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Top metrics to measure candidate experience

Improving the candidate experience is a top priority for many hiring teams.
But as the saying goes, you can’t improve what you don’t measure. We’ve identified the top metrics to focus on during each stage of the hiring process to ensure a positive candidate experience.

What is the candidate experience and why is it important?

The candidate experience is the way talent feels about your company throughout the hiring process. Every interaction you have leaves a lasting impression. A stellar candidate experience leads to engaged applicants, positive word of mouth, and a higher offer acceptance rate, while a negative one can push great talent away.

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The pre-application candidate experience

 

The candidate experience begins before a candidate even applies. These are the metrics that will show you if you’re putting your best foot forward at these early stages.

Candidate sources

75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying for a job. Put the information they seek at their fingertips by ensuring your website, LinkedIn Career Page, and other employer branding materials are informative and up to date, driving them to apply.

Illustration of open laptop displaying a LinkedIn Career Page.
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How to measure this:
Track which websites are driving candidates to your website, Career Page, or job posts to get a sense of the most effective sources — and whether you should invest more resources into them.

Bounce rates

There are tons of reasons candidates may leave a job post without applying, like long job descriptions or technical difficulties. By keeping your job descriptions clear and concise and regularly assessing your application process for issues, you can encourage more qualified candidates to apply.

Illustration of a candidate searching for jobs on a computer at their desk.
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How to measure this:
Bounce rate = (# of applicants/# of unique page visits)*100

Career site conversion rate

Tracking how many unique visitors look at your career site or employer branding materials and ultimately decide to apply for a job can tell you whether you’re painting a compelling picture of life at your company.

Circle graph illustrating 39%.

39% of companies are optimizing their career websites for mobile devices.

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How to measure this:
Career site conversion rate = (# of conversions/total # of visitors)*100

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The candidate experience during the application process

 

The application process marks a crucial turning point as candidates decide whether or not to move forward. Staying on top of these metrics can help you avoid exceptional talent from dropping out.

Application completion rate

How many candidates complete their applications — filling out every section, not just the ones marked “required”? To achieve higher completion rates, consider slimming down your applications by removing questions you can do without.

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How to measure this:
Application completion rate = (# of applications completed/# of applications started)*100

Application abandonment rate

If a high percentage of candidates are leaving applications unfinished, then length might be a deterrent. Avoid unnecessary steps — like retyping information from uploaded resumes — and consider adopting Easy Apply options to capture twice the number of applicants or more.

Illustration of a laptop displaying LinkedIn's Easy Apply button.
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How to measure this:
Application Abandonment Rate = (# of candidates who quit the application process/# of candidates who began filling out an application)*100

Application-to-offer rate

How many candidates complete their applications —filling out every section, not just the ones marked “required”? To achieve higher completion rates, consider slimming down your applications by removing questions you can do without.

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How to measure this:
Application completion rate = (# of applications completed/# of applications started)*100

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The candidate experience during the interview process

 

Candidates want the interview process to respect their time — and give them the chance to shine. Here are the key metrics to pay attention to that make applicants feel valued and excited during this stage of the hiring process.

Number of touch points

Count the interactions between candidates and recruiters leading up to the interview process. Were candidates overwhelmed by endless back-and-forths, or did they feel forgotten? Using an applicant tracking system makes it easy to track where each candidate is in the process, so you can reach out at the right moment with helpful resources and encouragement.

Illustration of chat text bubbles between a candidate and a recruiter.
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How to measure this:
Count the number of touch points that were made during the interview process.

Reputation metrics

Find out how your reputation is impacting your ability to attract new talent by measuring the percentage of people who would recommend applying for your company to their peers, and the percentage of applicants who were referred by previous candidates.

of candidates say a negative interview experience can significantly impact their interest in a company.

Source: 2015 talent trends, LinkedIn

Circle graph illustration showing 83%.
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How to measure this:
Gather this information in the form of a follow-up survey, then calculate the percentage.

Interview to offer rate

Interviewing can be time-consuming for everyone involved, so you want to know you’re meeting with the right people. Look at the number of interviews that result in job offers. If the number of offers is low, it might be time to re-evaluate your screening process.

Illustration of candidate profile photos with blue circles and checkmarks around two of them.
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How to measure this:
Interview-to-offer rate = (# of offers extended/# of interviews conducted)*100

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The post interview-candidate experience

 

Regardless of whether a candidate is hired, their experience could impact their perception of your brand, their decision to engage with your company in the future, and how they talk about you to others. These metrics influence the likelihood that they’ll be left with a positive impression.

Time per stage

Examine the time it takes to get through each stage of the hiring process. This can reveal inefficiencies and help you pinpoint how to make the process more streamlined and enjoyable.

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How to measure this:
Day candidate enters stage to day candidate enters next stage

Offer acceptance rate

If your top candidates frequently turn down offers, try to identify what is standing in the way of a “yes.” For example, are you leaving too long between the final interview and the offer, allowing other companies to swoop in? If so, consider adding more touchpoints to provide updates and keep them engaged and interested.

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How to measure this:
Offer acceptance rate = (# of offers accepted/# of offers extended)*100

Interview to offer rate

Survey all candidates — not just the ones you hire — about their overall experience. Was the process transparent? Was there enough communication? The collaboration features in LinkedIn Recruiter let you easily share this feedback with your team, so you can determine what improvements can be made

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How to measure this:
Send satisfaction surveys to candidates via email when they exit your hiring process.

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Summary/Checklist

Optimizing the candidate experience starts with knowing where to look. Here are some key takeaways and metrics to keep in mind at each stage of the hiring process:

Pre-application

Consider where candidates are coming from and make sure the information you provide is clear, robust, and up to date.

Illustration of checklist

Key metrics

•  Candidate sources
•  Bounce rates
•  Career site conversion rate

Illustration of a upward trend bar graph

Application

See if your applications can be condensed or simplified — and consider completing an application yourself if you’re not sure.

Key metrics

•  Application completion rate
•  Application abandonment rate
•  Application-to-offer rate

Interview

Take a look at how your interviews compare to candidate expectations — and how many lead to offers.

Key metrics

•  Number of touch points
•  Reputation metrics
•  Interview-to-offer rate

Post-interview

Solicit feedback from candidates at the end of the process to find out what aspects of the process are working — and which ones you need to re-evaluate.

Key metrics

•  Time per stage
•  Offer acceptance rate
•  Candidate satisfaction

Learn how LinkedIn can help you elevate the candidate experience at every stage of the hiring process.

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