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Research report · 14 pages · 14 min read

Emerging technology and the
candidate experience

Candidate experience is the sum of every interaction candidates have with your hiring process. This research compares the views of 283 candidates and 186 HR professionals on assessment technology, and finds that HR tends to underestimate how comfortable candidates are with it.

Where do candidates and HR disagree?

The research found agreement on established technology and a gap on newer methods:

  • Devices: HR professionals judged this accurately. About 60% of candidates would use a laptop or desktop and 30% a smartphone.

  • AI in screening: 60% of candidates are comfortable with AI in initial screening, but HR professionals expected only 30% to be.

  • Social media checks: HR professionals assumed candidates would object to recruiters viewing Instagram, Facebook and Twitter profiles. Most candidates were comfortable. The two groups agreed only on LinkedIn.

The stakes are real. Virgin Media estimated that poor candidate experience cost it £4.4 million in revenue in 2014.

"In a world where your best candidates are applying to a greater number of job roles and receiving offers from several organizations, the difference between a good candidate experience and a bad one could be the deciding factor in their choice of employer."

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