Creating a Positive Candidate Experience

In September, we interviewed 80+ candidates. We hired a few candidates and rejected others. We wrote an email to all rejected candidates, where we mentioned: - Reason for rejection - Room for improvement We also mentioned their strengths: - The best part of their interview Additionally, we shared documents related to their field and a list of questions an interviewer asked. Finally, we thanked all the rejected candidates for taking time from their schedule for the interview. Dear Companies, Rejection is not easy to handle. Giving feedback to rejected candidates increases their morale to perform best in the next interview. Agree?

Are you noticing that recruitment is taking longer these days? It’s not just the summer season slowing things down—Overwhelmed recruiters face a flood of generic, AI-generated CVs, delaying hiring and making it harder to spot real talent. So, why is AI making recruitment harder?  🔷AI-generated content in applications often lacks a personal touch, making it harder for recruiters to evaluate skills and motivation, especially when combined with mass, untailored applications in an already squeezed labour market. 🔷Without proper editing and the overuse of keywords, AI-generated CVs often come across as clunky and generic, making it a frustrating task for hiring managers to review them. 🔷Increased screening time: More applications mean longer review times, prolonging the recruitment process.   A recent study by ResumeGenius found that AI-generated CVs are a major red flag for recruiters, with 53% identifying them as the top indicator of an unsuitable candidate. What strategies are hiring managers using to cut through the noise? 1. The Big Four accountants — Deloitte, EY, PwC, and KPMG — have warned graduates against using AI in their applications. 2. The Coca-Cola Company clearly distinguishes between must-have and nice-to-have skills in its job ads, incorporating specific challenges to filter out unqualified applicants and assess genuine engagement early in the process. 3. Amazon is strategically leveraging automation through AI-powered ATS to analyze keywords and contextual relevance, ensuring that CVs are evaluated based on substance rather than being saturated with irrelevant buzzwords. 4. Most hiring managers have so much sensory/channel overload that reviewing hundreds/thousands of resumes from the “online job posting" channel gets turned off. Salesforce, Philips, Airbnb, Tesla, and others are concentrating more on headhunting practices and relaunching employee referral programs.  5. Dyson has found its way to ‘feed’ top talent into its recruitment funnel. It organizes campus tours for top engineering and business schools, putting a particular focus on students who are driven, curious, and passionate about creating something new. 6. While many companies hire externally to fill vacant, specialized roles, Infosys is looking within, helping employees grow their careers by upskilling and taking up more advanced roles within the company. 7. Slack replaced many traditional applications with a technical exercise and offered applicants the option to complete assessments on-site rather than online. 8. After Citrix Systems receives a promising application, the recruiter contacts the candidate and guides them through the whole hiring process. This 5-minute intro call can reveal far more about a candidate’s suitability than a generic application. And how does your company break through the noise, avoid the pitfalls of AI-driven hiring mistakes, and secure the best talent?

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?

Earlier this week, I shared how we’ve spent £0 on direct recruitment costs at Flexa—no job boards, no agency fees, no paid ads. How? Through something I truly believe makes all the difference: a strong employer brand that naturally attracts talent. The best hires don’t come from ads, they come from the reputation you build. In this week's newsletter, I’m looking into: 📊 Graph of the week: Companies that invest in their EVP are 4x more attractive to candidates 💼 What is employer branding, and why does it matter? 💰 How Flexa hires without spending on direct recruitment 🌟 How companies are using Flexa to strengthen their employer brand ✨ Spotlight: How BT Group, Airbus, and BAE Systems attract talent through employer branding 💡 Where to start when building your employer brand 🔍 Discover your EVP pillars with our 2-minute EVP quiz If you want to build an employer brand that does the hiring for you, this one's a must-read! 👇 

Transforming Recruitment: From Application Models to Intelligent Pipelining 🚀 Ever tried to fit a square peg in a round hole? That’s how our current recruitment application process often feels for candidates. We expect job seekers to decode job descriptions and find their fit, while companies hope the right talent miraculously understands their unique requirements. But consider a paradigm shift, inspired by the world we live in: 📦 Amazon: Instead of merely providing a vast product catalog, it uses our browsing habits and purchase history to suggest relevant items. ❤️ Dating Apps: Rather than an endless scroll through profiles, they curate potential matches based on mutual interests and compatibility. Both systems prioritize understanding user behavior and preferences, and then catering to them. The principle? Reactive intelligence. So, how can this apply to recruiting? 🔎 Pipeline Focus Over Applications: Traditional applications are a snapshot, often missing nuances of a candidate’s potential. By focusing on creating talent pipelines and gathering holistic data throughout the talent pooling process, companies can better understand a candidate's capabilities, aspirations, and fit. ✨ Empower Through Data: Rather than having candidates apply blindly, use the insights from talent pipelines to match them proactively to roles that align with their skills, interests, and career trajectories. This means moving away from the current application-centric model to a more dynamic, data-driven one. It resonates more with how candidates naturally process information and interact in our modern digital world. The future? Candidates won't be searching job listings. Instead, they'll be pleasantly surprised by companies reaching out with roles that truly fit. It’s time for recruitment to pivot from the scattergun approach to precision-targeted matchmaking. Who's ready to redefine recruitment with me? #RecruitmentRevolution #TalentPipelines #DataDrivenHiring

I analyzed 8,000+ recruiting emails sent through our platform. Basic personalization (name, company) now delivers ZERO lift in response rates. None. Ten years ago, this was revolutionary. Today, it's table stakes. What's working? Our customers using AI-powered personalization are seeing 60% higher response rates.  But even this is about to become obsolete because the market is about to get flooded with AI outreach that can do exactly that. The next frontier isn't just better personalization based on someone's online profile or resume. It's using the entire relationship history your company already has with each candidate. I'm talking about: - "I saw you attended our recruiting event 15 months ago" - "You interviewed with us last year and based on your feedback, this new role addresses exactly what you were looking for" - "You had conversations with Jill and Sam on our team 3 years ago - they still reference your insights" This hyper-personalized approach based on relationship context is what separates elite recruiting teams from everyone else. Here's what most people miss: Generic AI tools can't do this alone. The magic happens when AI is married with a system that captures every single candidate touchpoint in one place (hint, hint: we’ve been building this for almost 10 years). We're seeing early adopters of this approach fill roles 2x faster with candidates who are far better fits. This is the future of recruiting personalization. The companies who get there first win the talent war. Everyone else will be left wondering why their "Hi {{first_name}}" emails aren't working anymore.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 As the world of work changes, so does the world of recruitment. Driven by technological advancements and a rapidly changing global landscape, the hiring process is evolving at an unprecedented pace. Our upcoming Talent Trends Report 2025, a global survey of over 50,000 professionals, delves into the key factors shaping decision-making for both clients and candidates in this dynamic environment. And while flexibility and salary remain critical, we’re seeing some definitive new trends emerge. 🔹 Job seekers are being more deliberate in their choices. They’re seeking clarity on what “hybrid” means, how companies invest in employee development, and what flexibility really looks like. 🔹 Hiring managers are walking a tightrope, balancing the need to move quickly with ensuring candidates possess the right skills for long-term success. 🔹 Both sides are feeling the pressure with increased counteroffers, and changing expectations on both ends. So, how can businesses navigate this competitive hiring landscape and build stronger teams? ✅ Clarity is key – Candidates value transparency. Whether it’s about salary, flexibility, or career growth, organisations that communicate openly from the get-go are more likely to attract and retain the right talent. ✅ Hire for potential, not just experience – While traditional qualifications matter, skills like adaptability, problem-solving, and growth potential are equally critical. Companies that look beyond job titles and focus on capabilities will future-proof their teams. ✅ Make hiring a two-way experience – The best companies engage with candidates, showcasing not only the role but also the company culture, team dynamics, and opportunities for career development. While this fast-moving environment continues to develop, a pathway for employers is clear; as candidates become more discerning in their job choices, organizations must prioritize transparency. The key to success lies in fostering an open, flexible, and growth-oriented workplace that appeals to the needs and expectations of today's job seekers. #TalentTrends2025 #CompeteOnClarity #TT25

I hear the same story from job seekers: "I’ve applied to 100+ jobs and don't hear back." “I’m using Easy Apply just hoping for the best.” But it’s not a numbers game. By sending generic applications to lots of companies: ❌ You Don't Stand Out ↳ Employers can tell when a CV isn’t tailored. ❌ You Overlook Networking ↳ Personalised connections beat online applications. ❌ You Burn Out ↳ Spending hours applying to every role drains energy. To Land Your Dream Job Try This Approach: 1️⃣ Target Your Dream Companies ↳ Pick 15 companies across 3 industries that excite you. 2️⃣ Tailor Every Application ↳ Use the JD to customise your CV & LinkedIn ↳ Show how your experience matches their needs. 3️⃣ Network Strategically ↳ Connect with hiring managers, recruiters & employees. ↳ Send personalised LinkedIn requests like: Hi [Name], I admire the work you’re doing at [Company]. I’m exploring roles in [field] and would love to hear about your experience! 4️⃣ Track Your Efforts. ↳ Use excel to monitor applications, follow-ups & responses. 5️⃣ Leverage LinkedIn ↳ Optimise your profile, show results & post content. ↳ A strong personal brand makes you more visible to recruiters. Employers notice effort. Stand out by: - Doing research - Tailoring applications - Building relationships My clients have used these strategies to land graduate jobs at companies like Google, TikTok & Amazon. Stop applying to everything. Start applying intentionally. Quality beats quantity in the job search - every time. Repost ♻️ to help other job seekers. Follow Dan Mian for more.

I recently hired someone just based on a 5-minute video! As an entrepreneur, I get thousands of resumes, but one video resume recently caught my attention. I ended up watching the whole thing, and by the end, I knew I wanted her on my team. Why? 🚀Thinking Outside the Box: She didn’t just think differently; she executed her idea brilliantly with a video, showing the kind of innovative talent I need on my team. 🚀Personal Touch: The video felt personalized and was tailored specifically for this job, which demonstrated her genuine interest and effort to stand out. 🚀Going the Extra Mile: I was impressed by the amount of effort she put in to get noticed, especially knowing how uncertain job hunting can be. It showed me she is serious about her career. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can do it too! 🚀 💡Step 1: Plan Your Content ↪ Define Your Objective: Know the purpose of the video—target a specific job or create a general introduction. ↪ Highlight Key Points: Identify 35 key skills, experiences, or achievements that make you stand out. Use metrics to quantify your impact (e.g., "increased sales by 20%"). 💡Step 2: Write Your Script ↪ Create a Strong Opening: Start with a hook—this could be a question or an intriguing fact. ↪ Tell Your Story: Structure your script into three parts: ➢ Introduction: Who you are and what position you’re applying for. ➢ Body: Your relevant experience and skills, using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). ➢ Conclusion: A brief summary and a call to action (e.g., "I look forward to discussing how I can contribute to your team"). Pro Tip: Use this ChatGPT prompt to write your script!🚀 "I need a personalized video resume script that includes a brief introduction, educational background, work experience (using the S.T.A.R. method), key skills, achievements with metrics, and career goals. Please keep the tone professional but approachable, and make the structure flow smoothly. Also, share some tips for delivery and body language for a strong impact. Let me know if you need more details." 💡Step 3: Set Up Your Recording Space & record ↪ Choose a professional background and check lighting; consider an external microphone for better audio quality. ↪ Record Your Video, Dress Professionally, and Record Multiple Takes. Don’t hesitate to do several takes until you feel satisfied with your delivery. When you personalize your approach, you make it impossible to ignore! 🌟

Job Seekers, here's a systematic approach I followed to maximize my job search success! I had applied to a ton of jobs since last year to land one this year. I am not ashamed to say I have been rejected in many ones that I applied, but before getting dejected please ask for feedback to work on them. Sometimes you could just get rejected for any other reason than your skill set. Step 1: Identify Your Target Roles Start by defining your career goals. Understand the job market and pinpoint the roles you're interested in. Step 2: Craft Tailored Resumes & Cover Letters Customize your application materials for each position. Highlight your relevant skills and experiences. Step 3: Set Up an Application Schedule Plan a weekly application goal to stay consistent. Apply to multiple jobs to increase your chances. Step 4: Maintain an Application Tracker Create an Excel sheet to keep tabs on your job applications. Include details like company, position, date applied, and the status of each application. Step 5: Request Feedback Don't be afraid to ask for feedback if you're not selected. It's a valuable opportunity to improve. Send a polite email or message thanking them for their time and expressing your interest in their company. Step 6: Continuous Improvement Review your application tracker regularly. Identify patterns or areas for improvement in your application materials. Use feedback to refine your approach. Remember, the job search can be a marathon, not a sprint. Stay persistent, stay organized, and keep learning from your experiences. #jobsearch #careeradvice #networking #professional #tips Have any additional tips to share or success stories using this method? Please comment below, and let's support each other in our job search journeys! 👇