Ask the Recruiter: How Can We Keep Candidates Engaged During the Hiring Process?

In our Ask a Recruiter feature, our specialist recruitment team tackles key topics around attraction, recruitment and retention. 

This month, Rachael Conley, Associate Consultant at Realm Recruit, shares her advice with a hiring manager who’s struggling to keep legal candidates engaged during the recruitment process. With dropouts increasing and lawyers accepting other offers, they want to know how to improve their process and secure the talent they need. 

“We’ve noticed that some lawyers are dropping out of our hiring process before it reaches offer stage – either because they’ve accepted another role or lost interest along the way.  

We’re keen to improve how we manage things internally so we don’t miss out on good people. What can we do to keep candidates engaged throughout the process?” 

It’s a tough market out there – and not just for candidates. With more lawyers now open to a move, competition for talent is heating up, and firms with slow or clunky hiring processes are losing out. 

In my conversations with candidates, one thing comes up time and again: how a firm handles the recruitment process says a lot about what it’s like to work there. If things feel disorganised or impersonal, it sends the wrong message. 

Here are three things you can do right now to improve engagement and keep top talent interested from first contact to offer: 

1. Move Quickly – Especially When Scheduling Interviews

One of the easiest ways to lose a candidate is by taking too long to arrange interviews. Lawyers are busy, and many are going through multiple processes at once. If you take a week to get something in the diary, another firm may have already made them an offer. 

Ideally, aim to book interviews within 48–72 hours of receiving a CV. This shows you’re serious and gives the candidate confidence that your team is engaged. 

2. Give Timely, Personalised Feedback

After an interview, candidates want to know how it went – not just if they got through to the next stage. Generic or delayed feedback can leave them feeling undervalued or unsure whether they want to proceed. 

Even if the feedback is constructive, sharing it promptly shows respect and builds trust. It also gives the candidate a sense of momentum, which is key to keeping them invested in the process. 

3. Streamline Your Interview Process

If your process drags on or involves too many steps, lawyers may drop out – or accept another offer before you get a chance to move. 

Take a moment to review how your process stacks up. Are the right people involved at the right time? Are there any unnecessary delays or duplication? 

I’d recommend reading our recent blog, Is Your Interview Process Holding Back Your Firm’s Growth?. It shares some really practical ways to streamline your approach and move more efficiently, without cutting corners. 

Engaging candidates isn’t just about selling the role, it’s about giving them a positive, consistent experience that reflects your firm’s values. By moving quickly, communicating well, and keeping your process sharp, you’ll stand out in a busy market and make it far more likely that the right lawyer says yes. 

If you’d like support refining your recruitment process or want to discuss how to improve candidate engagement at your firm, get in touch – I’d be happy to help.