Investing in a career site is a step in the right direction for employers who want to attract top performers. But not all career sites are created equal.
Does your organization already have a career site? It may be good measure to take a step back and experience it from the candidate’s perspective.
Do you think your site hits every mark? Use our list of essential features below to see if your company has the perfect recipe for an effective career site.
When job seekers first come to your corporate site, they should be able to find your career or jobs link in the main navigation. Don’t bury the link in a child page, instead make it visible and easily accessible. Otherwise, your loyal fans may never actually make it there to apply for a job!
The number of users coming from their smartphones or tablets to find jobs is rapidly growing with each year, so it’s critical to optimize your career site for that kind of experience.
Questions to audit your own career site:
The best way to entice job seekers to learn more about your company is through the use of compelling elements that tell a story.
Videos are great for showcasing what it’s really like to work for your company. Include a 60 second piece that exhibits day to day life in your workspace, including a few bites from your current employees. Stories like this always make a greater impression than just reading a testimonial.
This leads us to the issue of stock photos. Try to avoid them if you can! (Although, there is an appropriate time and place.) Instead, use pictures that include your actual employees. Job seekers want to see real people in their true atmosphere, not just another generic photo of an extremely happy model.
When it comes to content, keep it brief and to the point (which doesn’t mean boring!). Ditch the generic employment copy we’ve all seen before to create a message that compels action. Make sure your word choice and voice communicates your company’s personality, and pay attention to white space to avoid overloading any page with text.
Answer this:
It may be easy to bypass, but user experience—whether it's good or bad—is an extension of your brand. Make sure your navigation is easy to decipher, your jobs are easy to find, and your application process is as low maintenance as possible.
Studies show a large number of candidates will simply abandon their application if frustrated with the process. If your company uses an ATS, make sure to run through the process yourself. If applicants have to jump through several hoops before even applying, it may be time to find a new solution.
Ask yourself:
The best part about a career site is the ability to sell your employment opportunities. Create content solely dedicated to describing your company culture and providing key characteristics about your workforce. That could mean a drive for excellence or the insatiable need to satisfy clients.
Whatever makes your company unique, be sure to highlight it. That way a job seeker can better decipher whether he or she is a good fit.
Audit your own:
A large number of job seekers who visit your career site will leave without giving out any of their information. A great tool to collect more candidates is a "Talent Community." At Recruiting.com our widget allows potential candidates to enter their information and submit a resume—without applying to particular position.
Your turn:
An effective career site should engage and excite the right candidates while also providing enough detail to help the wrong candidates self-select out. Try to imagine what you would want if you were applying for jobs, and then compare it to your current career site. That way you can guarantee the best experience for prospective candidates, and in return drive more quality applicants to apply.
