The candidate experience: a test… for the company too. Or when the chosen candidate turns down the offer right at the very end of the process.

par Victoria Hingre – Founder Nova Talenta

It’s always a frustrating moment because we know we have to restart the recruitment process and, above all, that this delays the arrival of the long-awaited new hire. At first, we’re tempted to blame the market, the competition or a better-paid counter-offer. And these reasons do exist, of course. In other cases, the candidate’s decision to withdraw may reveal deeper issues within the organisation itself.

A recruitment process allows both the company and the candidate to assess each other. The applicant will look at the role, career progression opportunities, the culture and the remuneration package. They will also assess more subtle aspects such as the quality of leadership, the organisation’s decision-making capacity, and the consistency between stated values and actual practice… And the candidate’s experience will provide them with certain answers. If they perceive discrepancies regarding the vision, the support of sponsors for a project, managers’ statements about their respective priorities, etc., this can sow doubt in their mind.

The reason for these “discrepancies” often lies in the – sometimes imperfect – alignment between governance, leadership and day-to-day operations. This alignment is the framework that drives an organisation’s momentum and sets the tone. It is essential for ensuring consistency between vision and performance, clarity of leadership, coherence in decision-making, and collective maturity when facing challenges of growth or transformation.

To better understand the reasons for a rejection, it can be useful to encourage a discussion with the candidate about their experience of the process. This can be done informally, over the phone, or in a more structured way through a short survey. In any case, this exercise not only helps to better identify the real reasons behind a rejection, but also helps to maintain a positive image with the candidate.

Victoria Hingre est fondatrice de Nova Talenta, cabinet spécialisé dans la structuration et l’optimisation de la gestion de l'acquisition des talents. Avec plus de vingt ans d’expérience dans le conseil en leadership, l’executive search et l’interim management, elle accompagne dirigeants, investisseurs et organisations dans leurs transformations humaines et organisationnelles. Sa conviction : dans un monde dominé par la technologie, c’est l’ingéniosité humaine et la qualité du discernement qui créent la vraie performance durable.

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