I came across a useful tool for showing the cost of candidate resentment during a recent Talent Board Candidate Experience Workshop (which Survale proudly sponsors). It’s called the Candidate Resentment Calculator. Credit goes to HireRight© for creating it.
We’ve all read about how bad candidate experiences can hurt a company’s revenue. The well-known Virgin Media story—where Virgin uncovered millions in losses tied to candidate drop-off—remains a perfect example of the business impact of poor candidate experience.
This calculator lets you estimate what candidate resentment may be costing your organization. It’s a helpful way to show how improving the candidate journey can have a real effect on your bottom line.
Candidate Satisfaction Improves Outcomes Everywhere
I’ve written before about how candidate satisfaction surveys lead to better hiring results: more applicants, better engagement, and stronger acceptance rates. That’s a given.
But there’s another side to this. Candidate resentment doesn’t just affect recruiting—it can directly affect your business outcomes. For companies whose candidates are also customers, there’s a clear link. If your hiring process leaves a bad impression, it doesn’t stay in the hiring department—it ripples out to your brand, your sales, and your customer loyalty.
This tool helps you measure that effect.
How the Candidate Resentment Calculator Works
This calculator assumes that all your job applicants are also customers. If your real percentage is lower, just adjust the final number by multiplying it by the actual percentage of candidate-customers. Here’s how to calculate the potential cost:
Step 1: Calculate the size of your candidate pool
- Number of annual hires
B. Candidates per hire = total applicants in 12 months ÷ total hires
C. Rejected candidates per hire = B – 1
D. Annual rejected candidates = A × C
Step 2: Estimate the “resonance factor”
Assume that one rejected candidate tells one other person:
E. Rejected candidates × 2
Step 3: Estimate cost per lost customer
- Average value of a customer (get from finance or marketing)
The Talent Board’s candidate experience surveys show that 13% of candidates would cut ties with a company after a bad experience.
Step 4: Final calculation
- Potential lost customers = 13% of E
H. Percent of candidates who are also customers
I. Total lost revenue = G × F
J. Actual lost revenue = I × H
The Takeaway
Do you think there’s some candidate frustration happening in your process? Of course there is. Most companies reject 95% to 98% of applicants. That’s a large group with the power to spread their feelings about your brand—good or bad.
This calculator helps you justify investment in improving your hiring experience—from better interview process feedback, to stronger communication, to using candidate feedback tools that track candidate satisfaction benchmarks over time.
It’s also a reminder that recruitment analytics aren’t just about filling jobs. They’re about protecting your reputation and keeping your current and future customers engaged.
Whether you’re improving your hiring process evaluation, building stronger employer brand perception, or capturing real-time insights with candidate experience metrics, this tool offers a real business case for getting it right.
FAQs
Is candidate resentment on the rise?
Yes. As more companies use automated tools and long application processes, candidates are feeling less valued. When they don’t get updates or feel ghosted, resentment builds. The more disconnected the experience, the more it affects both hiring and brand trust.
What is an example of rejecting a candidate?
A simple rejection email after an interview is common. But without clear interview process feedback or a timely response, it can feel cold. A better approach is to offer brief but helpful reasons for rejection, which shows respect and protects your employer brand.
What is the resentment rate?
While the term “resentment rate” isn’t always used formally, studies like the Talent Board candidate experience research show that about 13% of rejected candidates say they would stop doing business with a company after a negative experience. That percentage shows how deep the impact can be.
How do you reject a candidate without burning bridges?
Be timely, clear, and respectful. Use plain language. Thank the candidate for their time. If possible, offer candidate experience surveys afterward to show you value their input. This approach helps prevent bad feelings and keeps doors open for future hiring.
