Intentional Excellence: Crafting an Exceptional Candidate and New Hire Experience

Picture this: You’re an expert in your craft who has spent years honing your skills.

Your role’s been impacted by post-COVID tech and mismatched expectations, and you’re on the hunt for a new one. You refine your resume. Update your LinkedIn, post to your network, garner referrals and references, and submit an application. Rinse and repeat about 200 more times.

Finally, you get a bite — just for it to take over a week to schedule the interview, and the person on the other end knows little more about the role you so painstakingly applied to than the generic title and “punts all your questions to the hiring manager,” a call that never actually gets scheduled.

This anecdote is sadly, but perhaps not shockingly, the norm today.

I’ve heard my fair share of candidates’ miserable experiences in my past work with agency recruitment. As Director of Recruiting at Planful, I’ve aimed for a decidedly different and more positive candidate experience.

From the hundreds of examples I’ve come across, the theme of successful candidates boils down to one thing: Intention.

“Success” in an interview doesn’t have to equal “job offer” — it can be a network connection, exposure to a new career path, or simply an inspiring conversation where you have one single takeaway to uplevel future interviews. These don’t happen accidentally; they require intention.

In my eyes, the cornerstone of a “successful” candidate experience is more important than ever in today’s job market — for both the candidate and the recruiting company.

At Planful, talent acquisition is not just about filling positions but about shaping the future of our organization. Here, every interaction matters. The devil’s in the details, and with “intention” being an overarching theme of Planful’s culture, our recruiting process is one I’m sincerely proud to share with our network.

From the moment a candidate interacts with Planful, it’s an indicator of our brand. From the phrasing of a job description to the uniqueness of an email to the “good luck” text before their interview, our intention is to provide a seamless and meaningful experience.

The candidate journey is more than a series of interviews; it’s an opportunity to showcase our values, culture, and vision, and the same goes for the candidate. By aligning every touchpoint with Planful’s ethos, we create a compelling narrative that resonates with top talent.

A positive candidate’s experience is a reflection of our commitment to excellence. Planful’s People Team spends hours brainstorming ways to be authentic, unforgettable, and intentional in the candidate journey — and it’ll likely always be continuously refined to stay competitive in changing times.

The experience is more than personalized communication and transparent feedback; it’s a deeper level of intention to be thoughtful in every interaction. Is someone not fit for the role? Let’s suggest other resources that could aid in their search.

Is the candidate not actively searching? We’ll share marketing collateral comparing our product to competitors to showcase how even passive talent would be wild not to join our rocketship.

Even something as obvious and considerate as a speedy response is a rarity in today’s world, and we feel passionately about respecting the time of others.

Here’s Planful’s rule of thumb in recruiting: Is this a process I’d want my best friend to go through? If the answer is anything but “Absolutely. This candidate deserves white glove service, and that’s what Planful offers,” we identify gaps and improve.

Focusing on an experience that doesn’t end when that candidate turns into an employee is most important to us. We continue working tirelessly to ensure our people have a great Planful experience.

What is the impact of our focus on the candidate experience, and how does that attitude carry through to the experience of everyone at Planful?

We are thrilled to announce that our dedication to creating an outstanding candidate experience has been recognized with Glassdoor’s Best Place to Work 2024 award. This accolade is a testament to our team’s tireless efforts in fostering a culture of transparency, integrity, respect, and intention from the first LinkedIn message to your Planniversary gift.

As we celebrate this achievement, we are reminded of the importance of intentionality in everything we do. It’s not just about winning awards; it’s about making a meaningful impact on the lives of our candidates and employees.

The Planful experience begins well before you sign the contract, and our commitment to excellence extends far beyond the interview process.

We understand that the first few days and weeks of an onboarding experience are crucial for setting the tone and laying the foundation for success. And once again, the devil’s in the details to create an intentional experience for candidates-turned-employees.

From customized “I’ve joined Planful!” gifs to share on social to thoughtful introductions to non-manager teammates, we ensure that every new hire feels welcomed, supported, and empowered to thrive.

By investing in your growth and development from day one, we set the stage for your long-term success and retention, which reflects our success.

As we embark on another year of growth and innovation, we’re proud to welcome new people into an intentional culture at Planful.

It’s not for the Glassdoor badges or the blog headlines; it’s because it all comes back to experience. Every single employee has a significant role in creating the Planful experience, building our business, and delivering an amazing customer experience.

These employees don’t join by accident. It all starts with their application.

By aligning every interaction with our values and vision, we create a compelling experience for top talent to join our culture of excellence.

As we celebrate our Glassdoor Award and look ahead to the future, we remain steadfast in our commitment to an intentional candidate experience where job applications aren’t left on read, and questions aren’t punted to the next imaginary round. We invest in our people, and that extends to our candidates.

If you’re open to joining the team at Planful, we’re hiring! Check out our Careers page for open roles and find your path to becoming a member of our team.