The 2026 Career Website Research & Awards
No nominations. No popularity contests. Just evidence.
From February 2026, Talent Table is relaunching the Career Website Research and Awards - the only research-led program in Australia and New Zealand that cuts through to reveal what actually makes a world-class career site.
We don't take nominations.
We don't wait to be asked.
We decide the top 10 websites in Australia - based on real evidence, not who's got the biggest marketing budget.
Get involved!
For 2026, we're opening the door for your career website to be in our research
If you want your organisation included, now's your chance. Closing 30 November 2025!
Fill out our survey (link below) 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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Benchmarking insights - see how you compare (because you can't improve what you don't measure)
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The truth - no sugar-coating, no participation trophies
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.
Why This Matters (And Why Most Career Sites Are Failing)
Your career site isn't just a place to dump job ads.
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."
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.
📱 79% of job seekers scroll social media for roles
🔍 60% start on Google
Wherever they start, they land on your careers site. If it doesn’t impress, they’re gone. Fast.
How It Works
In the past our research list was from 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 damn hard for candidates to love you)
- 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 measure what matters to candidates and TA teams:
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 vomited out 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 people apply on their phones. If your site is clunky on mobile, you've already lost them.
DEI and Accessibility (New for 2026)
We're putting a spotlight on accessibility, especially for people with disabilities. We're partnering with specialists to ensure this isn't just a token checkbox. Because if your career site isn't accessible, you're not serious about inclusion.
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."
📧 Questions? Email 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.
