What Should You Include in Your Candidate Experience Survey? 24 Sample Questions

A candidate experience survey is a post-interview questionnaire used by employers and HR professionals to improve the hiring process for candidates and optimize the company’s recruiting strategies. 

According to LinkedIn data, almost half (47%) of recruiting professionals say candidate experience is the number one topic shaping the future of recruiting. Here’s how to create your own candidate experience survey, including the best questions to ask.

What are the best candidate experience survey questions?

With a combination of open-ended questions and measurable Likert scale questions, you can use your candidate experience survey data to make decisions that reinforce your employer brand.

Here are some sample candidate experience survey questions:

Application process

The following questions will help you assess the efficiency of your application process, remove barriers to applying, and streamline the process for future candidates.

Open-ended questions

1. Where did you hear about the role?

Use their answers to identify the specific channels candidates used to find your open positions (e.g., Google search, company website, niche job boards, social media, referrals, and more). With a clear understanding of your top sources of hire, you can hone in on your top channels and increase your recruitment marketing ROI.

2. What motivated you to apply for this position?

By asking which aspects of the job or company attracted them, you can gain valuable insights into the strength of your employer branding and job ads.

3. Were there any technical issues, ambiguous instructions, or other hurdles you faced while completing the application?

The right candidate experience survey questions can help you iron out any potential friction points in the application process for a higher volume of qualified candidates.

4. Were there any areas within the application form or process where you felt the need for additional guidance or instructions? If so, please provide details on what was lacking or unclear.

Don’t be afraid to ask candidates directly for their suggestions on how the application process could be improved. With details on particular areas that are confusing or unclear, you can work to answer those questions in advance for a smoother candidate experience.

5. How consistent was the job description with the information presented to you during the rest of the hiring process?

No one likes it when the job description doesn’t align with the reality of the interview process or candidate meet and greet. Make sure job requirements are clear and consistent from beginning to end.

Rating scale questions

How would you rate the clarity and timeliness of communication from our company throughout the application process?

1. Very Poor
2. Poor
3. Neutral
4. Good
5. Excellent

Please rate the ease of our online application process, including the submission of your resume and other required materials.

1. Very Difficult
2. Difficult
3. Neutral
4. Easy
5. Very Easy

Considering your entire application process with our company, how likely are you to recommend our organization to a friend or colleague seeking employment?

1. Not Likely
2. Unlikely
3. Neutral
4. Likely
5. Very Likely

Interview process

When it comes to the interview portion of your candidate survey, it’s important not to cut any corners. Make sure your managers understand that a strong interview process takes work. Two-way feedback is an organic part of the process that helps everyone improve their skills. 

Open-ended questions

1. Did our interview process reflect our values and culture? Why or why not?

To avoid unpleasant surprises for future candidates, make sure you’re walking the walk in your interview process. From the handshake to the farewell, it should be a positive experience that aligns with your company culture and employer value proposition.

2. How clear and complete was the information provided during the interview?

Were there any areas where the candidate felt the interviewers could have provided more information? Review your answers to this one for insights into how to revamp your structured interview process.

3. Is there any specific material or additional information that you believe would have improved your interview experience?

Even adding a quick link or pdf to more information about the company or team could help give future candidates a leg up.

4. How would you improve the overall organization and structure of the interview?

Would the candidate change anything about the allotted time or sequence of interview rounds? This question can help you understand whether you’re overloading your process with too many steps.

5. Can you pinpoint any aspects of the interview process that you found particularly challenging or confusing?

Unfortunately, it only takes one negative experience with a brand to leave a bad taste in a customer’s mouth. And the same is true for your candidates. If there are any bugs in your recruitment funnel, this question will help you weed them out.

Rating scale questions

How satisfied were you with the flexibility and ease of scheduling interviews with our organization?

1. Very Dissatisfied
2. Dissatisfied
3. Neutral
4. Satisfied
5. Very Satisfied
   

On a scale of 1 to 5, how relevant were the interview questions to the position you applied for?

• 1 (Not relevant)
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5 (Highly relevant)
  

How effective was our company in providing constructive and timely feedback following your interviews?

1. Not at All Effective
2. Slightly Effective
3. Moderately Effective
4. Very Effective
5. Extremely Effective

Candidate satisfaction questions

This is probably the most critical portion of your candidate experience survey. In this section, you ask the candidate for their direct experience on the process overall, including their likelihood of recommending your company to future job seekers.

Open-ended questions

1. How clear and prompt was our communication during the application and interview process?

Timely communication is everything to job seekers. A responsive process not only reflects positively on your employer brand, it also helps you secure the best candidates faster.

2. How would you rate the efficiency of our process in terms of time taken from application to final decision?

For busy job applicants, it’s all about timely communication. If you’re not already, consider using an applicant tracking system that includes automated emailing to make sure you’re keeping candidates in the loop about where their applications stand.

3. How would you rate your understanding of the position after going through the recruitment process?

Sometimes a potential candidate doesn’t work out due to a simple misunderstanding about a specific role’s job requirements. This question helps you ensure that future candidates feel prepared and confident going into an interview.

4. How likely are you to recommend our company to other candidates?

The responses to this question can provide valuable insights into employer brand perception and how it could impact your future talent pool. 

5. How likely are you to apply to an open position at [company name] again? 

This question helps you understand the level of engagement and interest candidates have in the organization, which can be important when re-engaging your candidate database for future open roles.

Rating scale questions

How satisfied are you with the overall recruitment process you experienced?

1. Very Dissatisfied
2. Dissatisfied
3. Neutral
4. Satisfied
5. Very Satisfied

How would you rate the communication from the hiring team throughout the recruitment process?

• Very Poor
• Poor
• Average
• Good
• Excellent

Were you provided with enough information about the company culture and values during the recruitment process?

• Not at All
• Not Enough
• Neutral
• Enough
• More than Enough

Examples of a good vs. bad candidate experience

A strong candidate experience results in great feedback from candidates. Here’s an example:

“The experience was efficient and fast. The team was enthusiastic about my candidacy and knowledgeable about my background (clearly they read my resume)... It was great.”

But what about a not-so-great experience? One of our favorite examples of a candidate experience gone wrong comes from none other than media mogul Richard Branson. 

Once upon a time (circa 2015), Virgin Media was rejecting around 150,000 applicants every year. Of those 150,000 rejected candidates, 18% were existing customers. And due to a negative recruitment experience, many of them took their business elsewhere.

Virgin tackled the challenge head-on by making a public commitment to creating the best candidate experience ever. As a result, Branson saved a whopping $7 million in lost revenue. 

When should you send a candidate experience survey?

To gather the most accurate feedback and boost your response rate, it’s important to send the survey out immediately after the hiring decision has been made. Aim to send the survey during business hours on a weekday when candidates are more likely to respond.

To increase your likelihood of getting more responses, consider offering the opportunity to share feedback anonymously and when sending a candidate experience survey to an unsuccessful candidate, be sensitive to their feelings. Provide an easy option for the candidate to opt out if they prefer not to provide feedback.

What are the benefits of a candidate experience survey?

From faster job offers to smoother onboarding, a steady stream of candidate feedback can help you get even more out of your HR strategy. Here are just a few of the benefits the right candidate survey can deliver.

1. Better hires in less time

According to our Hiring Challenges Survey, competition from other companies is among the top three challenges employers and hiring managers face. 

But believe it or not, candidates ghosting on interviews is a real phenomenon, especially when the recruitment process is long. With a candidate experience survey, you can pinpoint the dropoff points, increase your touchpoints, and update your talent acquisition strategy to retain high-potential candidates.

2. Improved employee experience

54% of recruiting pros believe that quality of hire is a hot topic that will shape the future of recruiting.  

Greater candidate satisfaction means a better impression with new hires and ultimately, happier employees. By soliciting feedback through a candidate experience survey, you can demonstrate your commitment to listening and acting on employee input. This can help boost employee engagement as current employees see that their opinions matter.

3. Standout employer brand

Raise your hand if you want a stronger LinkedIn presence and better Glassdoor reviews. That’s all of us, right?

According to a survey by Universum, employer branding was a top priority for 86% of the World’s Most Attractive Employers. Feedback from candidates can be used to identify aspects of your employer branding that you may have overlooked. With permission, you can also use candidate testimonials to enhance your company's reputation as an employer of choice in a competitive job market. 

4. More referrals

You may already know that 45% of referred employees stay with the organization for at least four years. If employee retention is a goal, the candidate experience is the first step to achieving it.

A great candidate experience survey can encourage candidates, even those who weren’t hired, to recommend your company to others based on their positive experience. By taking the extra step to go above and beyond, you can use your candidate surveys to turn past candidates into brand ambassadors who actively refer others to apply for your open positions. Over time, this can help increase your acceptance rates on future job offers.

5. Stronger company culture

A candidate experience survey goes beyond a simple net promoter score (NPS) to provide insights that have a direct impact on your company culture. By addressing areas for improvement identified in the survey, you can create a more inclusive recruitment experience that leads to more team members who embody your organization's values. 

Top best practices for your candidate experience survey 

In a world where 54% of Gen Z candidates won’t bother applying for a job if the process feels outdated, you need to be 100% sure you’re competing for top talent effectively. 

Here are some of the key best practices for launching an effective candidate experience survey:

• Keep it brief: Aim for 5–6 questions, or a maximum of 12 split into smaller sections.
• Offer an incentive: Offer a gift card discount or gift card to thank candidates for taking the time to share their feedback. 
• Ask succinct questions: It can be tempting to throw in irrelevant questions for all kinds of HR metrics. Keep questions direct and focused solely on the recruitment experience.‍ Avoid jargon or overly casual language.
• Use specific questions: Make sure you tailor all questions to your recruitment process, including any specific areas for improvement.
• Leave space for comments: Include at least one open-ended question to give candidates a place to voice their concerns and suggestions in a free-form text answer.
• Keep candidates in the loop: Let candidates know about the survey in advance so they’re not taken off guard and are more likely to fill one out at the completion of the recruitment process.
• Review and follow up: Schedule a debriefing after each hiring round to review your candidate experience data with your recruitment team and identify any areas for improvement.

Last but not least, if you’re going to ask for feedback, you need to be prepared to give it too.

For a truly positive candidate experience, be sure to add a step to your process that includes following up with unsuccessful candidates to share genuinely helpful feedback.

Level up the candidate journey with Breezy

The best way to futureproof your recruitment process is to take the time to understand your candidates. With a strong candidate survey, you can use valuable candidate insights to stand out amid the hundreds of other companies competing for talent.

From long-form text responses to multiple-choice, Breezy’s automated questionnaires make it easy to launch a user-friendly survey that’s easy for candidates to submit. Or, create your own using our open API. With simple stage actions, you can automatically send surveys via email or text at exactly the right moment in the candidate journey and see your full conversation history in one place.

Sign up for a free 14-day trial of Breezy’s ATS and revamp your candidate experience with one simple, user-friendly platform.