Candidate Portability: Migrating Preferences and Data Without Breaking Workflows (2026)

Hook: Candidates expect their career data to move with them. Build exportable artifacts and migrate preferences without breaking workflows.

By 2026, candidate expectations include portability: the ability to move portfolios, preference settings, and verifiable artifacts across platforms. Enable exports to reduce friction and improve application rates.

Why portability matters

• Trust: candidates trust employers who make data ownership explicit;
• Speed: portable artifacts speed verification and audits;
• Interoperability: regulators encourage standards for candidate portability.

Practical guidance on migrating user preferences and preserving functionality is covered in this migration guide — a must-read for teams implementing portability: Migrating legacy user preferences (2026).

Implementation steps

1. Define a minimal, portable artifact spec (timestamp, author hash, short description).
2. Expose a one-click export for candidates and document export usage within the privacy policy.
3. Use compact, signed artifacts to avoid shipping personal data unnecessarily.

Portability is a competitive advantage — candidates notice and reward platforms that reduce lock-in.

Operational considerations

• Coordinate with ATS vendors for import hooks.
• Provide guidance for candidates on what to include in portable profiles.
• Audit your retention policy and ensure exports don't expose sensitive information.

Next steps

Prototype an artifact spec for one role and implement a CSV + signed-hash export. Measure candidate trust metrics and apply lessons across other roles.