Dive Brief:

• Whether it's keeping candidates guessing as to where they are in the application process or simply neglecting to acknowledge their application, some employers are unwittingly leaving candidates with a bad impression—and it's taking a toll on their business, according to a Careerbuilder survey.
• The experiences candidates have with a company throughout the application process can make or break their impression of a company, not only affecting their decisions to apply and accept a job offer, but also their customer loyalty.
• According to the study, 82% of employers think there's little to no negative impact on the company when a candidate has a bad experience during the hiring process. The reality, however, is that the majority of candidates do not take poor treatment lying down: 58% are less likely to buy from a company to which they've applied if they don't get a response to their application; 69% are less likely if they have a bad experience in the interview; and the same is true of 65% if they didn't hear back after an interview.

Dive Insight:

Today's candidates expect ongoing communication from companies during the application process and when companies fail to meet this expectation, it can be bad for business, according to Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder.

Careerbuilder offers six facts every employer should know about the candidate experience, including "candidates are more willing to accept lower salaries from well-reputed employers" and "candidates expect more than you're giving them."