The 2026 Career Website Research & Awards
From March 2026, Talent Table is relaunching the Career Website Research and Awards - the only research-led program in Australia and New Zealand that reveals what actually makes a world-class career site.
We don't take nominations.
We don't wait to be asked.
We assess the evidence and identify the top career websites based on what candidates actually experience, not who's got the biggest marketing budget.
Why This Matters (And Why Most Career Sites Are Still Getting It Wrong)
Your career site isn't just a place to dump a job board.
It's the front door to your employer brand. Your culture. Your people experience.
Done well, it drives curiosity, conversion, and connection.
Done poorly? It tells candidates everything they need to know about how you actually treat people, before they even hit "Apply."
The Reality Check
Around half of candidates (49%) say most job application processes are too long and complicated, and 39% cite company career sites as the most valuable research channel when evaluating potential employers.
Here's what the data tells us:
- 49.5% of job seekers rely on company career pages as a primary job search channel
- 54% of job seekers research every company before applying
- Over 65% of job applications are submitted via mobile devices
- 53% of job seekers have had a negative experience during the hiring process
- 60% of job candidates will abandon an application mid-way if it's too long or complicated
- 72% of job seekers reported that job hunting negatively affected their mental health
The bottom line: Wherever candidates start their search - Google, LinkedIn, job boards - they land on your career site. If it doesn't impress, they're gone. Fast.
Most career sites are built by marketing teams who've never recruited anyone. Or they're held hostage by an ATS that makes applying feel like filing a tax return. Or they're "owned" by three different departments and updated by none.
Australia and New Zealand deserve better.
And this research is here to call it out and lift the bar.
Get Involved!
For 2026, we're opening the door for YOUR career website to be included in our research.
If you want your organisation assessed, now's your chance.
Survey closes 20 February 2025!
Fill out our survey and tell us about your site's setup, team, and tech. You'll get:
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A snapshot of your results - where you stand across key data points
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The truth - no sugar-coating, no participation trophies
How It Works
In the past, our research focused on ASX100 companies, government agencies, not-for-profits, and organisations in the Talent Table community.
But here's what's different: we're not just reviewing your site.
We're going behind the scenes to understand:
- Who actually owns it? Marketing? HR? Talent Acquisition? A messy mix of all three and no one?
- What tech stack is running the show? (ATS, HRIS, CMS, because some systems make it difficult for candidates to have a positive experience)
- How did it get built? And who's responsible when it breaks or goes stale?
Spoiler: The systems you use have a massive impact on candidate experience. We're measuring it.
What We Actually Measure
We assess what matters to candidates and TA teams across 160+ data points:
Usability
Can people find what they want, or is it a scavenger hunt? Are filters useful? Is that chatbot helping or just annoying everyone?
Content
Are you honest about diversity, pay, process, and culture? Or is it corporate word salad?
Job Descriptions
Written for humans, or generated by an HR system? Do they inspire or bore people into submission?
Visual Design
Does your typography, imagery, video, and layout reflect your brand and give people energy — or does it look like a 2015 template?
Application Process
Easy to apply? Respectful follow-up? Or are you ghosting people like it's a dating app?
Mobile Experience
Most candidates apply on their phones — over 65% of applications are now mobile. If your site is clunky on mobile, you've already lost them.
What's New for 2026: Our Stronger DEI Focus
This year, we're expanding our analysis to cover:
Disability Accessibility
Going beyond compliance to assess whether your career site actually works for people with disabilities. We're partnering with accessibility specialists to audit:
- Screen reader compatibility
- Keyboard navigation
- Visual contrast and readability
- Alternative text for images and video
- Form accessibility
Inclusive Language in Job Ads
It's not just about removing gendered language anymore.
We're analysing:
- Jargon and complexity - overly technical language that excludes qualified candidates
- Unnecessary requirements - "must-haves" that deter diverse applicants
- Tone and framing - language that signals who "belongs" and who doesn't
- Assumptions about experience - qualifications that favour traditional career paths
Research from LinkedIn and other HR-focused studies shows that the language you use in job postings significantly impacts who applies. We're measuring it.
The Awards
Excellence deserves recognition. We're celebrating outstanding work at state and national levels across organisation size, sector, and specialisation.
Winners are selected by an independent judging panel of experts in TA, UX, and design based purely on evidence and candidate experience data.
State Awards (Aug/Sept 2026)
- Best State Career Website (per state/territory) - and we will bring our masterclass to you!
National Awards (September 2026)
Announced after PeoplePalooza 2026 in partnership with Steve Gard's Talent Experience Awards:
- Best Career Website - Australia
- Best Enterprise Career Website
- Best Mid-Tier Career Website
- Best SME/Start-up Career Website
- Best NFP Career Website
- Excellence in Career Pathways & Growth Information
- Excellence in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Excellence in Accessibility & Inclusive Design
Yes, Andrea wants a Bush Dance. Try and her!
Forget stuffy hotel ballrooms and rubber chicken dinners. This year's awards celebration is happening at a proper Australian bush dance because if we're celebrating excellence in candidate experience, we should have an excellent experience ourselves.
Andrea's vision. Your excuse to let loose. The TA community's night to remember.
Because the best awards nights are the ones where we celebrate achievement!
Want to Go Deeper?
Talent Table's consulting team can deliver a full site audit and strategy session to take your career site from "meh" to "must-see."
We'll assess your candidate experience end-to-end and give you a roadmap for improvement based on evidence, not guesswork.
The Bottom Line
The best candidate experience starts before someone clicks "Apply."
And most companies are still getting it wrong.
This research is here to change that.
The 2026 Career Website Research and Awards
No nominations. No fluff. Just the truth about what works.
TAKE THE SURVEY BEFORE 20 FEBRUARY 2026
Questions?
Contact us at andrea@talent-table.com
What is the Career Website Research Project?
Talent Table has joined forces with Digitaal-Werven (that’s “Digital Recruiting” in Dutch) and global expert Bas van de Haterd to bring a world-class research project to Australia.
Since 2009, this research has transformed career sites across the Netherlands pushing them to the top of the global pack. Now, it’s our turn.
We’re here to give Aussie & Kiwi TA and HR teams clarity, benchmarks, and bold insights - so you can finally see what great really looks like.
Because a solid career site isn’t just about hiring—it powers brand, experience, and retention.
It’s time Australia caught up… or better yet, took the lead.
The Research
170+ Data Points, Zero Fluff
This isn't some feel-good vanity project.
We're using world-class methodology - over 170 data points.
We're also partnering with BenchmarCX, who are running evidence-based awards on candidate and employee experience using real-time tech to measure what actually happens in your process, not what you say happens.
Together, we're lifting the lid on the full candidate journey: from curiosity to application to follow-up (or ghosting).
We crunch the numbers to find the best in each category and overall.
