The way you treat candidates tells them everything about how you treat employees. Investing in the right candidate experience tools can actually make a difference in securing and retaining the top talent you’re looking for.

But just as you’re evaluating candidates, they’re evaluating your company long before they start the interview process, accept an offer, and — sometimes — before they even apply. And if you’re not delivering on a stellar candidate experience, they’re moving on to companies who are using candidate experience tools to do it better.

The best candidate experience tools don’t just automate emails or push calendar invites. They create a cohesive, engaging journey that reflects your company’s culture and values.

From our work with talent teams across industries, three candidate experience tools stand out as non-negotiables. Let’s break down what they are, why they matter, and how they help you land the hires you actually want.

💡Click here to dive deeper into candidate experience software and what it can do for your talent pipeline.

3 Must-Have Candidate Tools to Hire Top Talent

So what separates a so-so candidate experience tool from a great one? These three features are essential to creating a hiring journey that candidates remember.

1. Candidate Surveys

As talent acquisition specialists, we know the benefit in giving candidates feedback. But forward-thinking teams flip that conversation around and ask: What do candidates think about us?

Embedded within your candidate experience tools, candidate surveys give you real-time, actionable insight into what’s working (and what’s not) across your hiring journey. Asking everything from “How was your recruiter?” to “Did you feel prepared for your interview?” helps you fine-tune the hiring process.

More importantly, candidate surveys send a powerful message: We care what you think.

That kind of candidate-first mindset boosts brand perception, builds trust, and creates a loop of continuous improvement. It also gives you quantifiable data to advocate for hiring changes internally rather than guessing or going based on gut feel alone.

2. Interview Prep

Interview prep tools are a game-changer for elevating the candidate experience. Just as you wouldn’t send your hiring manager into an interview unprepared, you shouldn’t — and don’t have to — send an interviewer interviewer in blind, either. 

When built into candidate experience tools, interview prep tools can offer:

• Clear agendas and what to expect
• Who the candidate will be meeting (and links to profiles)
• Suggested prep tips or example questions
• Culture content that reinforces your employer brand

When candidates know what’s coming, they perform better. They feel more confident. They show up more like themselves. And that’s good for everyone because it leads to more authentic conversations, deeper insights, and better hiring decisions.

Create a level playing field. The best candidates don’t want to wing it. They want to win it. The right candidate experience tools help them do just that.

3. Team Introductions

That’s why one of the most overlooked features in candidate experience tools is also one of the most impactful: team introductions. Candidates don’t join companies, they join people, and the right candidate experience tools make that sentiment even more true.

Whether it’s video bios, day-in-the-life clips, or just a warm note from their potential manager, introducing candidates to real, actual team members helps humanize your hiring process.

These intros do three big things:

1. Build connection: Candidates get a feel for who they’d actually be working with on a daily basis.
   
   
2. Reinforce culture: You’re not just telling them what your values are — you’re showing them.
   
   
3. Ease anxiety: Interviews can feel cold and formal. A quick team “Hello!” breaks the ice before the first video call ever starts.

Plus, this kind of personalization scales beautifully. With the right candidate experience tool, you can embed tailored team intros at key stages of the interview process without adding more overhead to your recruiting ops.

💡With better candidate experience tools comes more quality hires. Read the case study to learn how SKIMS accomplished it with Puck as their partner.

With Puck, The Right Candidate Experience Tools Make All the Difference

Top talent isn’t just looking for a paycheck. They’re looking for a process that feels thoughtful, transparent, and human. When your hiring journey reflects those values, you’re not just filling roles — you’re building lasting relationships.

That’s why the best candidate experience tools are designed to elevate every moment of interaction.

At Puck, we’ve built a platform that gives talent teams the tools they need to stand out in a crowded hiring market. With built-in surveys, customizable interview prep, and dynamic team introductions, we help you create a hiring experience that’s memorable for the right reasons.

If you’re rethinking how you show up for candidates, we’d love to show you what Puck can do.

👉 Book a demo with Puck today and start making candidate experience your hiring superpower.