The truth is hard to ignore, the screening experience says more about your organisation than any offer letter ever could.
From accessibility to responsiveness, candidates notice everything. And when screening feels like an afterthought, whether it’s slow, unclear, or unsupported - it sends the wrong message. Especially in today’s hiring market, where experience matters as much as speed.
That’s why the smartest organisations are rethinking the screening journey. Not by adding more tech. But by making it more human. In this blog, we’ll cover what employers should consider and show you what this looks like in action.
The experience gap is growing
As employers adopt faster, digital-first hiring processes, many assume the candidate experience has kept up. But that’s not what the evidence shows.
According to research, 52% of candidates have declined a job offer due to a poor experience during hiring. PwC found that 49% of jobseekers have turned down offers following a negative experience - with unclear communication, friction, and lack of support often cited as common reasons.
Screening is often one of the first major touchpoints - that experience has the potential to make or break engagement.
The problem? Many candidate journeys still rely on disjointed platforms, generic messaging, or limited support. This creates stress, delays, and an inevitable journey leading to dropout.
What looks efficient from the inside can feel impersonal and confusing on the outside and to the person going through it.
From frustration comes risk
A clunky experience doesn’t only impact perception. It can lead to:
- Slower time to productivity
- Increased support tickets for HR
- Higher dropout rates before day one
- Missed onboarding deadlines
- Inconsistent compliance across departments
For safeguarding-focused sectors, the stakes are even higher. When compliance and experience clash, neither wins.
And the numbers speak for themselves: candidates who have a positive experience are 38% more likely to accept an offer and nearly 70% are more likely to recommend the organisation to others if they feel well treated. Which means one candidate’s experience can influence many more.
What a better journey looks like
At Giant Screening, we’ve rebuilt the candidate experience around clarity, inclusion, and real-time support, without increasing complexity.
Here’s how we make it work:
Mobile-first, fully digital journeys
Candidates can complete every step securely on any device, whether it’s their phone, tablet, or desktop. Our platform is web-based and intuitive, removing the need to download apps or chase forms.
As screening, compliance, and onboarding experts, we recognised the barriers many candidates face. Too many processes are still clunky and inconsistent. In fact, 60% of jobseekers abandon digital applications because the process is too long or poorly designed. That’s why usability is an essential element.
Structured, branded communication
Invitations and reminders are written in plain English and aligned to your brand. Each candidate knows what’s required, why it matters, and what comes next, removing guesswork and building trust.
Always-on candidate support hubs
Every candidate has 24/7 access to our online support hubs, packed with step-by-step video guides, FAQs, and visual walkthroughs. Designed for self-service, it empowers candidates to complete tasks with clarity and confidence at their own pace.
Candidate portal with built-in tracking
And if you thought our Hubs were good, our candidate portal is just as impressive. We believe candidate communication is an integral aspect of the screening experience, so candidate no longer have to guess what’s happening or wait for updates. Through our secure portal, they can track the progress of their checks in real time, upload any outstanding documents, and see what’s still required - without needing to contact support. This level of visibility and transparency while it might seem obvious is still surprisingly rare across the industry.
Real-time human support
When self-service isn’t enough, candidates can speak to a real person. Our trained support team is available across live chat, phone and email. These teams don’t only respond they actively monitor progress, spot delays, and step in before problems escalate.
Aptitude Research highlights that a positive candidate experience, often fostered by candidate-facing support, is associated with a significantly higher likelihood of improved outcomes, including being twice as likely to improve employee performance, and three times more likely to improve employee retention.
Accessibility by design
Everyone should be able to onboard and complete screening with confidence. Our platform supports:
- Over 240 languages
- Screen readers and keyboard-only navigation
- High-contrast and dyslexia-friendly modes
- Plain language forms and inclusive layouts
We also accommodate neurodiverse users, applicants with cognitive or visual impairments, ensuring no one is left behind and supporting compliance with WCAG 2.1 guidelines and the Equality Act 2010.
The impact: faster onboarding, stronger engagement, less internal burden
With our fully managed model, employers see:
- Up to 90% of checks completed by day one
- Significantly lower candidate dropout rates
- Fewer questions to HR
- Faster time to start
- Full compliance visibility at every step
And because we manage everything from candidate communication to chasing referees your internal team stays focused on what matters most.
What looks like screening. Feels like onboarding.
The best candidate journeys build confidence from the start. With clear instructions. Flexible workflows. And the reassurance that real people are there when support is needed.
That’s what we deliver.
Giant Screening helps you create a faster, smarter, and more human onboarding experience. To explore how it works, speak to our team today.
