Two-thirds of Americans now own Smartphones
Pew Research Center data compiled in 2015
indicates that nearly two-thirds of Americans now own smartphones, and ownership levels are the highest among those people with at least some college education. Given those figures, it’s no surprise that mobile recruiting has become a popular tactic among businesses of all sizes.
Here are a few simple tips small-business owners can use to leverage the popularity and efficacy of mobile recruiting:
Assume your jobs are looked at on a Mobile Device. Nearly 90 percent of professionals surveyed by Glassdoor called their mobile device a critical tool in their job search. One in four also said they’d be deterred from applying for a role if a company’s site wasn’t mobile optimized. Though being a small business can present recruiting challenges in the sense that you can’t offer the “resume-building cache” of an established company, designing the “Careers” section of your business website with a mobile audience in mind can positively impact how candidates perceive your business.
Show candidates what you’re about. Every small business has a story to tell; video is a cost-efficient and highly impactful way to do it — and is conducive to mobile devices. Capture the essence of your company’s “about” page and “career section” with video, instead of relying on text. It will be easier for mobile users to view — and more indicative as to whether your business’s culture and values align with what candidates seek.
Match your design to the most desired candidate. A mobile-friendly site isn’t just about ensuring that the layout of the Web page accommodates mobile screen sizes. It must also be functional to your target job seeker from a mobile device. For example, iPad users may not be able to access websites that rely on Flash technology. Pages that contain too many images may load slowly on a mobile device — or not at all. Job descriptions with too much text may be hard to decipher on a mobile device.
Though your website’s analytics can indicate the types of devices your audience uses to search, consider the nature of your business, and your most desired candidates. For example, TechTimes reports that contrary to the perception that Apple is a brand for early adopters, millennials favor Android smartphones.
Make it easy to apply. Applying for a job on a mobile device should require no more than two clicks to complete. Most candidates won’t have access to a cover letter or their resume on a mobile device. Give candidates the ability to apply with a LinkedIn profile. Though you may want to request a formal copy of their resume later in the pre-interview process, this simple means to submit interest in a job allows you to capture candidate contact information and view his/her high-level qualifications to determine if he/she is an applicant you want to learn more about.
Use text to your advantage. Mobile users are accustomed to communicating by text. Simplify the time and expenses associated with recruitment by leveraging automated text messages instead of phone and mail. Text messages can be used to acknowledge receipt of a candidate’s application, request available times for a phone interview, send links with directions for an interview, and remind him/her of upcoming meetings.
Create a relationship with interested candidates. Nearly 45 percent of mobile job seekers who responded to the Glassdoor survey said they want to receive alerts from companies with open positions that match their skills. Keep the lines of communication open to job seekers who were interested enough in your company to apply for a role — even if they weren’t selected for the position. Even if they are not looking for a role, remember that they can easily forward your text message to a friend or co-worker that may have similar skills, and is open to new opportunities.
Mobile recruiting isn’t difficult for small businesses to leverage, but it can level the proverbial playing field that small businesses sometimes face when competing with larger companies for top talent. Follow these simple mobile recruiting tips to find more cost efficiency within your hiring processes, and potentially, more connection with qualified applicants.
Kristen Gramigna is Chief Marketing Officer for BluePay, a credit card processing firm. She has more than 20 years experience in the bankcard industry in marketing, direct sales and sales management. Check her out on Twitter.