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Employee stories on careers websites: 12 formats, when to use each, and what great looks like

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See other posts from by Melanie Murphy CMO

Twelve employee story formats for careers websites: what each is for, where it goes, how it shows the Give and the Get, and a truth test for each. Every example is illustrative and names no employer.

12story formats
2formats prove the Give
2formats prove the Get
8formats show both

Executive summary

  1. Employee stories are the proof behind what a careers website claims. Twelve formats cover the main questions candidates ask: what is a normal day like, will I progress, who will I work with, what is hard, is it true, will I fit.
  2. Each format below has a purpose, a place on the careers website, a layout, a truth test and a thing to avoid.
  3. Two formats prove the Give, two prove the Get, and eight show both. Make sure you show the Get as well: what the employer asks in return.
  4. Put each story next to the claim it proves. A day in the life belongs by what you will do. A quote belongs by a benefit. The hard part belongs beside what you ask.
  5. Use the free format library to tick the formats you have and plan the next story to commission.
  6. All examples are illustrative and written by us. They name no employer. Replace the bracketed facts with your own.

What employee stories are for

Candidates decide whether to apply by looking for proof. A job page says what a role is. An employee story shows whether it is true. The best stories do two things: show what the employer gives, and show what it asks in return. That is the Give and the Get. Sell The Truth means telling people what the job is really like, so the right people apply and the wrong people opt out.

Table of twelve employee story formats showing whether each proves the Give, the Get or both, and where it is best placed on the careers website

The 12 formats

What the twelve formats prove

Counts within our own taxonomy, not market statistics.

  • Prove the Give2
  • Prove the Get2
  • Show both8

The Give is what the employer offers. The Get is what it asks in return.

1. Day in the life

Proves: The Give and the Get

A walk through one real day or shift, moment by moment, told by the person who does the job.

Best for: Candidates asking "what is the job actually like?"

Where it goes: Job pages and role hubs, near the "What you will do" section.

Layout: Five to seven time-stamped moments, one photo or short clip each, and one line on how it felt.

Truth test: Does it include something hard, dull or tiring, and is it a typical day rather than the best one?

Avoid: A highlight reel where every hour is a win.

Illustrative example: A [ward nurse] on a [12-hour shift]: handover at [07:15], a difficult conversation at [11:00], the break they usually miss.

2. Q&A profile

Proves: The Give and the Get

The same five or six questions put to several people, with their answers kept in their own words.

Best for: Candidates comparing teams and roles.

Where it goes: Team pages, role pages and the stories hub.

Layout: A portrait, name, role, years in the business, then the questions as headings.

Truth test: Were the same questions asked of everyone, including "what do you wish you had known before you joined?"

Avoid: Answers polished by comms until they sound identical.

Illustrative example: Five questions to [six people in the data team], including "what would make you leave?"

3. Short video

Proves: The Give and the Get

One person, one topic, 60 to 90 seconds, unscripted.

Best for: Candidates who want a feel for the people before reading.

Where it goes: Employer home page, job pages, team pages.

Layout: A single speaker to camera or in context, with captions and a text transcript beside it.

Truth test: Would the person say this to a friend in the pub, and does the video play well on a phone without sound?

Avoid: Scripted testimonials and stock footage dressed as employees.

Illustrative example: A [delivery driver] on how their route is planned, filmed in the [depot yard].

4. Quote with context

Proves: The Give

A short quote that proves one specific claim, with who said it and what it refers to.

Best for: Candidates checking whether a claim is true.

Where it goes: Next to a benefit or promise, wherever you make the claim.

Layout: A one-sentence quote, name, role, years in the business, and a link to the full story.

Truth test: Does the quote prove a specific claim made on the page, and could a candidate check it?

Avoid: Anonymous praise such as "great place to work".

Illustrative example: Under "[four weeks of paid training]": a [new starter] says what the first month covered.

5. Career path story

Proves: The Give

A timeline of the roles someone has held, how long each took and what made it possible.

Best for: Candidates asking "will I progress?"

Where it goes: Progression section of job pages, early careers pages, role families.

Layout: A horizontal or vertical timeline with years, titles and one sentence on each move.

Truth test: Does it show the bumps (a sideways move, a wait, a failed attempt) and the time each step took?

Avoid: A straight line to the top, which is true for almost nobody.

Illustrative example: A [store manager] who joined as a [weekend assistant], with [years] at each step.

6. First 90 days

Proves: The Give and the Get

What the first three months were like, told by someone who joined recently.

Best for: Candidates worried about starting somewhere new.

Where it goes: Job pages, "what happens after you apply", offer-stage content.

Layout: Three sections: week one, month one, month three. Include what support was available.

Truth test: Does it say what was hard in month one, and what the person would change about onboarding?

Avoid: Telling a story from someone who joined years ago.

Illustrative example: A [graduate engineer] on their [first rotation], including the week they felt lost.

7. Meet the team

Proves: The Give and the Get

A team-level page showing who the team is, what they do and how they work together.

Best for: Candidates who want to know who they would sit next to.

Where it goes: Team pages and role family pages.

Layout: Photos with names and roles, a paragraph on how the team works, and links to open jobs.

Truth test: Does it show the real range of people and levels, not only leaders, and is it current?

Avoid: A page of managers and a stock photo.

Illustrative example: The [customer support team] in [Leeds]: [number] people, [two] working part-time, hours and shift pattern.

8. The hard part

Proves: The Get

A candid story of something difficult in the work and how people handle it.

Best for: Candidates deciding whether the role is right for them.

Where it goes: Right beside the "What we ask" section of a job page.

Layout: A short written or video story: the situation, what made it hard, what helped, what the person took from it.

Truth test: Would the line manager wince a little when they read it? If not, it is not hard enough.

Avoid: Presenting a hard thing as a hidden perk.

Illustrative example: A [paramedic] on the [call they still think about] and the support the team gives.

9. Manager story

Proves: The Give and the Get

What it is like to work for a particular manager, in the manager's and a team member's words.

Best for: Candidates who know the manager matters most.

Where it goes: Job pages for roles reporting to that manager.

Layout: Two short parts: how the manager works, and a team member on what that is like.

Truth test: Does it cover how feedback is given and how mistakes are handled, and does the manager say what they find hard?

Avoid: A leadership statement with a headshot.

Illustrative example: A [team leader] on how they run [one-to-ones] and a [team member] on the last time they got it wrong.

10. Joiner story

Proves: The Give and the Get

The story of someone who came from another sector, returned after a break or changed career.

Best for: Candidates who think they might not fit the usual profile.

Where it goes: Pages for career changers, returners and apprenticeships.

Layout: Where they came from, why they moved, what they had to learn, what they gave up.

Truth test: Does it say what the person gave up or found hard, as well as what they gained?

Avoid: A fairy tale of seamless change.

Illustrative example: A [former teacher] now in [learning and development]: the pay change, the first six months.

11. Photo essay or audio diary

Proves: The Get

Unstaged photos or short audio from a place or a shift, with captions in the employee's voice.

Best for: Candidates considering a specific site or location.

Where it goes: Location pages and site pages.

Layout: Six to ten photos, each with a caption and alt text, or a short audio clip with a transcript.

Truth test: Was it taken by an employee, on an ordinary day, with real people and a real place?

Avoid: Stock photography and photos of an empty office.

Illustrative example: A [warehouse operative] photographing their [shift from start to finish].

12. Ask an employee

Proves: The Give and the Get

A format where candidates put questions to employees and the answers are published.

Best for: Candidates with questions they will not ask in an interview.

Where it goes: FAQ areas, job pages, close to the apply button.

Layout: Questions as headings, a named employee answering each, a date, and a link to ask another.

Truth test: Does it answer the uncomfortable questions (hours, pay, progression, what people complain about) with the same candour?

Avoid: Only answering the questions you like.

Illustrative example: "[How often do you work weekends?]" answered by [three people in different teams].

Which format are you missing?

A candidate asksFormats that answer it
What is a normal day like?Day in the life; Photo essay or audio diary
Will I progress here?Career path story; Joiner story
Who will I work with?Meet the team; Manager story; Q&A profile
What is hard about it?The hard part; First 90 days; Ask an employee
Is what you say true?Quote with context; Short video
Will I fit in?Joiner story; Q&A profile; Short video

Tick the formats you already have in the spreadsheet. Most sites find that the questions about what is hard and whether it is true are the least answered. We have not measured how many sites publish each format. If you want a count, it can be added later from a content audit.

Where stories sit on a job page

Put each story next to the claim it proves.

What you will doDay in the life
The GiveQuotes and career paths
The GetThe hard part
Who you will work withTeam and manager stories
Starting hereFirst 90 days and joiner stories
Near the apply buttonAsk an employee

Seven rules for every story

  1. Get written permission, and tell people how to withdraw it.
  2. Let the person see and approve the final version, and keep their words.
  3. Check every claim about pay, benefits or progression against the facts before it goes live.
  4. Show a range of people: levels, backgrounds, working patterns, sites.
  5. Make it accessible: captions and transcripts for video, alt text for photos, readable contrast.
  6. Date each story, and review them at least once a year.
  7. Take legal advice on consent, data protection and pay information for the markets you hire in.

How to brief a story

  • Start from the candidate question and the claim you want to prove, not from the person.
  • Ask the five questions in the brief template, and keep the answers in the person's own words.
  • Ask for the hard thing, and include it.
  • Let the person approve it, and keep a record of consent.

How to tell if it works

  • Count views of each story and where candidates go next.
  • Compare job page apply starts for visits that included a story with those that did not, and treat the result as a guide, not proof.
  • Ask new joiners which story they read before applying.
  • We do not state any benchmark. Measure your own baseline first.

Free downloads

Download the format library spreadsheet and the story brief and consent template.

Download the format library · Download the story brief template

Frequently asked questions

What are employee stories on a careers website?

Real accounts from employees, in text, photo, audio or video, that show candidates what working there is like, including what the employer gives and what it asks in return.

What is the difference between an employee story and a testimonial?

A testimonial is a short endorsement. A story has a situation, detail and a point of view, and can include hard parts. Stories are more believable because they can be checked against the job page.

How many employee stories do you need?

There is no magic number. Cover the questions candidates ask: what is a day like, will I progress, who will I work with, what is hard. Start with one story for each of your top roles.

Where should employee stories go on a careers website?

Next to the claim they prove. Put a day in the life by what you will do, a quote by a benefit, and the hard part beside what you ask.

What is the truth test?

A single question for each format that checks whether the story is honest, for example whether the day in the life includes something hard or dull.

Should employee stories include negatives?

Yes. Candidates expect them, and a story that leaves out the hard parts is less believable. Sell The Truth means telling people what the job is really like so the right people apply and the wrong people opt out.

Do I need permission to use employee stories?

Yes. Get written permission, let the person see and approve the final version, and tell them how to withdraw. Take legal advice on consent and data protection in your markets.

How do I make employee stories accessible?

Add captions and a transcript to video, meaningful alt text to photos, and a text version of audio. The WCAG success criteria on captions are the reference.

Related reading

Job description makeovers: 10 before and after rewrites that show the Give and GetEmployee storiesCareers Website Accessibility Audit Guide 2026: automated results for 60 employers and a 10-point manual test

Sources

Limitations

  • The taxonomy is ours. Other ways of grouping stories are equally valid.
  • All examples are illustrative and written by us. No real employer is named. If you want real examples, we can ask employers for permission (pending customer approval).
  • We have not counted how many top careers websites publish each format.
  • This is not legal advice. Take advice on consent and data protection in your markets.

Download the employee story format library

Tick the formats you have and plan the next story to commission, with a brief and consent template to go with it.

Get the free library

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