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Keeping Candidates Engaged During Long Hiring Processes

I was talking with a former Army recruiter recently, and he told me something I found fascinating. Since people can enlist months, and sometimes even a year, before starting basic training, military recruiters have designed a process to keep their recruits engaged before they actually join. He called it “entertaining.”

Now, his entertaining involved bringing enlistees into the office once per week to do some pushups while chatting about any concerns they had. Most businesses probably can’t do that with people they are interviewing, but his methods got me thinking: are there ways to keep candidates engaged in the hiring process when circumstances may prolong interviews?

The short answer is a resounding “yes.” The long answer? Keep reading!

Touch Points

Recruiting best practices almost always involves weekly touch points from the initial phone screening to the start date. These are best practices for a reason but often seem like the bare minimum. Recruiters often send a quick email on Friday afternoons; the gist of which is that we are still waiting on the hiring manager to get back to us and we hope to have more info next week. This is better than nothing, but in a world that increasingly looks like employees will not be bound by geography, providing a better service can be the difference-maker.

Even moving the email to a text adds a personal dimension to the communication. Candidates are often thankful that they have access to recruiters outside of email, but my experience has been that they very rarely use it outside of normal business hours. To really elevate your engagement, a quick video adds personality, context, and has the added benefit of usually being a medium that doesn’t require a response.

Other Ways to “Entertain”

Outside of just changing what we’re already doing, are there other ways to keep candidates “entertained”? One of the things I hear from people in the interview process is that they so rarely hear from recruiters or hiring managers. While the weekly update (in whatever form it takes) is helpful, the best tack is to begin the process of adding interviewees to the organization. This can involve actions like sending them links to articles that mention the company or news about the industry in general.

Company Culture

One of the pieces of feedback I hear most often from hiring managers and leaders is that they are worried about how a candidate will integrate with the organization’s existing culture.

Since this is a legitimate cause of concern, the easiest way to mitigate it is to begin bringing candidates inside the culture of the company as early as possible, even before an offer is extended. By including brief and respectful communication touch points throughout the interview process, leaders can get a better sense of how a candidate interacts and what they would be like to work with on a daily basis.

We Want to Hear from You!

As circumstances like COVID disrupt the hiring process, implementing a few thoughtful touch points with candidates can keep them engaged while simultaneously integrating them into the company culture. What steps do you take to keep candidates engaged? Shoot us a message!

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Josilyn Clare

Josilyn Clare

Operations Coordinator

Josilyn supports TalentSpark’s daily operations with her background in administrative management and tax. With several years of experience optimizing organizational systems, she works closely with our Leadership Team to keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes. Her attention to detail, financial accuracy, and proactive mindset help the team operate at our best.

Education: Northwest University (B.A.)

Fun Fact: Josilyn’s favorite place in the world is Germany!

Sari Hansen Team Photo

Sari Hansen

Recruiter

After starting her career in telecommunications and public health, Sari was introduced to the recruiting world and never looked back. At TalentSpark, she specializes in project-based and recruiter on demand roles, supporting clients across industries like insurance, finance, engineering, and manufacturing. With over a decade of recruiting experience, Sari is passionate about guiding candidates to the right fit, including opportunities they might never have considered before.

Education: Idaho State University (B.S., Public Health Education & Promotion)

Community: Youth group leader for ages 4–18; active supporter of local school and sports programs

Fun Fact: Sari is a lifelong Idahoan raised on a multi-generational cattle ranch!

Dylan Buckland Team Photo

Dylan Buckland

Recruiter

Before joining TalentSpark, Dylan worked as a hiring manager for Old Navy, the largest specialty retailer in the U.S. There he gained firsthand insight into the importance of thoughtful, people-centered hiring. Now as a TalentSpark recruiter, he’s been involved in all aspects of recruiting — from working directly with clients to managing a full desk. Dylan’s superpower is creating an inclusive and safe environment where authentic conversations come naturally.

Education: Boise State University (B.B.A., Business Administration & B.A., Human Resource Management)

Community: President, Boise Young Professionals; Board Member, Downtown Boise Association (DBA); Board Member, Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce

Fun Fact: Dylan is a ski enthusiast and self-taught handyman who never turns down a home improvement project!

Pariss Paul Team Photo

Pariss Paul

Recruiter

Pariss Paul offers nearly a decade of recruiting experience across a variety of industries, including human resources, accounting and finance, sales, marketing, IT, and engineering. Since joining TalentSpark in 2020, she’s been passionate about creating exceptional experiences for both clients and candidates — connecting the right people with the right roles and watching them thrive. Pariss is known for her relationship-driven approach and her genuine enthusiasm for helping organizations grow through great hires.

Education: Boise State University (B.A., Communication)

Community: Member, Human Resources Association of the Treasure Valley (HRATV)

Fun Fact: A lifelong dancer, Pariss now serves as Assistant Director of a local adult dance company and teaches dance to K12 students!

Allison Bruce Team Photo

Allison Bruce

VP of Recruiting

As VP of Recruiting at TalentSpark, Allison brings 20 years of recruiting experience across a wide range of industries, from Fortune 100 companies to nonprofits. Her background spans global engineering firms, health systems, pharmaceutical companies, and telecom providers. For the past eight years at TalentSpark, she has led the recruitment team and spearheaded executive search efforts. As a self-proclaimed “recruiting nerd,” Allison has a talent for market research and reaching unique, hard-to-find talent.

Education: University of Colorado – Boulder (B.A.); NCAA Division Track & Field Athlete

Community & Awards: Board Member, Boise Valley Economic Partnership; Co-Chair, Key Executive Committee at Meridian Chamber of Commerce; Board Member, American Association of Accounting and Finance; Past HR Committee, Idaho Youth Ranch; Coach, Girls on the Run; Idaho Business Review’s 40 Under 40; Women of Influence Honoree; Keynote Speaker, Meet the CFOs (TV CFO Forum, 2023–2025); Speaker, Boise Chamber Leadership Conference (2021)

Fun Fact: Allison has cycled across the Colorado mountains three times and her favorite place to visit is Sun Valley!

Jamie Brajcich Team Photo

Jamie Brajcich

Manager of Recruiting

Jamie has over 16 years of recruiting and talent acquisition experience. She began her career in healthcare and physician recruitment before expanding into industries like manufacturing, technology, and real estate. Since joining TalentSpark in 2018 as Manager of Recruiting, Jamie’s passion for leadership and talent strategy has shined through in everything she does — especially when it comes to building and mentoring teams.

Education: University of Montana (B.A., Organizational Communication & Nonprofit Administration)

Community: Member, American Association of Accounting and Finance Recruiters (AAFA)

Fun Fact: Jamie is currently thriving in her “mom era” with two active kids!

Stephanie Parker Team Photo

Stephanie Parker

Founder & Executive Recruiter

Stephanie is the Founder and Executive Recruiter at TalentSpark, with 30 years of experience in recruiting and HR. She’s held leadership roles at Alaska Airlines, Micron Technology, and St. Luke’s Health System, and has spent the past nine years growing TalentSpark into a trusted recruiting partner for companies across the Mountain West. Known for her hands-on approach and deep local knowledge, Stephanie combines corporate expertise with entrepreneurial spirit to help organizations hire with confidence.

Education: University of Oregon (B.A.), Kansas State University (M.S., Organizational Psychology)

Community & Awards: Director of Workforce Development, Idaho State SHRM; Past President, HRATV; Advisory Board Member, TOK; Past Executive Board Member, City of Good; Former EO Member; Idaho Business Review CEO of Influence

Fun Fact: Stephanie is a certified yoga instructor and avid fan of reality real estate shows!