We discuss "the candidate experience" daily. I would even venture to say approximately every other minute. That's because it is a part of every consideration here. It justifies our strategies and therefore, our clients' actions. After all, a company is defined by their talent. Interestingly enough, I came across a great post recently on making good first impressions with candidates. Dr. Michael Kannisto says

It's so difficult to do everything right when you're working with a candidate. Not a week goes by that you don't read about the shortage of talent, so there's just no room for mistakes in managing the "candidate experience."

Spot on. You may never get a second chance with a candidate, so best be prepared, from every angle. When attracting talent into your organization you want to reach the best. How you get there makes all the difference. It begins with hitting every touch point within your employer brand relationship cycle. It encompasses:

• First Contact
• Relationship
• Interview
• The Offer
• The Hire
• Retention
• Measure

Dr. Michael Kannisto continues ...

finding talent is now quite complex, and best-in-class companies and recruiters are doing more proactive sourcing, so the process is likely to include more steps

In order for any organization to effectively attract and retain top talent, they must demonstrate the ability to achieve employer brand alignment across all critical touch points that span the employee relationship lifecycle. They must also re-evaluate their value proposition. Simply stated ... when companies put themselves in the candidate's shoes, they change the way they walk.