Job-seekers are actively looking for new opportunities using their mobile devices. To tap this talent pool, it is not enough to simply have a mobile optimized career website – HR will need to adopt specialized mobile recruitment tools. We look at recent trends in mobile recruitment and share four ways to leverage this technology for better hiring results.
Recruitment and Onboarding Tools – Usage Trends 2018-19
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Smartphone penetration is now at an all-time high, and it is the preferred medium for job-seekers. Interestingly, it is not just about millennials – over half of America’s adult population uses smartphones, ranging from 73% in the 50-64 group to 94% for those under 29. This makes mobile recruitment an absolute must-have for the modern HR division.
“Given that mobile has become the medium of choice for a large section of consumers today to access information or consume content, it is essential for HR teams to make the channel an integral part of their recruitment strategies,” says Amardeep Vishwakarma, CTO of Shine.com in an exclusive interview with HR Technologist.
So how can you as a recruiter take advantage of this trend and widen your talent pool? Let’s look at this question in the context of the latest insights uncovered by a recent survey.
What Does Mobile Recruitment Mean for Recruiters in 2019?
Mobile recruitment refers to optimizing hiring channels, strategies, and messaging to target a mobile-first audience. This includes two major areas:
- Designing a responsive career website which is Google AMP aligned.
- Adopting a dedicated recruitment software designed for ease of use on the mobile as well.
A survey by Harris Insights Analytics released in October 2018 revealed that 70 percent of all job-seekers are looking for work on the mobile.
In 2019, candidates are looking for a simple application process with minimum effort and maximum payout. Employers holding on to legacy approaches such as complex application forms risk having candidates drop off midway. In fact, the survey suggested that candidates are not willing to stay with an application beyond five pages!
This means that the mobile experience must be reimagined from a fresh perspective, and every hiring workflow – from application pages to resume submissions and job descriptions – must be mobile-friendly.
Learn more: How Can Mobile Apps Improve the Recruitment Process?
4 Ways to Use Mobile Recruitment to Tap a Larger Candidate Pool
“To begin with, (HR) should look at making their websites and online resources mobile-friendly and optimized for access across all connection types and devices. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the mobile-friendly websites are not an exact replica of the desktop sites,” Amardeep recommends.
In addition to making career websites mobile responsive, recruiters are also exploring candidates’ hangouts online to make sure they can reach them. Here are four ways to target candidates via mobile.
1. Create video-based job descriptions
According to recent reports, over five billion videos are watched on YouTube every single day, and videos can improve website traffic by as much as 78 percent. Moreover, Google is increasingly showing videos as part of search results, which means that job posts have a higher chance of being viewed on mobile if they follow video formats.
You can create short one- to two-minute-long videos, which turn static descriptions into a more engaging experience-driven call for recruitment. Keep these recommendations in mind for video job descriptions:
- Get current employees to share their experience working for the organization.
- Guide candidates through the application process.
- Add a strong call to action at the end of the video, for example, “We’re looking forward to having you on board. Apply now!”
- Create a detailed video transcript to aid search engine optimization and increase the findability of your post.
Learn more: 4 Ways to Improve the Recruitment Process
2. Advertise on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
Social media recruiting fits perfectly into mobile recruitment marketing strategies, given that a majority of social media consumption happens on smartphones. Using the hyper-targeting options available on these platforms, recruiters can take their ads directly to the best-fit candidates, improving efficiency of their job postings. Here are a few ways to do this:
- Present a task or a game through the post. For example, candidates for a software developer role can be asked to solve a puzzle on Instagram, which is likely to encourage an application.
- Join Facebook and LinkedIn groups to reach out to candidates who are active there and are trying to position themselves in the field.
- Share your video ads and job descriptions on these social media platforms. A viral quality in the video can extend its reach, not only working as a great employer branding tool but genuinely attracting great talent.
3. Take inspiration from mobile apps to design your career page
It isn’t enough to have a responsive website that renders correctly on mobile. On the desktop, the candidate is likely to spend more time on consuming text and searching for the role that best fits their needs. Mobile users are eager to take faster decisions. To engage and convert candidates via mobile, consider the following options:
- Include a clearly visible “Apply” button.
- Ensure that the application process is less than four pages.
- Integrate “swipe”-able navigation to browse through different job openings.
- Enable seamless integration with resume upload tools (e.g. device storage, Dropbox, Drive, and LinkedIn)
4. Talk directly to your candidates via social media-based advocacy
Employer branding is a big part of any long-term hiring plan, and it plays an important role in mobile recruitment as well. Recruiters can use social media to create employee communities that reflect the organization’s values, engagement policies, and perks for new hires. There are three ways to do this:
- Form open groups on Facebook for existing employees which will help improve referral numbers.
- Create a separate social media handle for employee advocacy.
- Use employee advocacy platforms to create a strong employer brand.
The USP of this mobile recruitment strategy is that candidates can engage with your organization regardless of where they are and use their time between tasks and errands to find new job opportunities. For instance, Starbucks has made a genuine mark with its Instagram page called @starbuckspartners, which boasts over 127,000 followers and offers insider views on what it means to work with Starbucks.
Learn more: 5 Ways Candidates Will Influence Recruitment in 2019
Key Takeaways for Recruiters
There is no denying that it is a highly competitive hiring climate out there, and more than half of candidates will keep looking for jobs even after you’ve sent an offer. By adopting mobile recruitment, you engage with candidates on their preferred terms, show the employer brand in the best possible light, and position the company as an attractive place to work. Not only will this help reach out to a wider pool of qualified candidates, but it will also ensure that the multiple points of contact lead to a successful hire.
Does mobile recruitment feature in your hiring strategy for 2019? Discuss your plans and ideas with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. We are waiting to hear from you!