The Sentiment Analysis tab in Candidate Pulse Analytics helps you understand how candidates feel about your hiring process by analysing responses to follow-up questions. This goes beyond the overall CNPS score, giving you a detailed view of candidate sentiment and emerging patterns.
Admin users: Can view sentiment data across the organisation.
Basic users: Can view sentiment data only for interviews they were involved in.
Where to Find Sentiment Analysis
Go to Analytics in the left-hand navigation menu.
Select Candidate Pulse.
Click the Sentiment Analysis tab.
This tab is only visible if your organisation has Candidate Pulse enabled.
Understanding Sentiment Analysis
Sentiment Analysis categorises open-text responses from follow-up questions into three emotional tones:
Positive – candidates express satisfaction or praise
Neutral – candidates provide factual feedback or mixed feelings
Negative – candidates report dissatisfaction or issues
This aggregated view makes it easy to see patterns and identify problem areas.
How to Use Sentiment Data
Spot trends across roles or stages
Use filters to break down sentiment by:
Department
Job
Hiring Manager
Recruiter
Date range
Survey Track
Location
This allows you to detect which roles or stages are receiving consistently positive, neutral, or negative feedback.
Identify emerging issues early
Negative sentiment in a specific stage (e.g., interviews or application process) may indicate:
Poor candidate communication
Scheduling or logistical challenges
Interviewer-related issues
Addressing these early can prevent candidate drop-offs and improve overall experience.
Validate process changes
If you recently updated an interview process, assessment form, or communication workflow, monitor sentiment trends over time to see if candidate perception has improved.
Interpreting the Dashboard
Sentiment Breakdown Chart: Shows the percentage of Positive, Neutral, and Negative responses.
Trend Lines: Track changes in sentiment over time, helping you evaluate the impact of process improvements.
Candidate Examples: Drill down to view anonymised comments behind the aggregated sentiment.
Key Benefits
Understand why candidates feel the way they do
Quickly identify areas for improvement in your hiring process
Measure the impact of changes on candidate experience
Move from anecdotal feedback to data-driven decisions