Agnico Eagle Mines Limited has received a 2025 Candidate Experience Awards (CandE Award). This prestigious honour recognizes the Company’s commitment to respectful, transparent and engaging hiring practices.
“Being honored for our candidate experience is more than an award. It is a validation of how our values come to life. At its core we aim for every interaction to be guided by respect, transparency, and a belief in building lasting partnerships from day one.” said Michelle Edwards, Senior Corporate Director, People.
Unlike many awards, the CandE Awards are based entirely on anonymous feedback from candidates, offering a genuine measure of how companies treat their applicants. Administered by Survale, a leading talent survey platform focusing on optimizing candidate, onboarding, and employee experience, the CandE Awards are highly regarded as a leading benchmark in the global recruitment industry.
This was Agnico Eagle’s first year participating in the program – not to win, but to learn. The Talent Acquisition team emphasized that the goal was to listen to applicants, understand their experiences, and use that feedback to strengthen engagement. Winning the award was an unexpected and exciting outcome that Agnico Eagle is thrilled to celebrate, marking a proud milestone in the Company’s recruitment journey.
Why Candidate Experience Matters
A candidate’s first interaction often shapes how they perceive the company. “Even if someone doesn’t join us today, they might be the right fit tomorrow” explained Nadine Thurston-Prior, Director, Talent Acquisition. “Recruitment is about relationships, not transactions. Treating every candidate with dignity is non-negotiable.”
The CandE survey uses a Net Promoter Score (NPS) style methodology to measure candidate sentiment and their likelihood to recommend Agnico Eagle as an employer. The insights are already helping the team identify strengths and opportunities for improvement.
A Collective Effort
While the Talent Acquisition team leads hiring engagement, the achievement reflects contributions across the company. Recruiters may be the first point of contact, but hiring managers, HR teams and operations staff all shape the applicant journey.
Recruiters build trust from the very first conversation, focusing on honest and authentic communication. Operational improvements, such as streamlined pre-employment screening, have also reduced friction in the hiring process. Technology supports efficiency, but recruitment at Agnico Eagle will always be about people.
Culture You Can Feel
Agnico Eagle’s recruitment journey reflects its internal culture. One of the Company’s core values is family, and candidates feel it. Cultural alignment is weighed just as heavily as technical skills, ensuring new hires thrive within the organization.
Every employee plays a role as a talent ambassador, whether by engaging at career events, referring colleagues, or simply living company values. Small, everyday actions like timely communication and genuine engagement shape how people view Agnico Eagle.
Looking Forward
This recognition marks a milestone worth celebrating, but it’s also a springboard for the future. “The labour market is evolving quickly,” Nadine said. “We’ll keep focusing on authentic engagement, continuous improvement, and creating experiences that reflect who we are.”
Candidate experience is a strategic lever for Agnico Eagle’s future. Listening to feedback, investing in the talent pipeline, and continuously improving people practices all help shape a culture where every candidate’s experience reflects the values and engagement Agnico Eagle is committed to.
“As we celebrate this recognition, we remain committed to evolving our candidate experience and people strategy,” Michelle concluded. “Together, we are shaping a stronger, more engaged, and more inclusive Agnico Eagle, where every person feels empowered to contribute to our shared success.”