8 min read

Improving Candidate Experience During the Assessment Phase

The way you hire tells people a lot about how you run your business. When a person applies for a job, they are judging you just as much as you are judging them. The candidate experience starts the moment they see your ad. However, the most important part happens during the assessment phase. This is when many people drop out of the hiring funnel. If your tests are too long or hard to use, you will lose the best people to your competitors.

You must think about how the candidate feels. They are often busy and may be looking at other jobs. If you make them jump through too many hoops, they will give up. To keep them interested, you need a process that is fast and easy to finish.

Improving Candidate Experience During the Assessment Phase

The Importance of the Assessment Phase

The assessment process is where you check if a person has the right skills. It is a necessary part of hiring. But it can also be a point of friction. Many companies use old methods that take too much time. This creates a bad candidate experience.

When you improve this phase, you get several benefits:

You find the right people faster.
You build a better reputation for your company.
You reduce the number of people who quit the application.
You save your hiring team from wasting time on manual tasks.

Your goal is to make the process feel like a natural part of the conversation. It should not feel like a chore.

Common Problems in the Assessment Process

Before you can fix your candidate experience, you have to know what is wrong. Many businesses make the same mistakes. These mistakes drive talent away.

Long Wait Times: If you wait a week to send a test, the candidate has moved on.
Too Many Steps: If there are five different tests before an interview, people get tired.
Desktop-Only Links: Many people do not use a computer for personal tasks. If your test only works on a big screen, it is a problem.
Lack of Feedback: Candidates hate not knowing where they stand.
Confusing Instructions: If the test is hard to understand, the candidate will feel frustrated.

By looking at these issues, you can start to simplify your workflow. You want to remove any barrier that stops a person from showing you their skills.

The Rise of SMS Hiring

One of the best ways to fix the candidate experience is to change how you talk to people. Email is slow. People get hundreds of emails every day. Your invitation for a test might get lost in their spam folder. This is why SMS hiring is becoming so popular.

Text messages have a much higher open rate than emails. Most people read a text within minutes of getting it. When you use SMS to send links to assessments, you speed up the whole cycle. You can send assessments via email and SMS to get faster results. This allows the candidate to take the test when they have a few spare minutes.

Using SMS also makes your company feel modern. It shows that you value the candidate's time. It removes the need for them to sit at a desk and log into a complicated portal.

Why Mobile-Friendly Tests Work Better

Most people use their phones for everything. They shop, bank, and talk to friends on mobile devices. It makes sense that they want to apply for jobs on their phones too. If your assessment process requires a mouse and keyboard, you are limiting your reach.

Mobile-friendly tests are better because:

They are accessible: People can take them on the bus or during a lunch break.
They are shorter: Mobile tests usually focus on the most important questions.
They feel easier: A clean mobile interface is less intimidating than a long web form.

When you focus on a mobile-first approach, you improve the candidate experience for everyone. You make it possible for busy professionals to engage with your brand without stress.

Steps to Improve Your Candidate Experience

If you want to keep your candidates engaged, you should follow a clear plan. Here are steps you can take today to make your assessment process better.

1. Shorten the Tests

Do not ask fifty questions if ten will do. Look at your current tests and remove anything that is not needed. Focus on the core skills for the job.

2. Use Better Technology

Use tools that automate the sending of tests. You should not have to manually email every person who applies. Automation helps you respond to candidates instantly.

3. Provide Clear Timelines

Tell the candidate how long the test will take. If it takes ten minutes, say that. If they will hear back in two days, let them know. Clear communication reduces anxiety.

4. Test the Process Yourself

Go through your own hiring funnel. See how long it takes. See if the links work on your phone. If you find it annoying, your candidates definitely will.

5. Ask for Feedback

After the process is over, ask the candidate what they thought. They can tell you if a specific part of the assessment was confusing. Use this data to keep making things better.

FAQ Section

Why is candidate experience important for my brand?
Your hiring process is a reflection of your company culture. A bad experience can lead to negative reviews on sites like Glassdoor. This makes it harder to hire people in the future.

How does SMS hiring help with speed?
SMS messages are usually read immediately. This means candidates start their assessments sooner. It cuts down the time-to-hire by days or even weeks.

What makes an assessment mobile-friendly?
A mobile-friendly assessment has large buttons, easy-to-read text, and does not require a lot of typing. It should load quickly on a cellular data connection.

Should I stop using email for assessments?
No, but you should offer both options. Some people still prefer email, but many will choose SMS for the convenience.

How long should a skill assessment take?
For the first stage, try to keep it under 15 to 20 minutes. If the test is too long, the completion rate will drop.

Winning the Talent Race

The market for talent is very competitive. You are not just competing on salary. You are competing on how easy it is to work for you. By focusing on the candidate experience during the assessment phase, you set yourself apart.

You should aim to be the company that is easy to talk to. When you use fast, mobile-friendly tools, you show respect for the person's time. This builds a strong bond before the first interview even starts. Simplifying your assessment process is not just about being nice: it is a smart business move. It ensures you get the best data on candidates without making them jump through hoops.

Keep your communication clear and your tests short. Use the right tools to reach people where they are. When you do this, you will see more people finishing your tests and more high-quality hires joining your team.

Upgrade Your Hiring with Refhub

Refhub helps you build a better candidate experience from start to finish. Our tools allow you to send skill tests quickly and get the data you need. You can reach candidates where they are most active.

Stop losing great talent to slow and old-fashioned methods. Let us help you fix your assessment process and grow your team. Contact Refhub today to see how our platform can change your hiring results for the better.

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