In 2014, Forbes wrote that “mobile is the future of everything.” 7 years on, I think all of us are shocked just how quickly recruitment has fallen behind the times here – especially in the SME market.
Candidates applying for a job through their phone officially surpassed desktop applications in 2020, but surprisingly, only 11% of small businesses are adequately investing in mobile recruitment.
That’s a worrying trend. Despite the vast majority of companies claiming that talent acquisition is their top priority as we round off the year, it looks like certain sectors are unable to find the right strategies to meet millennials and generation Z where they’re at.
Unfortunately, this means that the 11% who are making the most of mobile recruitment have a monopoly on the talent market.
Candidates want to find, browse, research, and apply for a job through their phone. Job sites like Indeed and Reed have apps for this sole purpose. Typically, we’ll see that desktop applications still play a small role here because a candidate needs to create their CV, upload it to these sites, and it will be parsed as part of the application process.
This isn’t as simple as putting all of your eggs in the job-site basket – though these sites are incredibly useful. We’re seeing that more businesses have stopped asking for a CV as much as they used to. Instead, they use a step-by-step application process with questions which can put together a candidate profile within an applicant tracking system.
The most important thing to note here is that these processes have been designed specifically to be mobile-friendly. Short questions which expect answers no longer then 3-4 sentences, or the ability to save answers mid-application in case the candidate’s device is interrupted. This all amounts to a positive candidate experience.
It’s a cliché by this point, but phones are tiny portals to the world, to our networks, and how we sell ourselves. Considering that an incredible 82% of candidates think your company culture is the most important thing when considering if they should apply to you, and considering the majority of candidates are now finding the jobs you advertise on their phone, all of the typical social media is just a swipe away if they want to do their research!
The principal rules for posting an effective job ad don’t change when considering mobile, but there’s something specific to be aware of now.
Without the right technology, there’s a chance your advert isn’t going to scale correctly when it transitions from a desktop view to a phone view. Double check the code if you’re embedding videos – and every job advert should use video! – to make sure it isn’t going to take the candidate into their YouTube app, or cover the full phone screen. You don’t want candidates to leave your environment.
The same can apply to the words you use. There’s now a balance which needs to be struck with job description copy. It needs to be detailed enough to provide all of the necessary information, but formatted clearly enough that your candidate won’t be squinting an inch from their screen.
If you’re using an applicant tracking system, make sure it supports mobile formatting as well as desktop. JTGO can save you a headache, as we make this functionality simple to use!
Despite the need to adapt to mobile recruitment, our technological approach can take lessons from the past. Candidates are using their phones to research and apply for openings so they’re much more likely to respond to text messaging. Use SMS to keep candidates engaged while in your recruitment funnel. Your job will not be the only one they’re applying to, and their inbox is going to be overflowing with automated e-mails from your competitors, screaming to be heard – so embrace SMS to stand apart!
According to MessageMedia, SMS has consistently had the highest candidate response rate at 65%, ahead of the standard phone call with 49% and leaving e-mail in the dust at just 14%. Not many companies are embracing a return to text messaging. Historically, recruitment is slow to pick up on tech trends, so we can imagine that SMS will remain king for the next 5 years – make the most if it while you can and get ahead of your competitors!
Mobile recruitment isn’t going anywhere. Workers have become more reliant and tech-savvy through the pandemic, so coming out the other end, it’s time to re-energize your recruitment funnel and make it mobile-friendly. Everyone can access Indeed and Reed, but to get ahead of the competition and secure the best candidates, a more hands-on approach might be needed.
If you want a helping hand, we’re here to talk.