Chapter 2 of 4: Great recruitment in 2026
10 steps to a great candidate experience
Your candidate experience should be on brand. Full of company spirit. It should stand out without feeling overly corporate. Professional yet human. And your career site? It simply has to perform. That may sound like a lot to balance. But that is exactly what candidate experience is about. Every part of your recruitment process shapes how candidates perceive your company.
“Can candidates feel our DNA?” If you are responsible for your company’s career site, you have probably been asked whether your company’s identity shines through clearly enough. Take a deep breath – because that answer is never simple.
Creating a strong candidate experience takes time. It often requires adjustments and testing before you truly understand what works. And your career site plays a major role. In fact, 67% of candidates review a company’s career site before applying.
Luckily, you have come to the right place. In Chapter 2 of the series Great recruitment in 2026, we explore what defines a great candidate experience – and why your career site matters more than you think.
Why is candidate experience important?
People talk. About the news and about everyday experiences. Including job applications and interviews. The entire recruitment journey shapes the candidate experience. If candidates encounter confusion, long response times, or unclear processes, they may share that experience. And just like that, your reputation is affected.
A positive candidate experience increases the likelihood that candidates accept job offers and recommend your company. A negative experience does the opposite. It is rarely about one interview. It is about the full candidate experience – from application flow to communication and transparency.
| A great candidate experience is: | A poor candidate experience is: |
|---|---|
| Clear and transparent | Unstructured and random |
| Professional and respectful | Marked by long response times |
| Efficient without friction | Difficult to navigate |
| Consistent from start to finish | Lacking clear communication |
You are reading a chapter in our blog series: Great recruitment in 2026
A series where each chapter zooms in on an area you can work on to develop and improve your recruitment.
Right now, you are in:
Chapter 2 – Employer branding in 2026: Ready, set… hire!
Also read:
Chapter 1 – Employer branding in 2026: Ready, set… hire!
How does the career site impact candidate experience?
For some applicants, your careers page is the very first “hello” from your company – which is why it’s a shame if they’re met with a page that hasn’t been updated since 2004. There is a clear connection between your careers page and the candidate experience.
As a hiring manager, your careers page is one of the most important tools you have to build your employer brand and attract candidates to your job postings. The careers page is often the candidate’s first real encounter with your company. It’s where they form their impression – not just of the role, but of the culture, professionalism, and values behind your organisation.
That’s why the careers page is tightly linked to the candidate experience. If a candidate lands on a careers page that is confusing, outdated, or hard to navigate, it quickly raises doubts: Is this company organised? Do they prioritise their people? Can I see myself working here?
On the other hand, a well-designed and up-to-date careers page can:
- Build trust and credibility
- Make your culture and values clear
- Make it easy and intuitive to find and apply for relevant roles
- Set clear expectations for the recruitment process
The candidate experience starts long before they hit “submit” on an application – it begins the moment they click into your careers page. But what should that page actually look like?
10 steps to creating a strong candidate experience through your career site
Kick-start your careers page with these 10 steps. The steps are fairly simple, and you can easily adapt them so they fit your company’s candidate experience.
- First impressions start early
Your candidate experience begins the moment candidates discover your company. Avoid clichés. Be clear and authentic.
- Make navigation simple
Your career site should provide an easy overview of open positions. Keep it updated.
- Make each job page meaningful
Job descriptions should be clear, specific, and relatable. Consider adding video or team insights.
- Let your company DNA shine
Your career site and job pages should reflect your tone, design, and identity.
- Set clear expectations
Candidates are looking for direction, not just tasks. Be transparent about the role and expectations.
- Remove friction from the application process
Ensure your application flow is simple, mobile-friendly, and easy to complete.
- Communicate throughout the process
Regular updates significantly improve the candidate experience. Automated emails can help.
- Consistency builds professionalism
From job ad to interview, your communication should feel connected and aligned.
- Make candidates feel seen
A strong candidate experience is respectful and human. Consider explaining your recruitment process clearly on your career site.
- Treat your career site as a strategic tool
When your career site works well, it becomes more than a job archive. Maintain and update it regularly.
Systems that improve your candidate experience
There’s a lot to get done when you’re creating a careers page that matches your candidate experience – but not everything has to take a long time. Some tasks can be handled quickly and easily. The right systems can give you a helping hand.
The HR-ON Recruit recruitment platform already brings the entire hiring process together in one place. It’s also where you can build your own careers page, and Recruit has just launched Career Page 2.0.
The careers page tool has a brand-new design and features that make your careers page feel even more personal, without involving your IT department. You get more design options for both the landing page and job posts, can style images more flexibly, and include unsolicited applications directly in the job list. At the same time, you can highlight employees, testimonials, culture, key figures, video, and FAQs – and give candidates a real insight into who your company is.
There are plenty of options with the career page in HR-ON Recruit. You can book a demo to learn more or use the pricing calculator to calculate your price.
With that, chapter 2 is complete – and we’re now halfway through the series. Next time, we’ll take a closer look at how to build a hiring process.
FAQ: What is a great candidate experience?
What is candidate experience?
Candidate experience refers to the overall experience a candidate has throughout the recruitment process.
Why is candidate experience important?
A strong candidate experience strengthens your employer brand, attracts better applicants, and increases offer acceptance rates.
How can you improve candidate experience?
Simplify the application process, communicate clearly, and provide continuous feedback.
How does the career site influence candidate experience?
The career site creates the first impression. With HR-ON Recruit, you can build a personalised career site that supports a strong candidate experience from the start.
How do you measure candidate experience?
You can measure candidate experience through feedback surveys, response times, and recruitment data insights.
