter/hiring manager. ➡ This may be because the company doesn't just place little value on the candidate experience, but they also don't invest in the HUMAN experience within the organization. ➡ You get a surprise lowball offer, even though you were clear about your salary requirements from the start. ➡ This could be an indicator that you will constantly have to fight for promotions, raises and access to the tools you need to do your job. It also shows a potential lack of respect for the human in the process, which could bleed into how you would be treated as an actual employee. A bad candidate experience is often the symptom of something deeper going on within an organization, so candidates, do your due diligence, and companies, you have to start caring about this, your brand depends on it. #recruiting #jobseekeradvice

🔎 When analyzing the onboarding processes of various companies from a DEI perspective, I have noticed that some organizations understand the importance of having a buddy system, providing DEI training during onboarding, and introducing new hires to ERGs. However, there are also overlooked foundational steps that can drive significant change: 💡 Step 1: Conducting a DEI Audit of an Existing Process Before designing your inclusive onboarding program, it is crucial to conduct a DEI audit of your current process. This audit involves assessing your onboarding materials, procedures, and practices through a diversity and inclusion lens through employee personas. It helps identify any gaps, biases, or exclusions that may exist, enabling you to make targeted improvements. 💡 Step 2: Developing Pre-Onboarding Resources Pre-onboarding plays a vital role in setting the stage for an inclusive onboarding experience. Create materials that introduce new hires to practical information, but also your organization's culture and DEI initiatives. Providing this information in advance helps new hires familiarize themselves with your commitment to DEI and sets expectations for their onboarding journey. 💡 Step 3: Designing an Inclusive Onboarding Program for the First Year Extend the onboarding process beyond the initial few days or weeks to encompass the entire first year of a new hire's journey. This extended timeline allows new hires to deepen their understanding of your organization, build relationships, and fully integrate into the company culture, fostering a sense of belonging. 💡 Step 4: Training Onboarding Facilitators and Buddies While many organizations recognize the importance of training onboarding facilitators, they often overlook the significance of training buddies in DEI. These people play a crucial role in supporting new hires and shaping their onboarding experience. Provide comprehensive DEI training to both facilitators and buddies, empowering them to create an inclusive and supportive environment. This training should cover topics such 🧠 unconscious bias, 💬 inclusive communication, 🗺 cultural competence, ensuring that they can effectively guide new hires through the onboarding process in an inclusive way. ________________________________________ Are you looking for more practical tips and DEI content like this?  📨 Join my free DEI Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dtgdB6XX

“I applied to 200 jobs on Naukri, LinkedIn, Indeed… but no one even saw my resume.” This is what one of my students told me, eyes filled with doubt. And I wasn’t surprised. Because after reviewing 60,000+ resumes, I’ve seen the same painful truth: 90% get rejected by ATS before a human ever reads them. Not because the candidate isn’t talented. But because the resume is invisible. Here’s the reality: Recruiters spend 7 seconds skimming your resume. Job portals use ATS filters to auto-reject anything that doesn’t match keywords. And these small mistakes are costing thousands of people their dream jobs. Here are 10 game-changing details most candidates miss (don’t let yours be one of them 👇): 1️⃣ Missing Contact Info Sounds obvious, but 1 in 5 resumes don’t have a phone number or clickable email. ✅ Put your phone and professional email right at the top, ATS-readable. 2️⃣ No Clear Role Title “Intern” isn’t enough. ✅ Use: “Marketing Intern – Social Media Campaigns” instead. It tells the recruiter what you actually did. 3️⃣ Achievements Without Numbers “Handled client accounts” = vague. ✅ Try: “Managed 12 client accounts worth ₹3 Cr, improved retention by 25%.” 4️⃣ Ignoring ATS Keywords Job portals like Naukri & LinkedIn match resumes by keywords. ✅ Mirror exact job description terms in your skills/experience section. 5️⃣ Not Linking LinkedIn/Portfolio In 2025, recruiters expect proof. ✅ Always include your clickable LinkedIn URL + portfolio/GitHub/Behance links. 6️⃣ Using Fancy Templates That Break ATS Many Canva-style resumes look pretty but fail ATS scans. ✅ Stick to clean, text-based formats in Word/PDF. 7️⃣ Burying Skills at the Bottom Recruiters skim. ✅ Put a “Core Skills” section on the first half of page one. 8️⃣ Generic Summaries ❌ “I’m a hardworking professional seeking growth opportunities.” ✅ Instead: “Data Analyst with 3 years’ experience in SQL & Python, improved reporting speed by 40% at TCS.” 9️⃣ Overcrowded With Irrelevant Details Nobody needs your 12th board marks if you’re 5 years into your career. ✅ Cut the noise, keep it sharp, 1–2 pages max. 🔟 Forgetting to Proofread One typo can ruin first impressions. ✅ Run it through Grammarly + ask a peer to review. I’ve helped 50,000+ candidates land offers at companies like Google, Accenture, KPMG, Barclays, and Wipro by fixing exactly these mistakes. And trust me, your dream job isn’t far. It’s just one strong resume away. If you want my step-by-step guide on “How to Write an ATS-Friendly Resume” that got my candidates hired at top companies, comment YES and I’ll share it in my next post. #resumetips #atsresume #careercoach #jobsearchindia #interviewpreparation

💭 When interviewing candidates, we are also being interviewed. We may think that an interview process is all about assessing whether we should hire the candidate. Yet it's only half the story. While we assess candidates, the candidates also assess us. They will look for and pay attention to: 1. The company's vision and mission 2. The impact they will be making 3. The growth opportunity 4. The coworkers they will be spending a third of their day with 5. How the company treats its employees As an interviewer, it matters a lot how we present ourselves and how we conduct the interview. Here are several things to keep in mind: 1) Be on time 2) Introduce yourself and the company well 3) Stay engaged & be energetic 4) Leave time for questions 5) Be respectful of the candidates' time. Don't extend the interview unless they want to The candidate's interaction with your company will be a major factor in their decision to join. The interview process will provide many data points. Closing the candidate is not the final part of the hiring process. It should happen during the whole time. So, we should leave the candidates with a good experience regardless of whether they receive an offer. The people we interview will be the sounding board of how we treat them. They will tell their friends about the experience, and it may impact your company's branding among their friends and groups.

The best candidate experience I’ve ever had when applying for opportunities didn’t make me feel like just another number It made me feel like a human being with potential, value, and a story. I’ve been through hiring processes that felt transactional, rushed, or impersonal. But I’ve also experienced ones where I felt seen, respected, supported, and genuinely excited about the possibility of joining. And that experience changed everything. Here’s what made the best one stand out: - The team clearly reviewed my background and asked meaningful, personalized questions - Expectations, timelines, and next steps were transparent, no guessing or chasing updates - From tone to timing, every interaction showed empathy, respect, and appreciation for my time - They weren’t just testing skills; they wanted to understand my ideas, career goals, and long-term interests - They didn’t just pitch the role, they shared what the mission meant to them and why the work mattered As a reminder, as much as you’re being evaluated, you’re evaluating, too. Pay close attention to every step of the process and leverage that to make an informed decision. Here’s to better, more human candidate experiences in the future, ones that leave people feeling respected, hopeful, and inspired, regardless of the outcome. #StephSynergy

I watched a talented professional send 127 follow-up emails after interviews. Got replies from 3 companies. 2.3% response rate. Then she showed me what she was writing. I immediately knew why recruiters ignored her. Here's the truth about follow-ups: Most people remind recruiters they're desperate. Not that they're valuable. The typical follow-up: "Just checking in on my application..." "Any updates on the timeline?" Translation: "Please don't forget I exist." Recruiters read anxiety, not confidence. After years of coaching professionals, I've noticed: The follow-ups that get responses don't ASK for updates. They DELIVER value. Stop following up on YOUR need. Start following up with THEIR solution. Think: → What problem did they mention? → What insight can I share? → How can I make their decision easier? One client rewrote her follow-up: Instead of: "Any updates on the position?" She wrote "Hi [HR Manager Name ], been thinking about the bandwidth challenge you mentioned. Found an approach that might help—similar to what I used before. Would love to share if useful. Recruiter replied within hours. She shifted from "remember me?" to "I'm already solving your problems." The difference between ignored and responded follow-ups? One reminds them you're waiting. The other reminds them why they need you. Your follow-up isn't about checking their timeline. It's about them seeing you as the solution they can't ignore. People who add value get calls back. People who add pressure get silence. Stop checking in. Start showing up as the answer. PS: For more such content subscribe to my newsletter. Check out my feature section.