Mobile Technology in Recruitment

It is essential for any business to have a full mobile strategy in addition to its usual internet strategies. With recruitment it’s even more important as the use of the internet has changed dramatically over the last few years.

Mobile Recruitment

Over the past few years, the internet has entered a new age, specifically with mobile internet usage. No-one knows where this will lead us to, but when you are planning your online recruitment strategy, it is worth considering some, if not all of these important facts:

• There are 2.71 billion Smartphone users in the world today (2019).
• In 2018, 52.2% of all website traffic worldwide was generated through mobile phones.
• 60% of Google searches are done via mobile devices. Only 5 years ago, the figure was nearly half that—34%.
• Google generate 59.25% of all mobile search traffic.
• Mobile Devices account for 77% of all adult online minutes.
• 32% of adults only use Mobile devices to go online.
• 81% of UK adult population have a Smartphone.
• 53% of UK adult population have a tablet.
• 55% of all email was opened on mobile devices—up from just 29 percent in 2012.
• In 2018, about 64% of paid Google search clicks originated from mobile, with mobile phones accounting for nearly 56 percent of total clicks.

(Sources – Techjury, Returnpath, Statista, Comscore MMX Multi Platform)

There are many, many other facts and figures that we could have included here, but the main thing the above facts show is that this growth will continue and continue fast.

We built our first mobile website in 2010 and “back in those days”, mobile usage was very minimal and mobile websites were very basic. The percentage of mobile usage to desktop usage was around 10% mobile to 90% desktop usage. It stayed this way until Google decided to update its algorithms so that mobile websites were given a positive boost in its search results. From that day forward, coupled with the growth in the Smartphone market, the percentage of mobile usage accelerated.

As the technology has advanced and changed, not only is it important to have a mobile website that works and is functional, but it now also has to complete with other mobile websites and the browsing habits of mobile device users.

With online recruitment and mobile recruitment, we also now have think beyond just having a mobile website with jobs displayed on it, we also have to think about reaching out to candidates via email marketing, Apps and SMS marketing. We also have to consider being able to work, track candidates and communicate whilst on the move, through mobile technology.

Below we take quick look at the most important elements of mobile recruitment.

Mobile Optimised Websites

What is a Mobile Optimised Website? When we talk about mobile websites, we mean a website looks and functions great on any mobile device, like a Smartphone or a Tablet. Many mobile users say access to content is critical as well as being able to undertake rudimentary functions. That means many may consider leaving a site if they’re unable to find what they’re looking for.  A mobile optimised website should be built for quick and easy interaction on a mobile device, meaning:

• It’s easy to read
• It’s easy to navigate (all links & buttons are large enough to be tapped with a finger)
• It’s attractive and interesting to use

With mobile recruitment websites, it is no longer just enough to have a few jobs displayed with an email link, sending the candidate a link to their own personal email, to complete the application. They now have to be able to apply quickly and upload a CV quickly from their device. They now also wish to have access to reading material, new updates and more information about the company, including video content and social media interaction.

We build our recruitment and careers websites with mobile usage in mind:

Speed – candidates won’t hang around and if they have seen a job link on social media or have searched for and found your services, they will expect the website to load within 3 seconds and that’s on 3G and 4G! Make sure your website is built for mobile usage with properly optimised images, with page load in mind.

Security – in 2018, Google started labelling non-secure websites (websites without HTTPS or an SSL certificate) as such in the search bar. Secure websites would be labelled with a green “locked” symbol, and unsecured websites would be labelled with a “not secure” label. Make sure your website is set to HTTPS.

Design – make sure your website is actually designed to be used on a mobile device. Make sure your contact details are visible across the website, that the main navigation menu is accessible at the top, that the website is designed so that the main areas of the website are above the fold.

Cloud Integration – make sure your website integrated with Google Drive, DropBox, iCloud and as many other cloud based systems. This allows them to upload and make an application quickly and on the move. Also ensure all forms are mobile compatible and can be used quickly.

Mobile SEO – In 2015, “Mobilegeddon” occurred. This is where Google announced that mobile-friendliness was now a ranking symbol. Also ensure that you present your business not only with the correct Meta tags to ensure you are found, but also to present your business effectively within mobile searches.

Social Media in Mobile Recruitment

It is thought that there are 38 million UK social media users and the average UK user checks their phone 85 times a day (if you have a teenage daughter, this is probably nearer to 850 times a day!). They also spend most of their online time checking their social media pages.

Social media networks have completely changed the way that modern day HR managers and recruiters access and communicate with potential job seekers. Your potential to reach out to a wider audience is incredible and most people, who use social media, do it on their phones!

Social networking is now the true platform is behind all mobile brand building, as first impressions can quickly be formed. These first impressions can then be shared quickly across multiple platforms, increasing your visibility and presence to job seekers, passive candidates and clients. This, however, works both ways though, meaning that positive and negative views can equally be shared.

Social media is also a “numbers game”; it can be very time consuming for very little return. Whilst it is important to project the best image of your business, our system allows you to post jobs and news updates to social media platforms directly and quickly.

Recruitment via Text/SMS

When we think of texting, we think of SMS, MMS, Facebook Messenger, Viber or WhatsApp. People are sending and receiving many texts and messages every day and although the number can differ, it is thought that 98% of people will read every text message. This means that a SMS message will be read. Our system therefore has an inbuilt SMS text messaging system, allowing you to communicate and send notifications to your candidates quickly and efficiently.

Distributing Job Postings

Posting jobs can be a very manual and time consuming process. Your jobs and notifications also have to be sent to multiple different devices. As well as posting to traditional jobs boards and your own website, our jobs posting system allows you to communicate these openings to candidate’s phones via SMS, Email and to Social Media all from one centralised platform.

Mobile ATS Software & Candidate Screening

You may have the best ATS Software system that money can buy, but more and more recruiters and HR professionals are working on the move. As well as being able to access your ATS system on the move and post jobs to multiple platforms, you can now screen your candidates and filter them on your mobile device.

Being able to react quickly, when on the move or out of the office will give you a great advantage. With the use of Email communication and SMS technology, you can now filter through large amounts of applications using simple, quick filtering questions and bespoke mobile optimised application forms.

Quick and Efficient Communication

This links to some of the previous points really, but a system that is fully optimised for use on all mobile devices, whilst at the same time, designed to integrate efficiently with mobile devices, will save you endless hours of time and will ultimately save you money.

This article is just the tip of the iceberg really. It is just a few pointers, but mobile recruitment will grow and grow in the years to come. There are some very interesting websites out there where you can read more statistics, such as https://techjury.net, https://searchengineland.com and https://www.statista.com

You simply have to ensure that every part of your customer facing business is fully mobile compatible.

Take a look at our careers websites design services and if you are interested in our fully optimised applicant tracking services and online recruitment solutions, please contact us for a consultation.