Candidate experience is a duty of care and a competitive edge

In the current market, engineering recruitment isn’t just about filling roles, it’s about stewarding people through one of the most stressful transitions in their professional lives.

In the EU, unemployment has ticked up in several economies, and Finland has been running above the EU average this year, which heightens candidate anxiety and amplifies how much process quality matters. When jobs are fewer and stakes are higher, the human factors of recruitment, respect, feedback, clarity are not soft extras. They directly influence acceptance rates, brand perception, and future talent pipelines.

What the market data says

Candidates reward fair, transparent processes. The Talent Board’s 2024 benchmarks show that organisations known for strong candidate experience enjoy materially higher candidate advocacy, with top performers scoring far higher on Candidate NPS at the attract/research stage. Messaging about values and what it’s like to work with you is particularly influential early in the journey.
Why candidates withdraw. The same research highlights the top self-reported reasons candidates pull out: time being disrespected during screening and interviews is number one, followed by compensation mismatches, -both process factors you can control.
Ghosting is widespread and remembered well. Nearly half of jobseekers reported being ghosted in 2025. In tight engineering networks, experiences like these spread quickly via peer referrals and industry groups.
Mental health and confidence take a real hit. Multiple surveys show the job search harms wellbeing, with a majority reporting negative mental-health impacts and around half reporting decreased self-confidence. That is exactly when considerate process and clear communication matter most.

Why this matters specifically in engineering and expert services

Engineering, project controls, construction and data-center roles demand long training cycles and high professional identity. Poor process isn’t just an inconvenience, it can undermine self-belief, discourage re-application, and push good people away from specific companies or even sub-sectors. Add a softer hiring market and longer timelines, and the emotional load increases. Treating candidates as numbers is not only ethically wrong, but also commercially short-sighted.

A recent case from the job market

With the permission of the candidate we are sharing the short TA story about Mika. He is an experienced Senior Electrical Engineer from Helsinki. After a site-based contract ended, Mika applied for a critical role for a UK based, international Engineering staffing agency.

They booked him for three rounds of interviews across two weeks, -then silence for 19 days. He learned via a friend that the client had paused hiring. No rejection, no timeline, no feedback. By week three, Mika stopped applying to that employer entirely and told two colleagues to avoid the process.

In parallel, Mika engaged with us. We confirmed the brief, set expectations on the role specifications, and scheduled a prep call before his technical interview. We agreed check-in points every 5–7 days, even if the update was “no news yet.”

When the client chose an internal candidate, we gave detailed feedback and mapped two adjacent roles that matched his extensive DC and LV/MV exposure. Mika didn’t get the first job, -but his confidence recovered, he stayed engaged, and he accepted an offer two weeks later.

This is the difference a respectful, structured experience makes. The outcome can be a yes later, rather than a lost relationship now.

Staying true to your values during the job search helps the right companies and roles emerge at the right time. A recruitment process that honours your preferences, time, and goals is an early indicator of a healthy long-term fit. When the process feels aligned, the career that follows often does too.

Our operating standard in our recruitment processes

Clarity from day zero: role reality, selection criteria, steps, owners, and decision timelines in writing.
Continuous communication: weekly/frequent check-ins by default, even when the update is “still pending.”
Professional prep: interview briefing packs and targeted coaching for technical and behavioural rounds.
Fair feedback:practical, respectful, time-bound feedback whether the outcome is yes or no.
Wellbeing lens: acknowledge the stress, normalise waiting periods, and give constructive next steps. Surveys show this preserves confidence and keeps talent in the pipeline.
Long-term view: The Nordic engineering market is small; we invest in relationships, not transactions. High standards today compound into tomorrow’s referrals. We are measuring the experience by candidate NPS at key milestones.

Our commitment at Enersense Expert Services

We stay with candidates through every phase, from first conversation to onboarding and beyond with clear updates, honest feedback, and career guidance when needed.

Even when we must deliver a no, we make sure it’s a useful no. In a market where unemployment pressure is real and anxiety is common, ethical, human-centered recruitment isn’t just right, it is the way to build a stronger engineering community and a healthier, more resilient talent pipeline.

Interested in exploring opportunities that align with your strengths and values?

You can view our current openings at Enersense here: Search Jobs – Enersense Careers

And if you’d like to stay in touch or have questions, we’re always available at: recruitment@enersense.com

We’re here to support you in finding a role where you can grow, contribute, and feel genuinely valued.