Introducing the Uplift Candidate Journey

Uplift Recruitment is proud to be a start-up in an industry that is more than 7,000 strong in Australia. At Uplift, we live our values. Honesty, Integrity, and Transparency are demonstrated by our team every day, in every interaction.

Our values are derived from the personal experience of our director, Simon. The company was founded on the personal interactions, principles, and beliefs he gained during his eight-year journey, successfully progressing his career within the recruitment industry. The most important take away from Simon’s experience was to value each person as a human being.

That’s why we’ve shifted our focus to serving both candidates and clients equally with respect and compassion. The traditional recruitment industry mantra that says, “clients pay the bills,” omits a very essential element of what we do: the candidates who fill the positions we’re hired to fill.

Uplift Recruitment has radically redesigned the candidate journey. To give you an idea of what you expect and the level of care we apply at each step, we’ve outlined our candidate experience below.

Steps in the Uplift Candidate Journey:

1. Positive First Impression
2. Application
3. Interview
4. Negogiation
5. Placement
6. Continued Care

Step 1: Positive First Impressions

To us, the candidate experience is a journey that begins with the very first interaction. Once the candidate is made aware of a vacancy, they can positively interact with us via multiple mediums before they choose to apply for the role to ensure this is the right step for them. Making our candidates feel heard, understood, and respected is our priority.

Step 2: Application

Initially, our job is to be thorough and responsive with candidate applications; anyone who applies receives positive confirmation of their application. It is vital that we make a real connection with our candidates to understand their goals and make a connection between their aspirations and what our clients require.

One massive new policy we’ve implemented since COVID-19 is to call back any unsuccessful candidate seeking feedback on their CV. That means that even if you don’t get the job, you still get our help. We’re known for sticking with candidates through the thick and thin until they’ve been placed.

Step 3: Interview

Next, our interview process is designed to help candidates feel relaxed, respected, and heard. We make time to truly understand what they are seeking, professionally and personally. The application process can be a stressful time for our candidates. Putting yourself forward to be effectively “evaluated” at a time of upheaval or change, creates uncertainty and stress. Thus, we provide our candidates with a safe and positive environment to help them relax and be themselves. Once we understand our candidates, we are better able to consider roles that match their goals and description. We personally prepare every candidate for their interviews and provide support by checking in throughout the process.

While we seek to understand our candidate’s aspirations, it is equally important that we assist them in developing realistic expectations. While we cannot promise every candidate a job, we can promise to live by our values – Honesty, Integrity and Transparency, always, above all else. We are available around the clock, including weekends, as we navigate the hiring process together. We act as an impartial soundboard for any other opportunities they have and provide tangible advice during their job-seeking journey.

Step 4: Negotiation

It is our experience and the experience of jobseekers that the recruitment industry has a reputation of neglecting the candidate experience and prioritising “sales” over people. Our objective – a candidate-focused approach, including offering impartial advice as to what is best for the candidate rather than our bottom line, building rapport that generates referrals and opportunities with the same candidate in the future.

Step 5: Placement

Our values provide a framework for our team to ensure we treat every person like a reasonable human being, rather than a sales number, from application to placement and beyond.

Once a candidate is placed, our in-house team are evaluated on the quality of the candidate experience they provide. An impartial Uplift employee goes through a “candidate experience” quality check with every candidate we place. The candidates rate their experience both qualitatively and quantitatively and our team member receives a quarterly performance bonus based on their overall level of candidate satisfaction.

Step 6: Continued Care

Our mission to provide the best candidate experience possible doesn’t stop once you’ve got the job. We check in with you to make sure you are still happy long after you’ve been hired. Just ask one of our recent hirees who said,

“My experience with Uplift Recruitment was amazing because most recruiters disappear after a first meeting or are very hard to get a hold of. Simon really went the extra mile when one opportunity fell through and he stayed with me until I found another. Uplift periodically would call me to check-in and catch up with me throughout my job search. But more than anything, Uplift’s efficiency and caring nature was second to none.

I used to get down on a Sunday, dreading the thought of going to work on Monday. Now I actually jump out of bed and can’t wait to get to work. I think I have found my calling in Sales.”

Why Do We Care So Much About the Candidate Journey?

Uplift aims to develop a reputation as an agency that genuinely cares and always delivers for our candidates. We thrive on achieving success for our candidates and when they WIN, we WIN. Our team know that the candidate experience brings real success. When we have the opportunity to build strong, long-term relationships with candidates the end result is immeasurable and profound.

When we get feedback from our candidates that, “I was so happy with how I was treated,” “Simon was amazing treated me like a real human being not just another number or sales opportunity,” or “I have never experienced customer service as great as I have with Simon,” (all actual words of our clients) we know we’re on the right track.

Repeat business and referrals are the two main indicators we use to measure the success of our candidates’ journey. Despite being a start-up with only a few staff, we achieved 150% growth in our second year of operation with very little cold business development. This is achieved through strength of reputation – our candidates are our voice and they are telling other jobseekers, friends, family and their new employers about their Uplift experience. When clients seek feedback from candidates about their recruitment journey, our candidates always describe being treated like a human, fully informed and really listened to as key aspects of their experience with Uplift.