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What Stakeholders Really Expect from Your
Careers Website 


Rosie Edwards


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We had the pleasure of hosting a lively and insightful webinar on one of the most pressing challenges in talent attraction today: what stakeholders expect from your careers website.
Led by Nicole Ferger (Black Sun) and Brook Calverley (People Made), the session brought together expertise in digital strategy, employer branding, and EVP development to explore why careers sections matter more than ever – and how organisations can get them right.

Why Careers Sites Matter More Than Ever

Careers sites are no longer “just for candidates.”

The careers section plays a much larger role in the wider stakeholder ecosystem:

  • Investors want reassurance that a company can attract, retain, and engage top talent.
  • Customers increasingly factor in employer reputation when making purchasing decisions.
  • Employees use careers sites to evaluate internal mobility opportunities and check if the EVP is being lived out.

The shift is significant. In fact, 58% of candidates now use AI tools just to search for jobs – before they’ve even started their application. Traditional search engines are being replaced with AI because it provides richer, more contextual results. This means your careers site needs to be structured and written in a way that performs well not just in Google, but in AI-powered search.

Companies must ask themselves:

  • How is our information appearing in AI-driven searches?
  • Is it accurate, up to date, and reflective of our brand’s tone and EVP?
  • Does the structure of our site make sense for this new way of searching?

The Talent Flow Ecosystem

The modern talent flow is far more complex than the traditional attract → engage → apply funnel.

A broader ecosystem stands:

  • Least control: external conversations, referrals, communities, job boards, and platforms like Glassdoor, where your brand may be reshaped or reinterpreted.
  • Some control: social media, university fairs, partner events, and other environments where you influence but don’t fully own the message.
  • Most control: your careers website, the true “hub” of your EVP, directly linked to your ATS and the source content that fuels other platforms.

We often imagine candidates moving through a nice, neat linear journey. The reality is messier, with lots of different entry points. That’s why your careers site, anchored by a strong EVP, needs to act as the centre of gravity that brings coherence across all these touchpoints.


Best Practices and Emerging Trends

The eight best practices shaping careers site design today:

  1. Authenticity & Transparency
    • Showcase real employee voices and stories.
    • Represent different career stages (early careers, skilled workers, senior hires).
    • Be open about purpose, values, and ESG commitments – backed by evidence, not just statements.
  2. Engaging Content
    • Incorporate video, social storytelling, and employee-generated content.
    • Use interactive features like quizzes, gamification, or virtual tours.
  3. Mobile-First & Accessible Design
    • Fast load speeds.
    • Clear navigation and frictionless application flows.
    • Accessible layouts and inclusive design (e.g., screen reader compatibility).
  4. Clear Connection to DEI & ESG
    • Candidates actively seek your position on these topics.
    • Analytics show sustainability sections are often the second-most visited area after careers.
  5. Consistency Across Platforms
    • Ensure your EVP and brand identity are represented consistently across your ATS, social media, and internal comms.

New Tools and Platforms to Watch

AI-powered chatbots are playing a growing role on careers sites. Unlike a traditional search bar, these tools allow candidates to ask natural questions and receive contextual answers based directly on your site’s content. They can also be tested and fine-tuned in a UAT environment to ensure responses align with your EVP and brand tone. The result is a far richer, more engaging experience that helps candidates find what they need quickly and confidently.

Another important platform to consider is Glassdoor. While it is often seen as a challenge for employer reputation - sometimes referred to as “the home of the malcontented” - ignoring it is a mistake. Engaging positively on Glassdoor demonstrates confidence. No company can make everyone happy, but by ensuring both your voice and your employees’ voices are part of the conversation, you can help shape a more balanced and authentic picture of what it’s like to work at your organisation.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Treating the careers section as an HR-only space, instead of recognising its broader stakeholder impact.
  • Creating a beautiful EVP but failing to embed it across digital touchpoints.
  • Overlooking accessibility, mobile design, or friction in the application journey.

Key Takeaways

  • Consider all stakeholders – candidates, employees, investors, and customers.
  • User experience shapes perception – seamless, mobile-first design is essential.
  • Authenticity wins – transparency and real employee voices matter most.
  • Think ecosystem-wide – your EVP should echo across all channels.
  • Be bold – your careers site is an opportunity to show ambition and confidence.

What’s Next

Join us in October and November, when we will be covering:

  • What stakeholders expect…from your sustainability section
  • What stakeholders expect…from your investor section

To sign up to our upcoming events, visit: https://www.blacksun-global.com/insights/attend?page=2

If you are interested in recordings, slides, and chatbot demos please get in touch.

Abbie Dixon: adixon@blacksun-global.com

Final Thoughts

The careers section is not just another page on your website – it’s a critical touchpoint in the broader communications landscape.

It’s your chance to make a bold, authentic promise to your people – one that aligns with your business ambitions, and one you must live up to.


About Black Sun

Black Sun Global is a stakeholder advisory and engagement agency that's been driving transformation and positive change for ambitious brands for more than 20 years. With deep expertise in disclosure and reporting, ESG, sustainability, and digital engagement, we reshape how organisations connect with customers, investors, employees, and the wider world. 

We are trusted partners to some of the most influential global organisations, sparking innovation and sustainable performance through our strategic insights, partnerships, and proprietary technologies.

As founders of the Positive Change Group, we are on a mission to create a new kind of stakeholder relations partner. Our world-class specialists work closely with executive leadership teams to protect reputations, inspire trust, and promote responsible business practices - building resilience and long-term value in a rapidly changing world.

For more information, please visit: www.blacksun-global.com





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