How to improve NPS scores with candidates

To improve NPS scores with candidates, stop treating hiring as a one-way extraction of information and start giving applicants real value for their time. Simplify the application, reply within 48 hours, adapt interviews to how each person works, and give every candidate something useful even when they miss out.

Last reviewed July 2026.

Key takeaways

• Map your hiring process to find where candidates hit silence or admin friction.
• Communicate updates within 48 hours to reduce candidate anxiety.
• Offer applicants tangible value, such as personality insights, so the process feels fair.
• Personalise interviews to how the candidate naturally works and communicates.

You know the feeling. You spend weeks building a hiring process, sourcing talent and running interviews, then the candidate experience survey comes back looking grim. Applicants are frustrated, they leave reviews on job boards, and they tell friends to steer clear. Most companies treat recruitment as a transaction: you ask for a resume, a cover letter and hours of interview time, and the candidate gets a generic rejection or silence. When people feel used, they give you a low score.

Why candidate NPS affects your bottom line

It is tempting to dismiss candidate experience as an HR metric that does not touch the real business, and that is a risky assumption. Candidates are often your customers. If someone has a terrible interview with a retail brand, they stop shopping there and tell their family to do the same. A poor candidate NPS also damages your employer brand, so top talent reads the reviews and simply does not apply, which pushes up your recruitment marketing costs.

Map the black holes in your application process

Start by applying for a role on your own site. Did you have to upload a resume and then retype your entire work history in the next step? Did the form crash halfway through? Did you have to create an account just to submit a PDF? Friction at the start of the relationship sets a negative tone. Candidates are already stressed, and unnecessary hoops tell them you do not value their time. Ask only for what you need to make a screening decision, and gather the rest later.

Communicate faster than feels comfortable

Silence is the enemy of a good candidate experience. The moment someone hits submit, a clock starts in their head, and every quiet day chips away at their goodwill. You might be waiting on a hiring manager to review the shortlist. The candidate just thinks you are ignoring them. Set a hard rule to send updates within 48 hours, even if the update is that you need more time. People can handle bad news. They cannot handle being ignored. Automate the updates if you must, but keep the language human.

Personalise the interview experience

Standardised interviews are good for compliance and often make candidates feel like they are on an assembly line. People perform best when they feel understood. Imagine interviewing someone who is methodical and detail-oriented. Fire rapid brainstorming questions at them and they will freeze. Recognise that they lean toward being an Auditor, give them data and time to process, and they feel respected. They leave feeling like they had a genuine conversation rather than an interrogation, which shows up when the NPS survey lands.

Give candidates something valuable in return

This is where most companies fall short. You ask for hours of someone's time, and if they do not land the job they usually get nothing. Give them something they can actually use, and the relationship shifts from extraction to a fair exchange. Many forward-thinking teams use Hey Compono to give candidates a quick work personality read early in the process. The candidate walks away with a profile of their natural strengths and working style, so even a rejection leaves them better off, and your NPS rises.

Train hiring managers on basic respect

Your recruitment team can do everything right, and one hiring manager who turns up 15 minutes late without reading the resume can undo it. Interviewers are the face of your business. If they seem distracted, ask inappropriate questions, or talk over the applicant, the candidate remembers that above everything else. Set clear expectations: review the profile beforehand, leave time for questions, and treat the applicant like a human being.

Ask for feedback at the right moments

Timing matters. If you only survey people after rejecting them, your data skews negative. Send brief check-ins at different stages, after the initial application and again after the first interview, so you get the full picture. You might find your application is great while your technical assessment is causing most of the frustration. You cannot fix what you do not measure accurately.

Write rejection emails that sound human

Nobody enjoys being rejected, and there is a big difference between a cold template and a thoughtful message. Generic emails make candidates feel like a number. Acknowledge the time they spent, and if someone reached the final round, pick up the phone. A respectful, honest rejection can turn an unsuccessful candidate into a brand advocate who applies again or refers a friend.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good candidate NPS score?

A candidate Net Promoter Score above 0 is generally considered good, because it means you have more promoters than detractors. Anything above 30 is excellent and shows your process is a real competitive advantage.

When should I send a candidate experience survey?

Send surveys at multiple touchpoints. The most useful moments are straight after the initial application, following the interview stage, and after the final decision is communicated.

Why do rejected candidates leave bad reviews?

Usually because they felt disrespected during the process. That often comes from poor communication, generic rejection emails, or feeling their time was wasted in disorganised interviews.

How do personality assessments improve candidate experience?

Sharing the results gives candidates immediate value. Instead of only taking their time, you hand them insight into their working style that they can use in their career.

How quickly should I respond to applicants?

Aim for an initial update within 48 hours of an application or interview. Even without a final decision, keeping candidates informed reduces anxiety and builds trust.