In the world of digital engagement, brands understand that every click, scroll, and interaction matters. A clunky checkout experience loses customers. A personalized product recommendation drives conversions. The same principles that govern consumer behavior are now reshaping how candidates engage with employers. Few professionals understand this shift quite like Nicole Bachaud. As a Labor Economist at ZipRecruiter, the #1-rated hiring site according to G2, Nicole analyzes how job seekers behave like consumers, making rapid, experience-driven decisions about where to apply and which offers to accept.
ZipRecruiter delivers quality candidates to 4 out of 5 employers within 1 day and operates one of the largest job distribution networks in North America, giving Nicole unique insight into what drives candidates to engage or abandon the hiring process. Just as Wyng helps brands create personalized, zero-party data experiences that convert browsers into buyers, ZipRecruiter applies engagement principles to turn job seekers into quality applicants. We sat down with Nicole to discuss what hiring can learn from consumer engagement and how employers can design better candidate experiences.
Q1: We often talk about “candidate experience” in hiring, but how literally should employers think about treating candidates like customers?
Nicole Bachaud: Very literally. Job seekers are making decisions the same way consumers do. They’re browsing multiple options, comparing experiences, and abandoning processes that create friction. In our Q1 Job Seeker Confidence Survey, 21.4% of job seekers who rejected an offer said they did so because the job duties were unclear. That’s the hiring equivalent of a product page with missing information causing cart abandonment.
At ZipRecruiter, we use AI matching technology that analyzes billions of data points to connect candidates with jobs, but matching is just the top of the funnel. The experience has to deliver all the way through. We’ve designed with consumer-grade UX expectations in mind because just like brands that reduce friction in checkout flows see higher conversion, employers who make applications simple and transparent see better completion rates and higher-quality applicants.
Q2: What are the biggest friction points you see in hiring funnels, and how do they mirror consumer engagement challenges?
Nicole Bachaud: As consumers abandon forms that ask for too much information upfront, candidates drop off when applications require lengthy uploads or ask repetitive questions. According to our Q1 Job Seeker Confidence Survey, 46.7% of job seekers would feel more seen by employers if job descriptions were more detailed. They want personalization and clarity, the same things consumers expect from brands.
Our smart matching notifies up to 400 quality candidates immediately upon job postings, essentially creating a personalized discovery experience rather than making candidates dig through irrelevant listings. ZipRecruiter’s Invite to Apply feature generates 8x more quality matches and 11x more candidates by proactively reaching the right people with the right opportunities. That’s personalization at scale, exactly what consumer engagement platforms do. The employers who win are those who reduce friction at every step and make candidates feel like the opportunity was designed specifically for them.
Q3: Brands are increasingly focused on zero-party and first-party data to personalize experiences. How does that concept apply to hiring?
Nicole Bachaud: It’s the same principle. Instead of relying on third-party signals or guesswork, the best hiring strategies use direct candidate data to improve matching and engagement. We maintain one of the largest resume databases of active job seekers, and we use that first-party data to understand what candidates actually want, not just what we think they want based on broad demographics.
ZipRecruiter offers over 500 customizable job description templates that help employers articulate roles clearly, which encourages candidates to self-select accurately. When candidates provide information about their skills, preferences, and career goals, employers can create more relevant, personalized outreach. Our automated screening features allow employers to create tailored experiences based on specific criteria, respecting both the candidate’s time and the employer’s hiring needs. It’s the hiring equivalent of a brand using preference centers to deliver better product recommendations.
Q4: How does speed and experience design influence which offer they accept?
Nicole Bachaud: Speed and experience are everything in a competitive market. In our Q1 Job Seeker Confidence Survey, 28.2% of job seekers reported receiving multiple offers, and the employer who combines the fastest response with the best experience usually wins. This mirrors consumer behavior perfectly. When two brands offer similar products, the one with better UX and faster delivery gets the sale.
ZipRecruiter delivers quality candidates to 80% of employers within the first day because we understand that timing matters. But it’s not just about speed, it’s about the quality of every touchpoint. ZipRecruiter provides 24/7 customer support rated highest for quality among major hiring platforms, so employers can respond to candidates quickly and professionally. We also integrate with hundreds of applicant tracking systems, so the candidate experience is seamless rather than disjointed. Just like brands that create frictionless omnichannel experiences win customers, employers who create smooth, responsive hiring journeys win top talent.
Q5: What’s one lesson from consumer engagement that every employer should apply to their hiring strategy?
Nicole Bachaud: Optimize for the experience you want candidates to have, not just the outcome you need. Brands don’t design checkout flows around internal processes; they design them around customer behavior. Hiring should work the same way. We’ve designed every feature around how candidates actually search, apply, and make decisions.
ZipRecruiter posts jobs to Google for Jobs with one-click distribution, meeting candidates where they already are rather than forcing them to come to you. The organizations treating hiring like a customer acquisition funnel, with clear messaging, personalized outreach, and frictionless processes, are consistently the ones who build the best teams.
