Are you still relying on email to accept resumes and job applications? If so, you‘re missing out on a major opportunity to improve your hiring process.
Consider this:
- 60% of job seekers say they have quit an online application due to its length or complexity (Source: CareerBuilder)
- Companies with an efficient job application process improve the quality of their hires by 70% (Source: Glassdoor)
- Applicants are 38% more likely to accept a job offer if they are satisfied with the hiring process (Source: IBM)
The takeaway is clear: optimizing your job application process directly impacts the quantity and quality of applicants you attract – and your ability to hire top talent.
One of the easiest ways to streamline job applications is to add an online form to your WordPress site. A dedicated job application form makes it simple for candidates to submit their information and attachments, while also making it easier for your hiring team to collect and manage applications.
In this guide, we‘ll show you exactly how to create a professional job application form in WordPress, step-by-step. No coding or technical skills required!
Why Use a Job Application Form in WordPress?
There are many reasons to use an online job application form in WordPress instead of relying on email applications:
Better for applicants:
- Provides a seamless, professional application experience
- Applicants can easily apply from any device (desktop, mobile, tablet)
- Customizable forms let you collect all the info you need
- Faster than manually writing an application email
Better for hiring teams:
- All applications are collected in a single, centralized database
- No more sorting through cluttered email inboxes
- Automatically parse and search applicant information
- Easily rating, comment, and change status of applications
- Integrate with your ATS, HR, and CRM software
Better for your brand:
- Reinforces a professional, tech-savvy employer brand
- Reflects your company culture and values
- Positive candidate experience = higher offer acceptance rates
The bottom line is that an online job application form saves time for both candidates and recruiters, while providing a better overall experience.
How to Create a Job Application Form in WordPress
Ready to create your own job application form? Follow these steps:
Step 1: Install WPForms on Your WordPress Site
First, you‘ll need a WordPress form builder plugin. We recommend WPForms, the most beginner-friendly form plugin for WordPress.
To get started, install and activate the WPForms plugin on your WordPress site. You‘ll find the download in your WPForms account under the Downloads tab.
Step 2: Choose the Job Application Form Template
Once WPForms is installed, go to WPForms > Add New and name your form. Then, scroll down to the pre-built Job Application Form template.
This template includes the following fields:
- Name
- Phone
- Current Company
- Cover Letter
- Resume Upload
- Referral Source
- GDPR Agreement
It‘s a great starting point, but of course you can fully customize the form to fit your exact hiring needs. In the next step, we‘ll show you how to easily edit the template using the drag-and-drop builder.
Step 3: Customize Your Form Fields
Now you‘re in the WPForms editor, where you can visually build and edit your job application form:
Here‘s how to customize your form fields:
Add Fields
To add a new field, simply drag it from the left-hand panel to the form preview on the right.
Some extra fields you may want to add to your job application form include:
- LinkedIn profile or portfolio URL
- Desired salary range
- Work authorization status
- Start date
- Custom questions related to the role
Edit Fields
To edit an existing field, just click on it in the form preview. This will open the Field Options panel where you can:
- Change the label
- Add a description
- Mark fields as required
- Customize the choices (for dropdowns, checkboxes, etc.)
- Set maximum file upload size
- Enable conditional logic
Delete Fields
To remove a field, hover over it and click the red trash icon.
Rearrange Fields
To change the order of fields, drag and drop them into place in the preview panel.
For example, you may want to rearrange the fields in this order for an improved applicant experience:
- Name
- Phone
- LinkedIn URL
- Current Company
- Resume Upload
- Cover Letter
- Referral Source
- GDPR Agreement
Make sure to click Save after customizing your form.
Step 4: Customize the Form Settings
Next, go to Settings > General to configure the key form settings:
- Submit Button Text – Customize the label (e.g. "Apply Now")
- Submissions – Enable the anti-spam honeypot to prevent spam applications
- AJAX Forms – Enable AJAX to submit forms without refreshing the page
Under Settings > Notifications, customize the email notifications that will be sent when a new job application is submitted:
- Send To Email Address – Enter the email address(es) of the hiring manager or HR team member who should be notified about new applications
- Email Subject Line – Customize the email subject (e.g. "New Job Application Submission")
- From Name – Set the name emails will come from (e.g. "Acme HR")
- From Email – Set the email address for the "From" header (this should be an address at your company‘s domain)
- Reply-To – Check the box to set the reply-to email as the applicant‘s address
In the Email Message box, customize the email that will be sent when a new application comes in. For example:
Subject: New job application from {field_name}
A new job application was submitted:
Name: {field_name}
Email: {field_email}
Phone: {field_phone}
Resume: {field_resume}
You can view the full application details in WordPress under WPForms > Entries.Under Settings > Confirmations, customize the message applicants will see after submitting their application. For example:
Thanks {field_name}!
Your application for {field_position} has been received. Our HR team will review your qualifications and contact you if they feel you may be a good fit for this position.
In the meantime, feel free to browse our [company blog](https://example.com/blog/) to learn more about our culture and current projects.
We appreciate your interest in joining the ACME team!Save your form settings and move on to the next step.
Step 5: Add Your Job Application Form to Your Site
Finally, it‘s time to publish your job application form.
We recommend creating a dedicated Careers page on your site to house your form, along with information about:
- Your company mission, culture, and values
- Employee benefits and perks
- Diversity and inclusion initiatives
- Career development opportunities
To create a new page for your form, go to Pages > Add New and give it a descriptive title (e.g. "Careers at ACME").
Then, click the + button to add the WPForms block and select your job application form from the dropdown:
Alternatively, you can embed the form using the provided shortcode:
[wpforms id="123"]Publish your careers page, then apply for a job on the frontend of your site to test the form and notification settings.
Bonus Tips: How to Optimize Your WordPress Job Application Form
Follow these best practices to make your job application form as effective as possible:
Keep it short and focused
Respect candidates‘ time by only asking for the information you absolutely need to evaluate their qualifications at this initial stage. A study by Indeed found that application completion rates drop off significantly if it takes longer than 15 minutes to complete.
Write clear instructions
Include a brief explanation of your hiring process and what applicants can expect after submitting their information. Providing a timeline for follow ups can reduce candidate frustration and boost application completion rates.
Optimize for mobile
Over 60% of job seekers now look for jobs and submit applications on their smartphones. Luckily, WPForms is fully responsive out of the box, so your form will automatically adapt to any screen size. Just make sure to preview and test it for usability.
Use conditional logic
WPForms‘ Smart Logic feature lets you show or hide fields based on the applicant‘s previous answers. For example, you could show an "Upload Portfolio" field only to applicants who select "Graphic Designer" as the position they‘re applying for.
Integrate with your other tools
Streamline your hiring workflow by connecting your WordPress job application form to your other recruiting tools. WPForms integrates with popular solutions like:
- Uncanny Automator for no-code workflow automation
- Zapier and Tray.io for connecting to 1000+ apps
- HubSpot for syncing form data to your CRM
- Trello for organizing candidates in a kanban board
- Slack for instant notifications about new applicants
Customize your confirmation and autoresponder
Make a great impression by crafting a branded, stand-out submission confirmation and autoresponder email. This is a chance to reaffirm your employer brand, set expectations around next steps, and get applicants excited about the opportunity.
Test and iterate
As with any recruiting strategy, it‘s important to measure results and look for opportunities to optimize. Keep an eye on key metrics like views to submission rate, abandonment rate, and of course, quality of applicants. Don‘t be afraid to experiment with your form design, length, questions, etc. to see what works best.
Create Your WordPress Job Application Form Today
Adding an online job application form to your WordPress site is one of the simplest ways to improve your recruiting process. With a 1-click template and drag-and-drop builder, WPForms makes it easy to start accepting applications in minutes – no coding required.
Remember, every interaction a candidate has with your company is part of their overall experience. Implementing a user-friendly, professional job application process will help you attract more qualified applicants, and ultimately make better hires.
So what are you waiting for? Get started with the WPForms Job Application Form template today!
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