Survey reveals shifts in candidate behavior, career site impact, and the growing role of social media in job decisions

HireClix, a leading recruitment marketing services company, today announces the release of its 2025 Candidate Experience (CX) Survey, offering a revealing look at how job seekers are navigating the job market and what employers must do to stay competitive.

The research highlights how consumers discover job opportunities, evaluate potential employers, and make key career decisions. With a job market shaped by rapid digital evolution, generational shifts, and heightened candidate expectations, the survey provides a clear playbook for organizations looking to win top talent.

Key Findings from the 2025 Candidate Experience Survey

Where Candidates Start Their Search

• Top platforms include: Indeed (56%), LinkedIn (52% - increased from 40% in 2023), Google (41%), and Corporate Career Sites (40%).
• Career sites are now among the most trusted resources for job seekers, up 42% since 2023.

The Influence of Online Reputation and Social Platforms

• More than half of Gen Z and Millennial candidates review a company’s social media before applying to evaluate whether an employer aligns with their values.
• 57% of job seekers say reviews on platforms like Glassdoor and Indeed influence their decision to apply.
• Millennials (59%) and Gen X (55%) lead LinkedIn usage to research employers, with Baby Boomers (46%) and Gen Z (41%) close behind.
• Social media is gaining traction: YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok all saw double-digit year-over-year growth in job ad engagement.

The Evolving Candidate Journey

• Desktop is resurging: 65% of candidates now prefer computers over mobile for job applications, a reversal of past trends. Even Gen Z (75%) and Millennials (77%) now lean more heavily on desktop, showing a shift toward a more intentional, research-driven process.
• Application abandonment is decreasing, down to 43% from 51% in 2023 for Millennials.
• AI tools like ChatGPT are being used by Gen Z and Millennials to help write resumes, analyze job descriptions, and identify ideal opportunities. Still, 54% of job seekers don’t currently use AI in their search.
• DEI is still a driving factor for Gen Z (70%) and Millennials (63%) when evaluating job opportunities.

Retention Risk & Career Decision Factors

• 38% of employees plan to leave their current employer, up from 27% last year. The highest-risk groups include Gen Z (54%), women (41%), and workers earning under $100K (50%).
• Top reasons for leaving include lack of job enjoyment (44% - down from 60% last year), insufficient raises (36%), and poor work-life balance (32%).
• RTO policies are no longer a deal breaker, with preferences varying significantly across age, education, and employment status.
• Those who stay cite enjoyment (78%), competitive pay (45%), and work-life balance (46%).

“When looking at this data, it’s obvious that job seekers are taking the process more seriously than they have in the past and using the hiring process to gauge whether they are interested in potentially working for a company or not. As a result, they expect seamless experiences, purpose-driven messaging, and authentic insights into an organization’s culture,” said Neil Costa, CEO and Founder of HireClix. “Candidates want organizations with clearly articulated values. Those that align their EVP (Employer Value Proposition) across social content, job ads, and career sites will be better equipped to engage top talent.”

The survey findings are based upon data collected from a representative consumer survey capturing 1,000 respondents ages 18-65+ across the United States. For the full report, please visit https://www.hireclix.com/candidate-experience-survey/2025. For more information on building your recruitment strategies, visit www.hireclix.com.

About HireClix

HireClix is a recruitment marketing agency that provides full agency of record and strategic talent acquisition consulting services to help clients achieve their recruiting and employer branding goals. HireClix offers recruitment advertising agency services including programmatic media buying, contract negotiations, campaign management, and creative services. Additionally, HireClix built its strategic consulting practice to support talent acquisition executives as they navigate overall strategy, recruitment technology, process optimization, program development, and many other challenges in today’s recruitment marketplace. HireClix also provides full career site development and design services on a state-of-the-art and secure content management system for employers, leading to enhancements in their employer brand and candidate experience. HireClix was founded in 2010 with a focus on helping clients get the best overall return on investment for their recruiting dollars and continues to be the fastest-growing recruitment advertising agency in the industry, advertising in 40+ countries around the globe for a diverse group of enterprise clients. Learn more at www.hireclix.com.

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