Mobile Recruiting Techniques to Try This Week

March 17, 2014 at 6:00 AM by Kathleen de Lara

mobile recruiting tipsThe dawn of the smartphone has changed the hiring process tenfold, and if your team’s mobile recruiting strategies need a little work, or if they’re completely nonexistent, you’re already behind the curve.

According to CareerBuilder, 9.3 million job seekers and candidates searched for opportunities on their mobiles in March 2013 — up from the seven million of the previous year. If it isn’t already obvious, top talent is on the go and moving fast. Are your mobile recruiting techniques up to speed?

Post when candidates are most likely to be on their phones.

The average user checks their mobile device about 110 times a day. During peak hours, 5-8 pm, over 75% of users unlock their phones and actively use it. Whether it be at the gym, on the bus, or walking home, the sweet spot for poaching candidates is right around the time they get off work. Although it may make sense to contact candidates while they're at work, you risk the chance of having your messages glazed over or sent to the trash among the bunches of other, more relevant emails in their inbox — the ones they're actually looking for. Consider sending emails outside the 9-5 time range to catch candidates whent they least expect it, giving them ample time to read through your message and reply. 

Communicate with candidates in real time.

One way to really grab the attention of candidates is to interact with them through your social media channels. Companies who have personal interactions with their online followers give the impression that they care about their audience and, more importantly, that they're run by real people.

Devote a separate careers page or account specifically for your company's open positions, making it easy for users to access and to share your site with their friends. Comment on a Facebook status update, reply to or retweet a message on Twitter, or like their post on your LinkedIn feed. Try starting a contest through your social media channels to get candidates excited about what you do and to allow talent to show off their skills. 

Optimize your application process for mobile devices.

Streamline the process and everyone will be happy. Keep your pages and links all part of the same interface to avoid confusing candidates about the next steps to take when applying for a job. Let's say your company sends out an email advertising four new job positions in the sales department. A job seeker opens the email on their mobile device and becomes interested in applying, clicks the application link, which prompts them to click another link to get them to the actual application.

Between all the clicking and page loading, the candidate loses interest and puts away the phone. Applying for a job online, either on a computer or mobile device, should be linear and uncomplicated. Set up an application page and a confirmation page to let users know two things: 1) This is where you apply, and 2) We've received your application. Thanks!

Did we miss a mobile recruiting tip? Share your thoughts with us @Entelo or in the comments below! Don't forget to join us for our free webinar on candidate outreach, happening this Wednesday. Register here:

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