If you’ve been in the recruiting space for a while, then it’s likely you’ve heard this phrase over and over again: Optimize your job postings for mobile devices.
But getting your company’s careers page prepped to translate well on a cell phone or tablet takes more than a few formatting tweaks.
Does your mobile candidate outreach work the way talent expects it to, or is it a drop in the bucket?
Candidates who are on the move, literally, don’t have much time to sit at their laptop or computer to hunt for jobs. They’re checking out opportunities on their phone while they’re on the bus, waiting for the train, walking to work, at the gym, in a cafe, and probably right before they go to bed.
People check their phones about 150 times a day. If your job opportunities aren’t available for talent to view and apply for on a mobile device, you’re missing out on qualified candidates who are interested in what your company has to offer and want to take the next step.
Here’s how to keep your mobile candidates happy:
Mobilize what candidates are looking for.
Simply the content on your mobile site by eliminating unnecessary text, images, and pages that keep candidates from searching for a job and applying for it. The more distractions there are on your page, the less likely it is for a candidate to focus on getting the information about the opportunity and following through on your call to action — pushing them to apply for the job.
Remember - if candidates are visiting your careers page, they’re trying to get relevant information quickly. Focus less on the visual aesthetic, like images and videos, and focus more on getting candidates’ eyes to the open req.
Test the load speed of the mobile site.
A slow site gets no sight, meaning if candidates have to wait a little longer than their current 4G or wifi connection usually does, they’ll probably abandon the page. Studies show 32% of internet users leave slow sites between one and five seconds. Google’s PageSpeed Insights is a good tool for measuring a web page’s content in both mobile and desktop settings, then analyzing and offering suggestions to improve the load speed.
Keep the branding consistent.
Your mobile site should be a reflection of your company, its identity, and should look very similar to the organization’s full site. Maintain a uniformity between branding elements like the color scheme, logo, slogans, and images. Consistent branding helps candidates recognize they’re on the right page, differentiates your company from others, and drives engagement all the way through their application submission.
Streamline the application process.
After simplifying and editing the content you’d like to feature in your mobile careers page, give the same proofreading and editing to your mobile job application. Prioritize the fields by deciding the information you need to know now about a candidate. For example, are you sure you need to know their mailing address? For the time being, a cell phone number or an email address is more practical contact information.
Minimize the number of form fields to fill out and make it easy for applicants to attach their resumes and cover letters, and to link their professional profiles. Avoid sending applicants to multiple pages to fill out a single form.
Snag the attention of passive candidates (and get them into your funnel!) by giving talent a mobile user experience that shares your job opportunities with a sense of urgency and convenience.
