In our world where great talent is in huge demand and short supply, you need to treat candidates the same way you would your best customer. They are likely to be speaking to a few different potential employers and so differentiating your business by giving them an outstanding experience is crucial if you want to attract and employ the best.

1. Give your candidates a taste of the company's values and culture

Your candidates need to know exactly what it is like to work in your business. The people, the environment, the way people are treated, the good and the bad. Be open and transparent as, if not, they may not like what they find when you employ them and it could be an expensive bad hire. Equally, by not allowing them to feel your culture, candidates may decide to go to another business that has. It minimises risk for them.

2. Share all the negative aspects of the job

There is no point selling a dream that is not reality. Painting a blacker than black picture of your business, the role and the challenges that the candidate will face will undoubtedly help you select the right person. You could disappoint candidates if they think they have been mis-sold an opportunity resulting in a quick exit. Be open and transparent and you should receive the same back.

3. Attract passive candidates

Not everyone is queuing up to work for you but passive candidates could be even better than the reactive job seekers. You won't change their passiveness if you don't try. They need information that proves their career will benefit by joining your business. Go all out and excite them.

4. Give them an office tour

Please don't limit a candidate's experience of your business to an interview room. Show them the environment they will be working in and introduce them to a few of the colleagues they will be working with. Even if your office is an underwhelming environment, candidates need to know. They will find out when they start so why not now? By the way, you need to do something if it is an underwhelming environment.

5. Read you candidate's body language

Don't interview like BBC's The Apprentice programme. You need to put candidates at ease in order to get the best from them. You could miss out on the best candidates simply because your approach and questioning "closes them up" and prevents you from seeing the real them.

Create an interview process that allows your candidates to see and experience what it would actually be like to work for your company. If you think it is bad then they will too and perhaps you should do something about it instead of hiding in an interview room.

We have created a checklist to guarantee you have a compelling employer brand, get your free copy here: http://www.collingwoodsearch.co.uk/our-insights/downloads/guide-creating-a-compelling-employer-brand