Empathy is a recruiting superpower

Text published in HR vieste magazine 03/2025

In today's competitive job market, finding the right talent is more challenging than ever. Recruiters' skills and experience are important, but one factor that is often overlooked is empathy.

An empathetic recruitment process places a strong emphasis on understanding and responding to the candidate's experiences, feelings, and needs. By placing empathy at the core of its recruitment strategy, a company creates a positive and lasting employer image for both job seekers and all its other stakeholders.

The benefits of empathetic recruitment

1. Reaching top talent

The most sought-after candidates are increasingly looking for employers who value them as individuals. Empathetic recruiting helps a company stand out from other employers in a competitive market. When candidates feel valued and understood already during the interview, they are more likely to come to work for your company.

2. Improving the applicant experience

An empathetic approach to recruitment improves the experience for everyone involved. By promoting open and transparent communication and valuing candidates, even unsuccessful candidates will have a positive image of your organization. This is essential for building a strong employer brand. Unsuccessful candidates always outnumber successful candidates.

3. Recruitment accuracy - reducing costs and increasing company revenue

In an open and empathetic interview atmosphere, the interviewer gets better information about the interviewee and their future plans. This contributes to the success of the recruitment. Candidates who have had a positive experience throughout the recruitment process are also more likely to accept offers, are more willing to negotiate salary and stay with the company for a long time. When candidates feel valued from the start, it creates a good start for a strong, lasting employment relationship and productive work.

How to implement empathetic recruitment

1. Personal communication

Every candidate is unique, and your communications should reflect that. Instead of sending generic emails or automated responses, take the time to tailor your messages. A personal message after an interview or a quick phone call during the process shows that you’re invested in their experience.

2. Active listening

Listening is the cornerstone of empathy. Train your interviewers and recruiters to listen actively, delve into candidates’ answers, and ask follow-up questions that show genuine interest. This creates an environment where candidates can and want to share more about themselves.

3. Transparency and respect

Being open and honest about the hiring process, timelines, and expectations helps candidates feel valued. A lack of openness can leave candidates feeling insecure or frustrated. Clear and respectful communication builds trust.

4. Giving constructive feedback

When you take the time to give candidates valuable feedback, you help them grow and show them that their time and effort are important to you. In the best case scenario, the candidate will remember your company because of the treatment they received and recommend the job to their friends – even if they don’t get the job themselves.

Empathetic recruiting is a key differentiator that can make a big difference in the success of your recruiting process. By prioritizing empathy, you can attract top talent, improve the candidate experience, and reduce turnover. Take a moment to reflect on your current recruiting practices and consider how small changes, such as personalizing communications or active listening, can make a big difference.

Reija Laurell HRWU & Bespoke headhunting entrepreneur and recruitment partner