How to transform the candidate experience into a lever for the employer brand?

The candidate experience plays a key role in the perception of your establishment. A thoughtful approach to the admissions process can strengthen your brand and attract top talent. This article explores concrete strategies for aligning the candidate experience with your values, using inbound recruiting, and transforming candidates into ambassadors. How can you optimize each step to create lasting impact?

Summary :

1. Align the candidate experience with the school’s values

2. Use inbound recruiting to attract talent

3. Transform candidates into ambassadors

1- Align the candidate experience with the school’s values

Integrate values ​​into every interaction

Incorporating your institution's values ​​into every interaction with candidates is important to strengthening your employer brand. As an admissions manager, you must ensure that every touchpoint reflects your school's identity and culture. It starts with clear and consistent communication, whether on your website, in emails or during interviews.

To achieve this, implement a transparent rating system based on your institutional values. This will allow you to evaluate applications fairly while showing candidates how important these principles are to you. Don’t hesitate to share concrete examples of how these values ​​are manifested in the daily life of your establishment.

Take the case of a business school that values ​​innovation and entrepreneurship. During admissions interviews, you could include specific questions about candidates' entrepreneurial projects or ask them to propose innovative solutions to real-world problems. This approach not only makes it possible to assess the candidate's fit with the school's values, but also to concretely demonstrate the importance given to these principles in the admissions process.

Train admissions teams

Training your admissions teams is essential to providing a consistent and harmonized candidate experience. Hold regular sessions to ensure all team members understand and embody the school's values. This includes not only administrative staff, but also faculty and alumni who participate in the admissions process.

Offer flexible appointment slots for interviews, including outside of regular business hours. This flexibility demonstrates your commitment to accommodating the different needs of applicants and reflects a school culture focused on service and adaptability. Make sure your team is trained to conduct these interviews in a professional and caring manner, no matter the time of day.

Did you know that 92% of candidates share their bad recruitment interview experience with those around them?

2- Use inbound recruiting to attract talent

Create attractive content

Inbound recruiting is a strategy to attract the best profiles before the application process even begins. As an admissions manager, your role is to oversee the creation of engaging content that will showcase your institution. This could include blog posts, videos showcasing campus life, or stories from alumni about their career journey.

Create personalized application paths based on the profile and interests of each candidate. Use the data you collect during initial interactions to tailor the content you present to them. For example, if a candidate shows a particular interest in entrepreneurship, highlight your programs and resources in this area.

To illustrate, let's take the case of an engineering school. You could create a series of short videos featuring alumni working at cutting-edge companies or on innovative projects. These videos could be shared on social networks and the school's website, accompanied by blog articles detailing the journeys of these alumni. This approach not only attracts the attention of potential candidates, but also gives them a concrete vision of the opportunities offered by your establishment.

Optimize online presence

Your online presence is often the first point of contact with potential candidates. Optimize your admissions website for intuitive navigation and a smooth user experience. Make sure essential information about programs, admission requirements, and deadlines is easily accessible.

Organize virtual open days to allow candidates to discover the school remotely. This can include virtual campus tours, live sessions with current faculty and students, and interactive presentations about your programs. These online events not only attract talent, but also demonstrate the adaptability and innovation of your institution.

To optimize your online presence:

1. Create a dedicated admissions page with an intuitive design

2. Integrate a chatbot to answer frequently asked questions 24/7

3. Offer 360° virtual tours of the campus

4. Set up an online events calendar (webinars, Q&A)

5. Optimize the site for mobile devices

3- Transform candidates into ambassadors

Maintain a post-application relationship

Maintaining a positive relationship after the application process is important, whether the applicant is admitted or not. For admitted candidates, set up a sponsorship system between them and future candidates. This facilitates their integration and creates a feeling of belonging even before classes start.

For unsuccessful candidates, follow up carefully. Offer constructive feedback on their application and, if possible, advice to improve their future chances. This caring approach can turn even unsuccessful candidates into ambassadors for your institution, strengthening your reputation and your employer brand.

Let's take the example of the Mines-Telecom school, which has deployed an application management platform for work-study students. After each selection process, the school could organize individual feedback sessions for all candidates, admitted or not. For admitted candidates, a mentoring program could be set up, putting them in contact with students at the end of their course. For unsuccessful candidates, the school could offer skills development workshops or personalized advice to strengthen their file, thus encouraging them to reapply the following year.

Encourage sharing of experience

Actively encourage the sharing of positive experiences by your candidates. Create a student ambassador program to promote the school to potential applicants. These ambassadors can share their journey, from the application process to their current experience at the school, providing an authentic perspective to future applicants.

Use social media to highlight these stories and create an engaged community around your school. Host online events where potential candidates can interact directly with your ambassadors. This approach not only strengthens your employer brand, but also creates a virtuous cycle where current students inspire the next generation of candidates.

In summary, transforming the candidate experience into an employer brand lever requires a global and coherent approach. By aligning each step of the admissions process with the school's values, implementing effective inbound recruitment strategies, and encouraging applicants to become ambassadors, admissions officers can significantly increase attractiveness and reputation of their school. This proactive approach is essential to attracting and retaining the best talent in an increasingly competitive educational environment.