The Changing Face of Job Searches

There is no denying that the way people apply for jobs has changed dramatically over the last 10 years with the introduction of technology, the Internet, and smartphones.

When you consider that 30 percent of all Google searches, which is about 300 million per month, are job-related, it becomes clear how significant this shift is.

In fact, research from climber has shown us that people looking for jobs divide up their time in this way:

Searching for Positions Online 29.94 percent
Applying to Positions 27.28 percent
Networking 24.11 percent
Researching Companies 12.89 percent
Working with a Recruiter 5.56 percent

Which shows us how important an online presence is, especially when hunting for new staff. On top of this, it’s essential to consider mobile phones, because a study from BCL Legal Recruitment into this found:

41 percent of people found it quicker
37 percent found it easier
21 percent like being able to job hunt on the go

As this changes, companies need to develop and grow their own techniques to help them keep up, and this article will give you some tips to help you with this:

1. Ensure People Can Apply Online

Making sure that people can find available job positions online is vital. One of the benefits of an Internet application form is that you can make the information you need from potential candidates essential. If people need to fill in certain details before they can move on with the process, you can ensure that you have all that you need. There will be no more frustrating information gaps anymore!

2. Ensure They Can Apply Through Their Cell Phones

We’ve already covered why people prefer to apply via their mobile phones, and you don’t want to miss out on the percentage of people that do it that way, one of them could be perfect for you. Make sure that this way of applying is available, and ensure that it works effectively.

3. Optimize Your Website for Cell Phone Capability

Most website hosts have an easy way to set this up, but if not it might be wise to get an expert to help you with it. However, here are some tips from Social Media Examiner to get you started:

Simplify: mobile visitors generally need essential information, especially when it comes to job application, so it’s good to simplify your website as much as possible.
Plan your layout: mobile sites often load slower than traditional sites, so keep it streamlined so people don’t assume that it’s broken.
Ensure it matches your brand: it may be streamlined, but it’s essential to keep your brand matched. Your online image is as important as your public image.
Allow people to access your full website: this gives them the opportunity to research your company fully before applying. Then, if they need more, they can find it wherever they are.
Test it: test your application process via a number of different mobile devices to check that it works effectively.

This part is essential if you want everyone to be able to access your application process, so be sure to get it done.

4. Have a LinkedIn Profile

If you consider that 89 percent of people have hired someone via LinkedIn and that LinkedIn users performed more than 5.7 billion professional oriented searches in 2012, it’s easy to see what an important tool it has become in the job market. You need to have a professional profile, and you need to manage it effectively to ensure that you get the most out of it. For some information on how to create the most effective company pages on LinkedIn, check out the forum.

Image of keyboard with social media logos on keys.

5. Use Your Social Media Profiles Effectively

Employers who used their social media accounts to hunt for potential candidates, which is currently at 94 percent of companies, found a 49 percent in candidate quality. This is often because the people applying are interested in your company and what it does, and have done some research before contacting you. Be certain to keep your social media profiles up to date, and have someone monitoring them at all times so no communication is missed.

6. Use Online Resources to Boost Your Job Position

Don’t just post your job position online, think outside the box. When you consider that 51 percent of workers are either actively looking, or are open to the concept of a new job, then you need to find ways to get their attention. Not all of them will be spending approximately 30 percent of their time online looking for a position.

You need to find a way to reach them. This could be through social media advertising, using local media sources to post about your position or even using job-related apps, such as the most popular Monster, Reach or Simply Hired. Experiment, and learn what suits your needs best.

7. Network

You can use the Internet to network, just as you would at a networking event, which can help you to discover new potential employees. Sites such as AngelList, Cmypitch and Biznit can help you with this. After all, many employers these days believe that it’s better to develop a relationship with someone before you consider hiring them, so connecting with them on a more personal level can help you to determine whether or not they will be a good fit for your company. And these days, you don’t even have to leave the office to achieve this.

8. Let the Internet Help You

Remember, the Internet can also help you discover more about potential employees. You can do an online search of people that have applied to you, or even perform psychometric tests to find the best candidate, more than 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies do this nowadays.

After all, the Internet has changed the way businesses are run, not just how people apply for jobs, so making some technology forward changes within your own company, can only work to benefit you.

A New Hunting Ground: The Changing Face of Job Searches