Three standout metrics
7,853
more applications submitted in the first year
40%
Bounce rate reduced from 83% to 40%
11.4%
Conversion rate from applications started to submitted improved by 11.4%
The voice of the customer
“Working with PageUp, supplier of both our applicant tracking system and careers site, has been both collaborative and progressive. With monthly account calls and bi-annual business reviews in place, coupled with excellent response times to any query we raise via the Helpdesk – we are very well looked after. By working together and through the advice and guidance we receive, we are constantly striving to improve and adapt the technology to ensure both excellent candidate and hiring manager experience, using real time data and insights to impact decisions. We have a great relationship with our Strategic Account Manager, which feels more like an extension of our in-house recruitment team than an external provider”
– Sarah McGuire – Head of Talent & Recruitment
What wasn’t working
The previous careers site was powered by an old software. It was outdated, did not effectively deliver the EVP to market, and had limited capability in terms of functionality, look and feel.
During a time when attraction and retention of high calibre employees was critical to the university’s future success, the site failed to attract visitors, hold their interest, or convince them to apply.
The turning point
The Road to 2030 Great Place to Work Strategy set out a clear aim: They wanted to attract, develop and keep talented people through a strong employee value proposition. They also looked for new ways to find and support talent while showcasing great opportunities to stand out as a competitive, trusted employer.
A rejuvenated careers site was identified as a key step. The team partnered with PageUp Europe and the university’s marketing team to design and build a dynamic, engaging platform that told the story of Manchester Met as an employer and improved the candidate experience.
The solution in action
Over six months, the new site was designed and built.
Key features and changes:
- Fully integrated with PageUp Europe’s ATS for a seamless candidate journey
- Clear sections by role type, about the university, and full details of reward and benefits including video content
- Dedicated Equity, Diversity and Inclusion section showcasing staff networks, culture and commitments
- Option for candidates to set up job alerts, make enquiries and join talent pools
- Visually appealing, on brand and maintained with fresh, relevant content
- Analytics capability to track user behaviour and site performance
- Bespoke campaign landing pages to target specific audiences
- Internal intranet resources made available externally to support applicants
One campaign, the 3rd Century Fellowship Scheme launched in April 2024, generated over 250,000 unique views from candidates across the globe and resulted in more than 750 applications.
The university continues to work closely with PageUp Europe post-launch through monthly account meetings, quarterly business reviews, and a 24-hour SLA for any site updates or issues.
The impact
Hard ROI
- Applications submitted increased from 23,010 to 30,863
- Conversion rate improved from 77.8% to 89.2%
- Bounce rate dropped from 83% to 56%, and in the last six months reduced further to 40% with an average of 6 pages viewed
- Average pages viewed per visit increased from 2 to 5
- MMU won the gold award for their careers site at the 2024 IHR award
Soft ROI
- Improved candidate experience and feedback, including from unsuccessful applicants
- Teams have greater agility to run campaigns and respond to data insights
- Recruitment activity better aligned to strategic goals
What surprisedsurprized us the most
The ability of one targeted campaign to attract a global audience and deliver over 750 applications for a single research fellowship.
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