How to plan and launch a careers site

1 - How do I create strong, attractive content for a careers site?
2 - What do candidates want?
3 - What should be included in careers content?
4 - How do I identify my candidate audience?
5 - Where do I start with a careers site?
6 - Jobtrain's career site builder

Our Director of Strategic Development – Giles Heckstall-Smith – sat down with John Tarrant – Managing Partner at DNA, and Fiona Stewart – Client Strategy & Digital Partner at DNA. This fantastic panel discussed how to plan and launch a careers website.

Below is a summarised version of some the key points!

It’s a strange market right now for candidates, with every organisation battling for visibility, and seeking out ways to stand out from the crowd. Employee Value Propositions (EVPs), testimonials, and a well-crafted job advert are all key to bringing the right people to your door, but what else is out there? And how do you make the most of your careers site?

Ask yourself what you want to achieve and write all of your careers site content with that goal in mind. Do you want to increase the number of candidates that apply for specialist roles? Focus your content on that specialism. Are you more concentrated on attrition? Then be sure to flag the workplace benefits that you offer.

Make sure it’s uniquely you. Don’t copy what other companies are doing, because you’re not them – you’re you! There’s only one you so what makes that the best?

Authenticity is incredibly important. Base anything you write on a foundation of fact. If you haven’t developed an employee value proposition, then start there and build all of your content off of the flagship parts of your organisation.

And finally, write about what candidates want.

What do candidates want?

This is where Jobtrain’s expertise offers tangible benefits to our client base. We’re unique as an ATS provider in that we have an in-house Talent Intelligence Unit that helps our customers understand the job market and improve their outreach to be more effective!

Recently, our talent intelligence team learned that the benefits most likely to tempt workers away from their employer are:

• A four-day working week (68%)
• Flexible hours (64%)
• Overtime pay (63%)
• Remote working (56%)
• A company pension scheme (56%)
• A private healthcare plan (54%)
• Performance based bonuses (54%)
• An early finish on a Friday (54%)

Of course, if you’re something like a care organisation, some of these benefits won’t be available to you. That’s where DNA’s focus on authenticity comes into the mix! Maybe you offer shift patterns – that’s a form of flexible working – so highlight that to your candidate audience!

What should be included in careers content?

Use photography of your employees in the workplace. Don’t just focus on the big events, like a company picnic, but consider the day-to-day as well. What does the average Tuesday look like?

Use video – especially because it increases applications by up to 34% - but also because it gives candidates the answers they’re looking for almost immediately and in action. Professional videographers are a nice to have, but something as simple as asking a colleague what they like about your company and filming it on your phone will go a long way!

Make sure the information is up to date. Nobody wants to read about benefits that no longer exist (or miss out on new benefits you’ve rolled into your structure!)

How do I identify my target candidate audience?

Go back to your recruitment process and ask colleagues and new-hires about their experience. Agree a question set to make sure the information you get can be categorised. These measurements are really important in defining the essence of what makes you different, as well as giving your candidates the tools to self-select! Not every candidate will fit with the culture or values of your organisation, so asking the candidates who make it through your funnel what they think is gold dust!

Where do I start when looking at a careers site?

A lot of DNA clients kick off with videos, and animations, and great ideas! But it’s important to slow down in the early stage.

This means a detailed strategy plan should be drawn up, with more detailed questions. Not every company wants to bring hundreds of candidates to their door, others are thinking about attrition and reducing drop-off! Be honest about what you want to achieve.

The discovery process is different for every client. You might have induction surveys from new-starters. You might have recruitment efficiency information that tells you what happened to a candidate in your funnel. Don’t be afraid of asking partners and industry colleagues what their current perception is of your organisation – and ask them to be honest.

One of the best services DNA offer to our clients is competitor analysis. It’s really useful to see how they sell themselves, so you know what to avoid – and what you do better!

Jobtrain's career site builder

Some applicant tracking systems should have a Careers Site builder. Jobtrain does. It’s slick, eye-catching, and will help you attract bigger and better candidates who fit with your culture. We worked closely with many of our clients to make sure it met with their expectations.

Watch the video below to see it in action!