As technology advances, so does recruiting (and many other
industries, of course).This means that recruiters are always trying to spot the
next technological breakthrough that is bound to fundamentally alter the way
people search for jobs and recruiters, well, recruit.
Right now, mobile recruiting is a hot topic. The emergence
of smart phones and tablets has redefined what it means to do things “on the
go.” Here are some statistics courtesy of
the Global Recruiting Roundtable blog (http://goo.gl/jiUJ5O):
- 3 in 5 job seekers have searched for jobs on their mobile device
in the past year
- 68% use their mobile device to search for jobs once a week or
more
- 1 in 4 would not apply to a job if a company’s career site is
not mobile optimized
- 84% believe mobile devices will be the most common way people
search for jobs
- 15 minutes before an interview, candidates use a mobile device
to read the job description
- 1 in 10 use the mobile device during an interview to show off
technical skills and past achievements
Most of these stats lend themselves
to the idea that mobile recruiting isn’t just the future – it’s the present.
Recruiters must ensure that they have a mobile-friendly website to accommodate
today’s job seekers. Smaller screens and the “on-the-go” attitude make long job
descriptions and complicated application forms unlikely to attract candidates.
Of course, there is the flip side to this
discussion. First, not everyone has a smart phone or tablet. This may change
10+ years down the road, but the fact is smart phones (and their data plans)
are still relatively expensive. Second, mobile devices simply cannot replicate
the experience found on a computer. Sure, they might be more convenient, but given
the choice between typing on a 4-inch screen and a keyboard, I’ll take the
keyboard every time. Not to mention, navigating between windows and forms,
uploading resumes and typing cover letters – all of that is much easier to achieve
on a computer.
The takeaway here is pretty simple: mobile devices are just
another way that job seekers can look for jobs, and recruiters would be wise to
give the mobile platform the attention it deserves.
What about you? Did you use a mobile device during your job
search? If you are just starting a search, how much do you plan on using one?
- Cobey Culton
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