Recruitment is more than a process, it’s an experience. And at Witan Search, we’ve seen first-hand how that experience can directly impact the outcome. A poor candidate experience doesn’t just reflect badly on your employer brand, it can cost you the very people you’re trying to hire.
Here are three pain points we regularly see, and what leading employers are doing to address them
The recruitment process is often a waiting game. But when communication breaks down, candidates don’t feel reassured, they feel rejected. And if you’re not updating them, someone else will be.
We know from experience that the best candidates are rarely on the market for long. That’s why timely feedback and clear timelines aren’t just polite, they’re strategic.
How to fix it:
Establish clear communication checkpoints
Set realistic expectations from day one
Use automation to keep candidates in the loop, without losing the personal touch
You may have the perfect opportunity, but if your application process is too long, too clunky, or too confusing, great candidates will simply walk away. Witan Search has worked with companies to reduce application drop-off rates by streamlining applications, removing duplicate steps, and ensuring everything works seamlessly on mobile. Sometimes, less really is more.
How to fix it:
Review your ATS flow from a candidate’s perspective
Eliminate unnecessary fields or repetitive tasks
Prioritise user experience, especially on mobile
Today’s candidates want to be more than a name on a spreadsheet. Yet many still receive templated emails or impersonal feedback, even after rounds of interviews.
At Witan, we believe in meaningful interactions. A personalised message can turn a passive candidate into an enthusiastic one. And even if they’re not successful, respectful communication leaves the door open for the future.
How to fix it:
Tailor your outreach with real insight from their profile
Equip your team with feedback frameworks to use post-interview
Train interviewers to represent your culture, not just the vacancy
Every interaction with a candidate is an opportunity to impress, or to lose them. A refined, human-centric recruitment experience isn’t just a ‘nice to have’, it’s essential in today’s competitive hiring landscape. If you’re looking for a recruitment partner who understands the value of candidate experience (and how to improve it), we’d love to talk. At Witan Search, we believe people remember how you made them feel, not just what you offered.