Article · 4-minute read
By Olivia Black – 2nd December 2024
As a consumer, I’ve come to expect personalization in my daily life. Whether it’s my Spotify ‘Made for Me’ playlists— which, aside from the occasional eyebrow-raiser, usually hit the mark— or my online shopping and evening TV choices, I’m used to a world where the information that matters most to me is front and center. The downside? I’ve probably become more impatient with irrelevant information.
Personalization is now a cornerstone of consumerism and marketing. In fact, 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions1. When we look at the assessment world, there are already many threads of personalization woven throughout. But is it time to take this even further?
With automation driving efficiencies and scalability in talent initiatives, there’s a growing concern about dehumanizing processes and negatively impacting the candidate experience. Early careers hiring is a prime example where automated assessment and screening are crucial for managing high volumes. But how can we ensure candidates feel like individuals, not just numbers, when automation is in play?
The key lies in embedding personalization at the core of our processes. We need to focus on demonstrating empathy, understanding what resonates emotionally with candidates, and integrating these insights into our process design. This approach can foster a genuine human connection, even within automated systems.
Other important decision-making factors include:
Knowing what candidates want is just the first step. How do you effectively communicate these messages throughout your hiring process?
While many organizations highlight these topics on their careers pages, the real challenge is maintaining a consistent and personalized thread beyond the application stage. By integrating role-specific content into the broader organizational narrative during the assessment experience, you can significantly boost candidate engagement.
With Saville Assessment’s next-generation platform, Wave Connect, you have the power to showcase your brand and deliver the content that matters. For each role, transform your candidate dashboard into a multimedia-rich hub, tailored to the audience you want to attract. This personalized approach not only enhances the candidate experience but also ensures your message resonates at every stage of the hiring process.
Market research reveals a staggering 92% drop-off rate for candidates who click “Apply” but never complete the application7. However, Saville Assessment’s own data paints a brighter picture: on average, only 2% of candidates drop off after starting assessments for our volume roles8. This demonstrates that engaging, short assessment experiences can significantly reduce candidate drop-off and leave a lasting positive impression of your organization.
Another crucial factor is feedback. A remarkable 63% of candidates will refuse a job offer if they feel they haven’t had a positive experience9. Providing constructive feedback can greatly enhance the candidate experience, making them four times more likely to consider your company for future opportunities10.
By focusing on creating engaging assessments and delivering meaningful feedback, you can not only retain candidates throughout the application process but also build a strong, positive reputation that attracts top talent.
Let’s revisit the importance of empathy and consider what truly resonates with candidates. The most impactful feedback is clear, focused, timely, concise, and specific.
These principles are at the heart of our Wave Connect platform. We provide candidates with bite-sized, personalized feedback snippets, automatically delivered to their dashboards. This approach ensures that every candidate receives meaningful, actionable insights, enhancing their experience and fostering a genuine connection with your organization.
The power of personalization in consumerism is undeniable, and by integrating these principles into your assessment process you can experience similar advantages. Embracing personalization ensures that candidates feel valued and understood, leading to a more positive and effective hiring process.
By providing candidates with relevant information throughout the assessment journey, you can achieve:
Increased engagement
Higher offer acceptance rates
Reduced turnover
Get in touch for more information on Wave Connect, our next-generation platform that will guide you through The Data Age, distilling complex data and streamlining your processes.
Olivia is an Associate Director at Saville Assessment and heads up our Client Solutions team.
You can connect with Olivia on LinkedIn here.
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