Mobile is not only here to stay, it’s the way forward. Even the smallest of businesses now recognise the importance of providing a seamless mobile experience for their customers. But what about their potential employees?
A recent survey conducted by LinkedIn found that 64% of professionals have used their mobile to search for job opportunities. And nearly 3 out of 4 have used mobile devices to view a company’s career site.
That’s great news, except when you consider that only one in five recruiters say their career sites are mobile-optimised.
Around half of jobseekers have applied to a job from a mobile device (45%), so it’s clear that if you’re not mobile-friendly, you’re missing out.
This divide will only become steeper as mobile-hungry millennials and young workers move up the job ladder, so what steps can you take to ensure job-seekers can easily find and apply for the roles you need most?
Step 1: Do your own mobile tests
The days of the desktop are over. Now, more people have access to a mobile device than a PC. So why are businesses still trying to hire like its 1999?
Make sure your jobs postings and/or careers page is mobile-friendly. Most DIY website development platforms offer an automatic mobile extension, so the process is relatively simple, even for non-techies.
The best way to evaluate whether your website is mobile-optimised is to test it yourself, on different devices, operating systems and web browsers. Consider the application process from the applicant’s perspective. How many steps does it take to apply? How long does the process take? An audit of your online presence can reveal important information about how job applicants might interact with your business.
Step 2: Simplify the process
Requesting the same information in multiple locations on forms frustrates candidates and disrupts the flow of the application process. A study conducted by Talent Board on AT&T found that when the company shortened its intake form, they saw a 28% decrease in drop-offs.
Remember that job seekers are busy researching, networking and applying. The average corporate application process now takes well over half an hour (and requires a laptop/desktop computer). Ensure that all of the information you request of them at the initial stage in the recruitment process is absolutely necessary. Otherwise, omit extraneous steps.
Step 3: Skip the CV
Young people view the traditional online recruitment process as outdated and irrelevant – the same way that older generations might view job advertisements in the newspaper. One of the biggest issue is creating a CV and/or resume.
Creating these long-form CV documents is time consuming and frustrating, especially when they may not even be read. Typically, these documents also create more issues for employers than they solve. Traditional resumes rely on a human to read and interpret them – without any ability to search or filter candidates. This is incredibly inefficient. Functionally, it’s much simpler to both create and use the data contained within a structured profile that allows you to search through and filter potential candidates and easily compare skills and experience.
About the author
Andrew Joyce is the co-founder of Found Careers, a jobs platform designed ‘from the ground up’ to help young people and employers complete the entire hiring process on a smartphone.
