The Consumerisation of Talent Acquisition—A New Era of Candidate Experience

Imagine you're browsing for a new streaming service. You expect personalised recommendations, seamless navigation, and instant gratification. Now, translate that experience to the job search. Candidates today expect the same frictionless journey when exploring career opportunities. 

This shift is redefining the role of talent acquisition professionals, forcing them to rethink their strategies and borrow heavily from consumer marketing to create engaging, personalised candidate experiences.

The Rise of Consumer-Grade Expectations

Gone are the days when a candidate’s interaction with a company began and ended with a job advert. Today’s candidates, much like savvy consumers, expect a holistic, personalised journey from the moment they encounter your brand. 

According to LinkedIn’s 2023 Global Talent Trends report, 81% of candidates say that their experience during the hiring process influences their decision to accept an offer. In a world where consumers abandon online shopping baskets due to frustrating experiences, candidates, too, disengage from complex or impersonal application processes.

This trend is being driven by the digital-first, on-demand culture that permeates every aspect of our lives. Companies that fail to meet these new consumer-grade expectations risk losing top talent to competitors who offer more streamlined and engaging experiences. SIA’s 2023 Workforce Solutions Buyer Survey found that 70% of talent acquisition leaders identified improving candidate experience as a top priority. 

Moreover, companies that invest in enhancing candidate experience have seen a 20% increase in offer acceptance rates.

Parallels Between Marketing and Talent Acquisition

The lines between marketing and talent acquisition are increasingly blurring, with both disciplines focusing on engagement and experience. Just as marketers craft personalised campaigns to attract and retain customers, talent acquisition professionals must curate tailored experiences to attract and retain top talent. 

This shift requires reimagining the candidate journey as a consumer journey, where every interaction—whether it’s a job ad, a recruitment email, or an interview—acts as a crucial touchpoint in a cohesive narrative.

Josh Bersin emphasises that organisations excelling in employee experience, starting from recruitment, tend to outperform their competitors by 2.8 times in terms of profitability. This connection underscores the business case for a consumer-grade candidate experience.

For those interested in exploring the importance of employer branding within the broader context of talent strategy, a related article discusses mid-year talent acquisition predictions and their implications for employer branding efforts. LinkedIn’s research supports the growing emphasis on branding, showing that 75% of job seekers research a company’s reputation before applying. 

Companies with strong employer branding efforts are twice as likely to attract high-quality candidates, according to SIA’s 2023 Talent Attraction Report. Additionally, 58% of candidates say they would decline an offer from a company with a poor online reputation, regardless of salary.
 

Programmatic and Social Activation: The Game Changers

As talent acquisition evolves, programmatic advertising and social activation are revolutionising how companies attract talent.

Programmatic advertising has evolved beyond simple automation to become a highly intelligent system. Today’s platforms leverage AI and machine learning to continuously analyse and adapt to candidate behaviour in real-time. This allows for hyper-targeted adverts that resonate with specific candidate personas, optimising not just placement but also messaging as conditions change.

Companies using these advanced programmatic strategies have seen up to a 30% increase in candidate engagement and a significant reduction in cost-per-hire, according to SIA. The ability to predict and respond to candidate preferences makes programmatic a powerful tool in modern talent acquisition.

Social activation has evolved far beyond simple job postings. Today, it’s about crafting engaging, authentic content that connects with audiences on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. The focus has shifted to storytelling and creating a compelling brand narrative that resonates with potential candidates on a deeper level.

Companies leading in this space use data-driven insights to tailor their content, leveraging trends and platform-specific features like Instagram Stories or TikTok challenges to create more interactive and immersive experiences. This approach not only attracts candidates but also builds a lasting connection with your brand, transforming social media into a powerful tool for talent acquisition.

Predicting the Future: On-the-Spot Personalised Content Creation

The next frontier in talent acquisition is the ability to create personalised content on the spot that resonates with the candidate persona in real time. Imagine AI-driven tools that generate tailored job descriptions, emails, or even video content on demand, based on a candidate’s interactions with your brand. 

This level of personalisation, powered by machine learning and real-time data analysis, will transform the candidate experience from a transactional process into a dynamic conversation.

Jonathan Kestenbaum, Managing Director – Tech Strategy & Partners at AMS, has highlighted the importance of this trend, noting that the future of talent acquisition lies in the ability to deliver hyper-personalised content at scale, creating a more engaging and tailored experience for candidates.

The Role of Emerging Technologies: AI, Blockchain, VR, and Beyond

Emerging technologies are driving this transformation, offering new ways to deliver consumer-grade candidate experiences.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): I know you’ve probably heard more than enough about AI, but in my opinion, it’s still underhyped. AI isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a game-changer in recruitment. It streamlines the entire process, offering real-time updates, personalised job alerts, and even AI-generated interview questions that adapt to a candidate’s responses.

According to the Everest Group, companies that integrate AI and automation into their talent acquisition processes are 35% more likely to fill positions faster than their competitors. Beyond efficiency, AI enhances predictive analytics, enabling companies to anticipate not just candidate success, but also cultural fit and long-term retention—critical elements in delivering a consumer-grade candidate experience.

Blockchain: Before you tune out, thinking this is all about cryptocurrency, let me clarify—this isn’t about Bitcoin or speculative investments. Blockchain in recruitment is about a secure, shared ledger that enhances transparency and trust. By securely storing candidate data and verifying credentials, blockchain technology can significantly reduce the time and cost of background checks, ensuring the authenticity of candidate qualifications.

This aligns perfectly with today’s consumer-grade expectations, where transparency and data privacy are more important than ever. As Jonathan Kestenbaum points out, blockchain, though still emerging, has the potential to revolutionise how we manage candidate data, making the hiring process more secure and trustworthy.

Virtual Reality (VR): VR is emerging as a powerful tool in the recruitment process, particularly for immersive job previews and virtual office tours. According to a PwC report, VR is four times faster than traditional methods at training employees and offers a more engaging experience. VR allows candidates to explore work environments and company culture before they even step through the door, making it a game-changer for remote or international candidates. 

However, as explored in an article on navigating the metaverse, VR and the metaverse present both opportunities and challenges for talent acquisition, requiring careful consideration to avoid potential pitfalls.

Mobile-First Strategies

With over 90% of job seekers using their mobile devices to search for jobs (according to Glassdoor), adopting a mobile-first approach is no longer optional—it’s essential. Indeed research indicates that 65% of people would abandon a job application if it isn’t mobile-friendly. 

Leading hotel chains and fast food brands have implemented mobile-first recruitment processes, allowing candidates to easily apply and track their application status on the go. This not only increases application rates but also enhances the overall candidate experience.

Remote and Accessible Candidate Processes

The pandemic has solidified remote hiring as a standard practice, with 70% of talent professionals agreeing that virtual recruiting is here to stay, according to LinkedIn. Ensuring that these processes are accessible to all candidates, including those with disabilities, is crucial.

 Companies that prioritise accessibility by using platforms compatible with assistive technologies are broadening their talent pools and demonstrating a commitment to inclusivity.

Hiring as a Team Sport: Accountability and Collaboration

Delivering a consumer-grade candidate experience is not just the responsibility of recruiters—it requires a collaborative effort across the entire hiring community, from hiring managers to onboarding teams. This collective responsibility ensures that every touchpoint in the hiring process reflects the company’s values and provides a consistent, positive experience.

Technology plays a crucial role in this collaboration. Tools like AI-driven platforms and shared dashboards streamline communication, making it easier for teams to align on candidate evaluations and ensure a seamless experience from start to finish. 

A unified approach, often outlined in a “hiring charter,” helps define roles, responsibilities, and expectations for everyone involved. When the hiring community operates as a cohesive unit, supported by the right tech, it enhances the candidate experience and strengthens the company’s ability to attract and retain top talent.

If you are interested in exploring how a collaborative approach can be applied to evaluating candidates based on skills rather than credentials, you might enjoy a previous post that discusses the shift towards skills-based hiring and its impact on the hiring process. 

This method promotes fairness and ensures that the right people are involved at every stage, reinforcing the idea that hiring is a team sport.

The Risk of Over-Automation

While automation is often favoured for its efficiency, it’s important to recognise that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work in talent acquisition. Some candidates may appreciate a fully automated, streamlined process, finding it convenient and quick. However, others crave human interaction, valuing the personal touch that builds trust and connection.

The key is to tailor your approach, keeping the candidate experience (CX) at the heart of the process. Automation should enhance, not replace, the human elements that make the experience meaningful. 

By understanding the diverse needs of your candidates and balancing technology with genuine human engagement, you ensure that every candidate feels valued and understood, leading to a more successful hiring process.

As Simon Sinek often says, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” In hiring, this means candidates are looking for a connection with the company’s mission and values—something that’s hard to convey through automation alone. Steven Bartlett reminds us that in the age of automation, authenticity is the true currency of trust. 

Balancing tech-driven efficiency with a human touch can turn a good candidate experience into a great one.

Success Stories and Lessons Learned

Several companies are leading the way in applying consumer marketing strategies to talent acquisition. Some have pioneered virtual assessment centres where candidates participate in online simulations that mirror real job scenarios. This innovative approach not only engages candidates in a unique and interactive way but also provides valuable insights into their skills and potential fit within the organisation.

Others have transformed recruitment by focusing on storytelling and cultural alignment, using immersive experiences to allow candidates to deeply connect with the company’s mission and values. This strategy has been particularly effective in attracting talent who resonate with the brand's ethos.

Another trend is the use of AI and machine learning to personalise and enhance the recruitment process. By predicting candidate success and tailoring the journey to individual preferences, companies can ensure that each candidate feels valued and understood. This data-driven approach not only improves engagement but also supports diversity and inclusion initiatives by reducing unconscious bias.

However, there are cautionary tales where over-reliance on algorithms has led to unintended consequences, such as a lack of diversity and unintentional bias in hiring decisions. 

The key takeaway? While consumer-grade experiences can significantly enhance the candidate journey, they must be implemented thoughtfully, with a clear awareness of potential pitfalls.

The Future of Candidate Experience

As the consumerisation of candidate experience continues, we can expect even more innovative approaches to recruitment. Imagine job portals functioning like e-commerce sites, where candidates can "shop" for jobs, read reviews from current employees, watch workplace videos, and get personalised career recommendations. 

Beyond this, the future will likely include interactive AI chatbots offering tailored career advice, VR-powered onboarding previews that immerse candidates in a "day in the life," and gamified assessments that make skill evaluation engaging and insightful.

Additionally, AI-driven career pathways will provide candidates with a clear vision of their potential growth within the company, while peer-to-peer networks will allow them to connect with current employees for authentic insights. Real-time application tracking will further enhance transparency, keeping candidates informed every step of the way. 

These innovations will collectively transform the recruitment process into a more personalised, interactive, and transparent experience, ensuring that candidates feel valued and engaged throughout their journey.

This future isn’t far off. According to Gartner, by 2025, 75% of the workforce will expect a consumer-grade experience during the recruitment process. Companies that succeed in this new landscape will be those that can seamlessly blend technology with a human touch, creating a candidate experience that’s both efficient and deeply personal.

A Call to Action for Talent Acquisition Professionals

If you’re not already, it’s time to start thinking of candidates as consumers. This means leveraging the same principles of customer experience management—personalisation, journey mapping, and data-driven insights—to attract and retain top talent. It’s not just about filling roles; it’s about creating a brand experience that resonates with candidates long before they ever hit “apply.”

In this new era of talent acquisition, the companies that thrive will be those that can deliver a candidate experience as engaging and personalised as the best consumer brands. 

The future of talent acquisition isn’t just about finding the right people—it’s about creating an experience so compelling that the right people find you.