What Frontline Candidates Really Think About Your Hiring Process

August 21, 2026

 

Trent Cotton

5 min read

Most employers spend months refining sourcing strategies, employer branding campaigns and hiring technology.

But candidates often make their decision about whether to continue with a job application in minutes.

For organizations hiring frontline, hourly and seasonal workers, every click matters. Every extra step creates friction. Every delay can risk losing qualified talent.

That reality raises a simple question: What happens when real frontline candidates really think about the hiring?

To find out, ICIMS launched a Hiring Platform Showdown, a new video series that puts real candidates through different hiring experiences and captures their reactions in real-time. We put two different hiring experiences to the test.

No scripts. No coaching.

Just real frontline workers navigating two application experiences and sharing their unfiltered reactions along the way.

The Frontline Hiring Reality

The labor market has changed, but candidate expectations haven’t.

Today’s frontline workers often apply for jobs between shifts, on lunch breaks, while commuting or while juggling other responsibilities. They expect hiring experiences to work like the consumer apps they use every day: fast, intuitive and mobile-friendly.

When applications become lengthy, confusing or difficult to complete on a phone, employers risk losing talent before the hiring process even begins.

The challenge isn’t simply attracting applicants. It’s converting them.

What the Hiring Platform Showdown Revealed

The first episode tested two different hiring experiences with a group of frontline workers, including coffee shop baristas. Participants applied for similar roles using two different hiring experiences and were encouraged to think out loud as they completed each application.

As Jody Kaminsky, chief marketing officer at ICIMS, explained:

“Our goal wasn’t to tell candidates what to think. We wanted to observe authentic reactions and better understand what candidates value most during the application process. What emerged was a powerful reminder that the hiring experience is often one of the earliest and most important interactions someone has with an employer’s brand.”

Their reactions highlighted four important lessons for employers hiring in high volumes:

1. Simplicity Wins: Frontline candidates prefer simple, intuitive application experiences. When candidates can quickly and easily apply, schedule an interview and move through the process, momentum stays high and frustration stays low.
2. Extra questions and clicks create friction: Candidates noticed unnecessary questions and additional clicks almost immediately. Small points of friction can quickly add up, especially when candidates are already balancing busy schedules.
3. Faster paths from application to interview create momentum: One of the strongest reactions came when candidates were able to schedule interviews immediately after applying. Instead of waiting for recruiter outreach, they could take the next step right away. That moment transformed the experience from “application submitted” to “I’m actually moving forward.”
4. Mobile-friendly hiring experiences are essential for frontline candidates: Many frontline candidates complete applications entirely from their phones.

Employers that optimize for mobile hiring aren’t simply improving convenience. They’re removing barriers that can prevent qualified applicants from finishing the process.

These findings may sound straightforward. But when an organization is hiring hundreds or thousands of people, small points of friction can have a meaningful impact on how many candidates complete an application and move forward.

Frontline, High-volume Hiring has a Candidate Experience Problem: Why This Matters for Talent Leaders

Candidate expectations have changed. The digital experiences people use every day have set a higher bar for how quickly and easily they expect to complete everyday tasks, including applying for a job. The candidate experience is often discussed as a branding issue. In reality, it’s a business issue.

The quality of the application experience directly influences application completion rates, candidate engagement, time-to-hire and ultimately business outcomes. When an application is lengthy, confusing or difficult to complete on a phone, employers risk losing candidates before the hiring process even begins.

When organizations are hiring at scale, even small improvements in completion and conversion rates can have a meaningful impact on recruiting performance. The challenge isn’t simply attracting applicants. It’s converting interested candidates into completed applications and moving them efficiently into the hiring process.

The Bottom Line

Frontline candidates aren’t just comparing your hiring process to other employers.

They’re comparing it to every digital experience they have every day.

Organizations hiring at scale can reduce friction by creating simpler application experiences, optimizing for mobile and making it easier for candidates to move quickly from application to interview. Employers that make these changes will be better positioned to attract and convert talent in today’s competitive labor market.

The first episode of Hiring Platform Showdown puts these principles to the test, with real candidates, real reactions and no scripts. The first episode is available now.

Watch the experiment, hear directly from frontline workers and see what happens when the hiring experience is put to the candidate test.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ICIMS Hiring Platform Showdown?

Hiring Platform Showdown is an ICIMS video series that puts real candidates through different hiring experiences and captures their reactions as they apply. The series will explore what candidates value and what creates friction during the hiring process.

Why is the candidate experience important in high-volume hiring?

Candidate experience can influence whether applicants complete the hiring process and continue moving forward. For organizations hiring at scale, reducing friction can help more interested candidates complete applications and progress through the hiring funnel.

What do frontline candidates expect from a hiring process?

The first ICIMS Hiring Platform Showdown experiment found that candidates responded positively to simple, intuitive and mobile-friendly application experiences, as well as faster paths from application to interview.

Why is mobile hiring important for frontline candidates?

Mobile usability is an important part of the hiring experience because many candidates interact with employers using mobile devices. A mobile-friendly application can help reduce barriers that prevent candidates from completing the hiring process.