Performance Matters

In Formula 1, performance isn’t just top speed. It’s grip, balance, driver instinct, pit precision—every micro-moment refined to perfection. The difference between pole position and the pack of the pack? Seconds, yes—but also mindset.

Your careers site works the same way.

When candidates land on it, they’re not just clicking around—they’re diagnosing your culture. Every load time, every scroll, every flicker of friction sends a signal about what it’s like to work with you.

And the truth? Most careers sites are stuck in the pit lane.

Speed is the surface. Trust runs deeper.

Yes—faster careers sites convert better. One Happydance customer shaved 0.7 seconds off their load time and saw a 12% lift in apply starts. That’s not optimization. That’s ignition.

But speed is just one part of performance. Like tyre pressure in a high-stakes race, it needs to be balanced with everything else under the hood.

Real candidate experience performance means:

• Clarity of content: Is it instantly obvious who you are and why it matters?
• Ease of understanding: Are you using plain language or are candidates forced to decode jargon?
• Responsiveness: Does your careers site work seamlessly across devices and contexts?
• Emotional resonance: Does the experience feel designed for them—or for your hiring team?

What real careers site performance looks like

Just like a high-performing car, every component of your careers site either creates drag—or drives results.

1. Core web vitals = Aerodynamics
Google’s speed benchmarks (LCP, INP, CLS) are like wind tunnel tests for your UX. They affect where you rank and whether candidates stay. Ignore them at your peril.

2. Experience by design = Pit crew strategy
Pages should anticipate what candidates need before they ask. Think intuitive pathways, friction-free applications, and embedded storytelling—like driver telemetry guiding every decision.

3. Content velocity = Engine tuning
If your employer value proposition (EVP) is gold, but buried beneath slow loads or stock clichés, you’ve already lost the race. Real stories, real people, real impact. Delivered instantly.

4. Infrastructure and code health = Chassis integrity
Fast careers sites don’t just look better—they feel safer. Compressed assets, lean code, and minimized third-party scripts all contribute to a smoother, faster, more trustworthy experience.

Why it matters: Culture signals and the Give & Get

In the Give & Get model, your careers site should repel the many and compel the few by showing what success really looks like inside your organization.

A slow, clunky careers site says:
“We overcomplicate simple things.”
“We don’t invest in our people-facing infrastructure.”
“Good luck getting a laptop on your first day.”

A high-performance careers site says:
“We value your time.”
“We know what good looks like.”
“You’ll move fast here—because we do.”

Performance is about more than speed. It’s about signalling your brand of difficulty and helping candidates self-select in—or out—with clarity and confidence.

Tune up your performance

This week in the #CareersSiteGrandPrix, we’re challenging teams to benchmark their entire experience. Not just loading speed—but candidate velocity.

Here’s your checklist:

• Run PageSpeed Insights on both mobile and desktop
• Audit your application journey: How many clicks to apply? Where’s the drop-off?
• Streamline visuals and third-party tags
• Replace corporate fluff with human storytelling
• Try the 5-second test: Can someone understand who you are and what you stand for in 5 seconds?

Celebrate your performance wins

This week, we’re spotlighting the boldest brands on the performance circuit. Share your Racer Cards. Brag about your load time wins. Show off your flow.

Because in a hiring market where every second counts, your careers site is more than a destination.

It’s your first demonstration of how you work. Make it count.

Get out of the pit lane. Into pole position.

If you’re serious about performance—from UX to EVP, from code to culture signals—Happydance is your pit crew. We don’t just optimize for speed. We engineer high-converting, emotionally intelligent, GPT-optimized, story-driven careers experiences that signal how your company really works.

Ready to lift your site’s performance from functional to phenomenal? Let’s talk. Contact us - We’re here to answer any question you may have.