Test the complete journey on a phone, ask for information when the team needs it, and explain each next step. Track where candidates stop without assuming their reasons. Offer a working contact route and keep applicants informed when a review or interview takes longer than expected.
Walk through the journey yourself
Open the advertisement from the channel where a candidate will see it and follow every step to submission. Use a phone as well as a computer. Check whether the link opens the correct role, whether location and schedule match, and whether a saved application can be resumed. Note confusing labels, repeated fields, and documents that are difficult to upload.
Ask a colleague who did not build the form to attempt the same task. Watch where they pause and record the exact instruction that caused uncertainty. Check whether error messages identify the field that needs attention. An application can appear simple to its owner while presenting several avoidable obstacles to a first-time visitor.
Match each request to the current stage
Review every question and document request with the hiring team. Identify which information is needed for the initial review and which can reasonably wait until a later stage. Explain the purpose when a request may be unfamiliar. If the system requires an account, make the sign-in and password-recovery steps easy to find.
Show the major stages before someone begins: application, review, interview, and any role-specific assessment. Provide an estimate of the information candidates should prepare, based on a real test of the process. Offer a contact for technical trouble and another suitable way to continue when your team can support it. Keep the alternative monitored.
Investigate gaps and improve communication
Compare application starts with submissions if your system measures both reliably. Review unaccepted interview invitations and unanswered requests separately. Ask candidates who withdraw whether they would like to share what influenced the decision, without making a reply a condition of closing their application.
Choose changes that address observed problems. A shorter form will not fix a vacancy with an unclear schedule or interviews that take weeks to arrange. Confirm receipt, explain the next step, and send an update when the timing changes. Review the journey after each system change. The Department of Labor's recruiting resources can also help employers connect with workforce partners when redesigning how candidates reach opportunities.
Your next-step checklist
- Test every step using a phone and computer.
- Remove repetition that has no review purpose.
- Provide a monitored route for application problems.
- Review unfinished stages without guessing candidate motives.
Questions people ask
Should every application take only a few minutes?
Different openings need different information. Make the first stage proportionate to its purpose, test its actual completion time, and explain what candidates will need before they start.
What if our application platform cannot be changed?
Improve the surrounding instructions, role links, contact options, and update messages. Document recurring problems so the platform owner has specific evidence for a future change.
Sources & useful resources
- U.S. Department of Labor — Recruit and Hire ↗
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — Human Resources Specialists ↗
Sources checked for this October 17, 2026 edition. This guide combines linked public resources with practical editorial recommendations. Job listings, programs and event details can change.
Published by JobFairGiant.com, which promotes its own hiring events and MichiganHired.com job-posting services. Read our editorial standards and corrections policy.
