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Should Companies Still Care About Candidate Experience?

With talent shortages causing headaches for talent acquisition leaders across many industries, some companies are tempted to deprioritize aspects like the candidate experience. Some may argue that with applicant pools shrinking and bargaining power shifting towards job seekers, investing extra effort into perfecting the candidate journey seems superfluous. Why devote resources there when it’s hard enough to secure talent in the first place?

While those questions may be understandable, our position is still an emphatic “yes!” Here’s why companies absolutely should still care about crafting a thoughtful, positive candidate experience:

It’s Key for Conveying Company Culture

Experiencing what a company is like directly influences whether sought-after candidates will accept offers. If the recruiting process itself seems disorganized or indifferent, it starts applicants questioning if that reflects the broader culture. Even small signals influence perceptions.

It Discourages Ghosting

Job seekers today, especially those in high-demand roles, have options and little hesitation in walking away from bad application experiences. This leads to ignored messages or mid-interview ghosting. While frustrating, it’s often because they feel deprioritized versus other opportunities showing more care.

It Builds Goodwill Value

Perhaps a candidate was not the right fit today, but had a positive enough experience to consider applying again down the road or recommend others do the same. Word-of-mouth referrals remain hugely valuable. Leaving talent satisfied rather than soured preserves future goodwill.

It’s Simply the Right Thing To Do

Respecting those willing to devote time, emotional, and intellectual energy into potentially joining your company by making the evaluation experience thoughtful shows character. Candidates are more than just means to overworked, understaffed ends today. Honoring that is the path forward.

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The recruiting landscape continues evolving quickly, so we understand the temptation to cut certain corners. However, preserving or elevating candidate experience efforts needs to remain non-negotiable. At best, it sets companies apart. At a minimum, it’s both the smart and principled path in an ever-competitive talent marketplace.

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The Benefits of Contract Employment

The business landscape continues to evolve, with contract and project-based work becoming much more prevalent across sectors. Should one consider pursuing contract roles instead of traditional permanent employment for one’s next move? There are some notable advantages to this path worth exploring.

Read on to explore the benefits of this field of work.

More Freedom and Flexibility

Contractors typically enjoy greater flexibility over their schedules and workloads compared to full-time staffers. Contractors may have more leeway over when and how much they work, with control to accept or decline assignments based on their capacity and interests at any given point. The mobility of contract work also makes it simpler to change focus and try out new companies once projects wrap up. This freedom over time is a major perk for many.

Opportunities to Expand Your Experience

Contract roles allow professionals to amass more well-rounded experience faster than corporate employment could provide. Contract work exposes professionals to more diverse business operations and lets them build skill sets across multiple companies simultaneously. This can expand one’s knowledge on a wider scale, which pays off handsomely when seeking that next opportunity.

Greater Earnings Potential

For in-demand skill sets, contractors often realize higher income potential than their permanent counterparts. Motivated professionals who excel as self-directed workers can earn impressive wages. Specialized independent contractors are able to request premium rates in the current hiring landscape.

Vast Networking Connections

In my cases, independent contractors work with a vast array of colleagues and leaders across the many projects and companies that they are employed for. This gives them access to broad professional networks and insider contacts that one likely wouldn’t establish in a single permanent role. These connections oftentimes prove invaluable for discovering future opportunities.

Staying Relevant and In Demand

Contract work keeps your individual skills relevant and cutting-edge. As contractors flow from project to project, they consistently absorb new information and have to apply expertise in innovative ways. This breeds professionals who can thrive in fluid environments, an increasingly prized attribute employers seek.

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