We sleep next to our phones, unlock the devices an average of 150 times each day, and we’re even seeing mobile device separation anxiety, or nomophobia (no-mobile-phobia), among today’s college students.
Yes, it was only a matter of time before our faithful e-companion would help us find talent to fill open positions, too.
Mobile recruitment has changed the way we hire, enabling us to maintain constant communication through a variety of channels. Though some companies have tried to adopt mobile recruitment strategies, it isn’t going well for all.
Mending the mobile disconnect
A recent iMomentous study shows, out of 200 mobile sites, only 71 percent have a link to careers. Forty-one of the links direct users to a non-mobile site, and nine have a mobile site that isn’t even linked. And these are Fortune 500 companies.
Mobile is supposed to make recruitment easier, but it appears something has gone terribly wrong. To mend the disconnect, let’s find out how job seekers are using their phones to search for jobs and what they need exactly.
MedReps.com recently conducted a mobile and social medical job search study to track what exactly mobile job seekers are doing on their phones.
Here are a few highlights:
- 71 percent are opening job alert emails;
- 49 percent search for jobs on a job search site’s mobile app;
- 56 percent search for jobs on a mobile website and 35 percent apply to those jobs
As mobile technology advances and phone use becomes more prominent, it’s clear job seekers will continue to want a mobile experience. Companies can meet job seekers half way by streamlining the mobile job search and application process for them.
Here are some tips for making your mobile recruitment strategy ensure you end up with the best candidates.
1. Redirect mobile users to your mobile site
A Jobvite mobile job seeker study shows 37 percent of Millennial job seekers expect career websites to be optimized for mobile. So, creating a mobile version of your site is important, but it doesn’t stop there.
The iMomentous study shows 60 percent of career websites do not redirect mobile users to their mobile sites. That means they have a mobile-optimized site that isn’t being used by the majority of it’s mobile visitors.
When producing a mobile version of your website, set it to detect when mobile users access it and automatically redirect them.
2. Post open positions on sites with mobile apps
According to the MedReps.com study, 29 percent of job seekers apply to jobs through mobile apps. When choosing platforms to post your job openings on, make sure they have a mobile app to encourage talented mobile job seekers to apply.
You can choose more broad job search sites like CareerBuilder or Monster.com, but if you really want to find top-of-the-line talent, use job search sites specific to the industry you are hiring in.
3. Use mobile apps to screen and sort applicants
Most mobile apps let you screen and sort your applicants as you go so you don’t return to your computer with a full inbox.
You can view resumes, cover letters, application information and sort them into virtual piles to access at a later time. If you’re out of the office and receive an application from someone who seems like the ideal candidate, you can contact him or her immediately.
Mobile recruitment closes the time gap in responding to job inquiries, so you’ll be less likely to lose your perfect candidate to another employer and fill vacancies faster.
4. Text your applicants
This might not come as a surprise, but 91 percent of people own mobile phones and 81 percent use them to text.
It’s not uncommon in the job search, either. In fact, 31 percent of candidates and recruiters communicate through text.
Though we can enjoy the expediency of checking emails or social media messages on our phones, it seems text messaging is still the favorite when it comes to mobile communication.
5. Pursue applicants on social media using your phone
Why not? Your applicants are scoping out your profiles.
The MedReps.com study shows 56 percent of job seekers research companies on social networks. LinkedIn is most popular, reaching 92 percent of job seeker use. Following closely behind is Facebook with nearly 70 percent of job seeker use.
It seems their research and networking is paying off. Some 42 percent of job seekers say their activity on social networks has led directly to job opportunity.
An easier recruiting process
Mobile phones have made the recruitment process easier for both parties, streamlining communication, job searchability, and the application process. As long as companies take advantage of mobile recruitment best practices, they can connect with great mobile-using candidates with ease.
What are some other ways you can use mobile recruitment to attract and secure top candidates?