Using the internet to fill an open position is a standard part of recruitment now. Online recruitment of some kind is an expectation for jobseekers, but it can be hard to know the best place to advertise your jobs. There are so many platforms to choose from but how do you know you’re investing in the best resource for online recruitment? It can be daunting and might feel like looking for a needle in a haystack.
You know you have to post your jobs online to get them filled, but there are so many questions associated with placing online ads. Where should you post and what will get you the best engagement? How do you reach hard-to-find talent? What are the tricks to cut through the clutter?
The fact is – the talent you need is out there! Having a clear-cut strategy for online recruitment will help you find the right candidates to fill your open positions. If you don’t have a clear vision, it’s much harder to recognize a good fit when you find it, and almost impossible to place your roles in front of the right candidates.
TO FIND WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR, FIRST DEFINE WHAT THAT IS
Online recruitment requires a shift in the strategy from previous years, where recruiters could just wait for applications to come in and sift through them. Now, recruiters are the hunters instead of the gatherers, actively seeking out candidates and hoping they are able to present the best view of the position and company so candidates will want to apply.
Targeting verifiable talent pools is the key to sourcing the right candidate for your open roles. Make sure you know the skillset, necessary experience, and employee profile you’re looking for to identify where to place your jobs. Once you know what you’re looking for, your online recruitment strategy will start to bring you results.
Devote time to perfecting your job description to explain exactly the right fit for the job. Generic job descriptions won’t get you the attention you want. Having a great job description will also ensure that candidates searching for those types of roles will find it!
So, now that you know what you’re looking for, how can you improve your online recruitment strategy to attract top talent? Read on for some helpful tips:
SIX STEPS FOR IMPROVEMENT
1. Make sure your career center is mobile-friendly
About 90% of internet users today get online via a mobile device. Make sure your website, careers page, and application process are mobile-friendly to get more applies. The most qualified jobseekers are already employed but might look at available jobs during their free time or on a break. In those times, they are most likely to have access to their phones. With so much time spent on mobile devices, it would be a huge lost opportunity to miss out on all that potential traffic.
2. Tighten your employer brand and incorporate branding across platforms
Make sure your branding is cohesive across all platforms, whether in your job postings themselves or your main site, and other ad placements. Make it easy for candidates to recognize you, and for them to stay engaged. Your company values and culture should be apparent to anyone who visits your site or looks at a job posting. And keep things up to date! Users can tell if a site hasn’t been touched in a long time, and this will reflect poorly on your employer brand. This also means deleting job postings once they’re filled!
3. Streamline the application process
The nature of the job, contact info, and next steps should all be clear when a candidate is thinking about applying to a position. Streamline the application process so that the steps are clear, and a potential hire doesn’t have to jump through hoops to get their application in. You can test your process yourself to see what a candidate might experience if they respond to your job. A user-friendly application process is necessary to get candidates to follow through.
4. Use social media to your advantage
Social media is an easy way to boost your marketing and branding strategy, and to test out different branding ideas to attract a wider audience. Make sure your jobs are posting to social media to be seen, and shared by passive jobseekers. These candidates are already on social media, and you can make sure they don’t have to go out of their way to find your open positions. You can also use the power of social media to continue to build your employer brand, even when you’re not actively hiring. Social media is a powerful networking tool that you can use to connect directly with candidates and build a reputation.
5. Incorporate video into your marketing strategy
According to research, users spend 88% more time on a website that has video content. Making employer branding videos is a great way to show candidates a more intimate look at what life would be like working at your company. You could do virtual tours, interview current employees, post short clips to social media of current projects, etc. It doesn’t have to be complicated or created with a Hollywood budget! Users are attracted to video because it’s easier to absorb than reading through lots of text.
6. Don’t forget the power of real-life human interaction
Remember, even if you’re recruiting online, it’s still about the people. Technology is a helpful tool to engage talented candidates, especially passive jobseekers. It can help you build a robust talent pool for years to come while promoting your employer brand. Online recruitment is essential to bridging connections with the talent you need. Use online tools like email and career center messaging to build relationships and promote a brand that candidates trust.
