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The Candidate Journey: 7 Touchpoints...

The Candidate Journey: 7 Touchpoints For Hiring Success (In 2025)

Job posts receive hundreds of applications daily, yet data shows that talent shortages have been on the up and up for over a decade. An efficient and engaging candidate journey might just solve this puzzle for your organization.

Reviewed by Catherine Scott

10 minutes read

As taught in the Full Academy Access

4.66 Rating

According to Pinpoint, the average time to hire is around 31 days. This clearly illustrates bottlenecks in the candidate journey touchpoints. Finding ways to move your candidates more efficiently through the stages will help you identify the right candidates before they drop out of the process.

The report found some common challenges with the lengthy process, including getting bogged down in application review, spending too much time checking in on availability for interviews, and having too many steps involved in sending or signing offers.

The key to building a solid candidate journey is identifying where your bottlenecks could lie. This article will unpack how to optimize seven touchpoints to ensure you attract, find, and hire the right talent for your organization.

Contents
What is a candidate journey?
Why is the candidate hiring journey important?
7 candidate journey touchpoints and how to optimize for each
6 Steps to map the candidate journey

What is a candidate journey?

The candidate journey, also known as the recruitment funnel, is the series of steps and interactions a job applicant goes through during the hiring process. It usually has seven stages, starting when a candidate first learns about your company and ending when they accept or decline your job offer.

In some cases, this journey also includes the post-hire onboarding process as part of the overall hiring experience.

Why is the candidate hiring journey important?

Hiring isn’t just about filling a job; it’s about making strong impressions, building connections, and driving success. Every step of the candidate journey—from application to onboarding—shapes the future of the organization.

For you, the recruiter, it’s more than a task; it’s a chance to make a real difference for both candidates and the company.

Here’s how optimizing this experience can benefit HR professionals and organizations alike:

Improves employer branding: A positive applicant experience boosts your reputation as an employer. Satisfied candidates are more likely to recommend your company, strengthening your brand and generating good word-of-mouth.
Increases efficiency: Small details, like smooth interview scheduling, matter. 48% of candidates are less likely to recommend or engage with an employer if scheduling isn’t handled well.
Attracts top talent: A well-planned candidate journey helps you identify the right fit for your role and shows top talent that you value their skills and contributions.
Lowers hiring costs: Gaps in your recruitment process can be expensive. Enhancing the candidate experience helps you find the right hires more quickly and efficiently.

7 candidate journey touchpoints and how to optimize for each

Your company’s reputation is shaped by seven key moments—whether you’re paying attention to them or not. Below, we outline these critical touchpoints with examples and practical tips:

1. Awareness

The awareness stage is where potential candidates first discover your company and the job opportunities you offer. This is your chance to make a strong impression by clearly communicating your company’s values, culture, and the benefits of working with you. A compelling job description paired with engaging employer branding can help attract the right talent, setting the foundation for a successful hiring process.

Columbia Sportswear’s Careers page is a great example of how to attract potential candidates. It clearly showcases the company’s values, culture, and commitment to its employees, giving job seekers a solid understanding of what it’s like to work there. The page includes current job openings, an easy-to-use search tool, and real employee testimonials, making the application process simple and inviting. Columbia appeals to candidates who share their vision and values by highlighting their mission and passion for adventure.

Key touchpoints to optimize:

Show off your brand: Spotlight your culture, values, and employee success stories online through novel techniques like weekly employee takeovers, values-in-action videos, and career growth stories. Take the example of HubSpot, which uses blog posts like “A Day in the Life of a HubSpotter” to showcase culture.
Be visible on social media: Strategically showcase your company culture on LinkedIn, Instagram, and X—where your ideal candidates actually hang out. Share compelling job openings and reveal your workplace culture.
Improve your careers page: Boost your careers page visibility in Google’s job search results with strategic keyword optimization. Target high-intent phrases like ‘jobs at [your company],’ ‘[your company] careers’, and ‘[role] positions at [your company].’

2. Attraction

The competition for top talent is tougher than ever. Candidates now expect an easy application process, prompt communication, and thoughtful interactions. Companies that provide a great hiring experience stand out.

For instance, online retail company Zappos is well-known for its candidate-centric job descriptions, which emphasize the company’s culture.

They’re also known for their unusual approach to getting to know the candidate and the company. For example, Zappos offers anyone interested an opportunity to book a tour of the office or a Q&A session to learn about the company culture, core values, and employee engagement

Key touchpoints to optimize:

Tailor your job descriptions: 71% of job seekers say it’s “very” or “extremely important” to include details about company culture in job descriptions.
Be clear and transparent: Remove ambiguity from your hiring process. Outline which skills are must-haves and which are preferred. This Amazon posting separates ‘basic’ and ‘preferred’ qualifications to attract talent that might otherwise not apply.
Help candidates see their future: Show how they can grow professionally and personally at your company. Grubhub’s Beyond the Wheel YouTube series does a great job highlighting the aspirations of its delivery executives.

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3. Interest

The interest touchpoint is a key part of the hiring process. This is when candidates take a closer look at your organization to decide if it’s a place they’d like to work. They explore your company culture, values, and reputation through channels like Glassdoor reviews, LinkedIn posts, and even team interactions on platforms like X (formerly Twitter). At this stage, trust and transparency are essential to keeping candidates engaged and encouraging them to apply.

To stand out, recruiters should share clear, engaging, and honest content that answers the questions potential employees are likely asking. This could include details about benefits, the work environment, career growth opportunities, or how decisions like promotions and salaries are made.

A great example is GitHub’s Compensation Calculator, which lets candidates see salary ranges based on role, experience, and location. By openly providing this information, GitHub builds trust and shows its commitment to fairness and transparency.

Key touchpoints to optimize:

Share personalized content: Allow candidates to express interest by signing up with their email, then use it to send tailored updates about your work and similar job opportunities.
Build a “Candidate FAQ” page: Make job listings straightforward and easy to navigate. Create an FAQ page addressing real questions from recent hires and update it regularly. For inspiration, check out BlackRock’s example, which covers everything from interview preparation to first-day advice.
Facilitate coffee chats with team members: Use tools like Calendly or HubSpot to arrange quick 10-15 minute chats between potential candidates and team members. These direct, informal conversations can be a game-changer in attracting top talent.

4. Applying

By the time candidates reach this point in the application process, they’re ready to move forward. They’ve researched your company, reviewed the job posting, and decided they want to join your team. However, even the most motivated applicants can lose interest if the process is too complicated or frustrating. With many candidates applying to multiple jobs, the experience needs to be simple and efficient.

Research from Recruiter.com shows that 89.4% of candidates abandon job applications due to unnecessary complexity. Ignoring this could cost you top talent. To stay competitive, companies need to streamline the application process. Tools like HireVue can help streamline every step of the candidate journey while reducing the workload for recruiters and hiring managers.

Key touchpoints to optimize:

Simplify the application: Ask only for essential information upfront. Save detailed questions for later and include time-saving features like autofill or LinkedIn profile imports.
Make instructions clear: Let candidates know what to expect. Spotify, for example, uses a simple diagram to explain its hiring process at a glance.
Communicate consistently: Don’t leave candidates in the dark. Use automated responses to confirm applications and share a timeline for the next steps.

5. Evaluating

During this phase, recruiters review applications to find the most qualified candidates. This usually involves shortlisting based on qualifications and experience and using tests or assessments to check key skills needed for the role.

Clear and timely communication is important during this stage. Keeping candidates updated on their application status, next steps, and timelines builds trust and transparency. For example, sending an automated email to confirm the application was received, followed by updates on shortlisting or assessment details, can reduce uncertainty and improve the candidate experience.

Key touchpoints to optimize:

Make the process engaging: Don’t just ask for endless documents—try gamification. For example, Marriott used neuroscience-based games to assess candidates’ traits. Tools like Testlify and Test Gorilla make this easy.
Be transparent and honest: Don’t oversell the role or make false promises—it can lead to disengagement.
Consider diverse backgrounds: Avoid bias by using objective criteria for shortlisting. Tools like Applied, and Harver use blind hiring to remove identifying information and focus on assessments.

6. Interviewing

The interviewing stage is when the company and candidates meet to see if they’re a good match. This typically includes one-on-one or panel interviews and may involve tasks or challenges to evaluate a candidate’s skills and experience.

Structured interviews are key to keeping the process fair and consistent. Provide hiring managers with clear evaluation criteria to help them focus on what matters most for the role.

Key touchpoints to optimize:

Encourage interviewees to share stories: Airbnb uses storytelling in its interviews to reflect its culture. Candidates share experiences that align with Airbnb’s values, fostering meaningful connections.
Ease candidates in with an interview guide: Smart organizations tailor their hiring process. Atlassian provides role-specific handbooks, so applicants know what to expect.
Train your team: Train recruiters on effective interview techniques and ensure they understand the role, creating a smooth and professional candidate experience.

free template Free Interview Template and Comprehensive Usage Guide for Effective Interviewing

7. Hiring

The hiring stage is where excitement peaks. The candidate has accepted the offer, and both sides are preparing for the transition. However, this phase is often where companies lose momentum—slow contract processing, lack of communication, or a disorganized preboarding experience can create uncertainty.

A well-structured hiring process ensures that candidates remain engaged, confident in their decision, and excited for their first day. It also reinforces a smooth, welcoming experience, setting the foundation for long-term retention.

Key touchpoints to optimize:

Begin onboarding immediately: Onboarding starts as soon as they say “yes.” A BambooHR study found that 44% of employees have second thoughts about their job offer within the first week. Start onboarding right after the offer is accepted with clear instructions, access to tools, and a warm welcome to set the right tone.
Simplify the offer acceptance process: Make it easy for candidates to accept offers. Use digital tools like e-signature platforms for quick and secure signing. Clearly explain the next steps and share a contact for any questions to leave a positive, organized impression.
Create a preboarding checklist: Include steps like sharing an employee handbook, scheduling team introductions, sending a welcome message from leadership, and providing access to training materials or setup guides to make new hires feel prepared and valued before their first day. For example, Google sent managers a simple electronic checklist with just-in-time reminders about new hire onboarding.

6 Steps to map the candidate journey

Before improving the touch points mentioned above, you might want to take a step back and map the candidate experience. This helps ensure every interaction meets expectations, strengthens your employer brand, and improves recruitment. Here are six steps to create and refine a solid candidate journey map.

Define candidate personas: Start by creating personas that represent your target talent. Include details like demographics, career goals, communication preferences, and work styles.
- Example: “Mid-level Software Engineer (5-8 years of experience), values remote work, seeks career growth, prefers clear communication, and enjoys asynchronous collaboration.”
Map the journey stages: The candidate journey typically has these key stages: Awareness → Consideration → Application → Selection → Onboarding. Map out each stage while considering the actions candidates take and their expectations.
Identify touchpoints and channels: Map out important touchpoints (like your career site, application process, or interviews) and evaluate if they meet expectations. Optimize key channels such as email communication, recruiter outreach, and follow-up processes to improve the experience.
Gather feedback from candidates: Use feedback to improve the hiring process. Tools like post-application surveys, exit interviews, or platforms like Jive Insights and Lattice can provide actionable insights.
Identify and fix bottlenecks: Use feedback and metrics to spot and address issues in the process. For example, if candidates drop off during applications, simplify the process using tools like HireVue or LinkedIn’s one-click application feature. Regularly track metrics like drop-off rates, time-to-hire, and offer acceptance rates to keep things running smoothly.
Continuously improve and refine: The candidate journey map isn’t static—it should evolve over time. Assign specific team members to oversee key areas. For example, HR can manage interview quality, while marketing takes care of the digital experience and employer branding. Measure success by tracking conversion rates at each stage and monitoring new hire retention to ensure your efforts are paying off.

To sum up

Your employer brand defines candidate perceptions long before your first interaction. Build a compelling digital presence through clear company values, authentic employee stories, and responsive social channels. Remove recruitment bottlenecks and watch exceptional candidates flow naturally into your pipeline.