Question 1: What key recruiting processes and candidate experience improvements have you identified and completed in the past 6-12 months? (Be as specific as possible with examples for each.)
Enhancing Clarity in Communication through Compassion & Trust: We prioritized compassionate communication by offering clearer, more personalized messaging throughout the candidate journey. By customizing dispositions and unlocking the Notification Designer within Workday, we ensured that even in moments of rejection, candidates felt respected and supported. Our goal was to foster trust by asking ourselves, “What’s next for this individual, and how can we leave a positive impression?”
Empowering Talent Acquisition through Teamwork & Innovation: Our team embraced continuous learning through ERE Media Talent Advisor trainings, LinkedIn and Indeed workshops, and UHS Ascent via Skillsoft Percipio. Coordinators developed personalized learning plans to grow as strategic partners and subject matter experts in preboarding. This collaborative approach strengthened our internal capabilities and encouraged innovation in how we support candidates and hiring managers.
Streamlining Recruitment Process through Respect & Teamwork: We created a comprehensive SOP that balances consistency with flexibility, respecting the unique needs of each leader. Through TA-led training sessions, we emphasized the importance of candidate experience, introduced SLAs, and shared best practices in interviewing and compliance. These efforts reinforced a culture of shared responsibility and respect for every candidate interaction.
Driving Data-Informed Decisions through Innovation & Transparency: We increased transparency by building detailed reports in Workday, launching QBRs, and introducing monthly recruiter scorecards. These tools not only track performance but also guide mentorship and development. By integrating Survale pulse survey insights, we ensure our actions are data-driven and responsive, allowing for agile pivots that reflect our commitment to continuous improvement.
Question 2: How did you build support and commitment within your team and your leadership to make these improvements? (Be as specific as possible with examples.)
After stepping into the role of Director of Talent Acquisition, I prioritized building trust and fostering respectful partnerships by engaging in introductory meetings with leaders across the organization. Through transparent and sincere communication, I presented data on our hiring performance and 2024 candidate benchmark results, which revealed opportunities for growth. By sharing a clear and compassionate vision for improvement, centered on strengthening the candidate experience and deepening connections between TA and Hiring Managers, I was able to earn their trust and secure their buy-in. The Talent Acquisition Roadmap served as a collaborative tool to align our efforts and demonstrate our commitment to innovation and progress. Many leaders were unaware of the extent of the opportunity and lacked the time to fully assess it, so TA stepped in with empathy and clarity, offering direction and support. This empowered leaders to become part of the solution, ensuring their teams benefited from a more connected, skilled, and technologically advanced TA function.
Question 3: Which of these improvements do you think are the most unique and innovative and why? (Be as specific as possible with examples for each.)
One of the most unique and innovative improvements we’ve made is the integration of continuous candidate feedback through Survale’s NPS and survey comments. This real-time insight allows us to act with compassion and precision, identifying trends, addressing concerns, and celebrating what’s working. The ability to filter feedback by recruiter, hiring manager, and job profile has transformed how we support our teams, enabling targeted development and stronger partnerships. It’s one thing to collect feedback but another to create action as a common practice.
What truly sets the efforts apart is the holistic approach. We are not just improving systems and processes, we’re elevating relationships, empowering our recruiters and coordinators, and aligning leadership through transparency and shared purpose. This blend of technology, data, and human-centered strategy reflects our commitment to innovation, teamwork, and a candidate experience rooted in respect and trust.
Question 4: How do you know that your changes are making a difference and what data or evidence validates the innovative improvements you made? (Be as specific as possible with examples for each based on your people, your processes, and your technologies, and include any candidate quotes that validate the improvements made.)
With Survale’s continuous NPS and survey feedback, we’re seeing our values of compassion, trust, and innovation reflected in real-time candidate experiences. Candidates are highlighting improvements in application processes, timely communication, thoughtful interviews, and well-managed recruitment timelines, all demonstrating that our efforts are making a meaningful impact. The ability to filter feedback by recruiter, hiring manager, and job profile allows our team to identify trends, uncover opportunities, and collaborate closely with HRBPs to support the growth and development of recruiters, coordinators, and leaders. These evergreen surveys have become a vital part of our operations, reinforcing a culture of trust and accountability by ensuring that performance is continuously measured and supported by leadership.
Question 5: Do you use any of your candidate experience benchmark data to quantify and demonstrate financial, referral, and/or employer branding business impacts and report to your leadership team, your recruiting team, and/or your hiring managers? If yes, how? (Be as specific as possible with examples.)
With stronger, more compassionate candidate experience and refined, transparent process, we’ve seen a noticeable increase in the quality of hires and a slight reduction in turnover. Our investment in the candidate journey, emphasizing clarity, respect, and thoughtful matchmaking, has elevated the reputation of our Talent Acquisition team across the organization. This renewed trust and alignment, although still has room for improvement, has already led to tangible support, including investments in innovative tools like HiredScore and Candidate Engagement Workday SKU. We’ve also deepened our strategic focus on pipelining and long-term talent programs, reinforcing our commitment to teamwork, continuous improvement, and forward-thinking recruitment strategies.
