No matter where you are, if you look around, you’ll see that the majority of people have their heads down, staring at their mobile phones. We are all guilty of it! We live in a technology-driven world, where all the information we could ever need is literally in the palms of our hands. We can now do virtually anything on our smartphones; shop for groceries, find a partner, and even buy a house! Recruitment no exception.
Some managers and HR professionals are skeptical about the shift towards mobile recruitment over traditional methods and think they can still secure top-talent without it. Frankly… I disagree. Let’s discuss 5 reasons as to why we should embrace mobile recruitment, and not shy away from it!
When you hear mobile recruitment, you may think about a mobile-optimised careers site and job postings, and maybe the ability for candidates to apply for jobs on their phone. News flash - the opportunities to utilise mobile recruitment go way beyond this.
Mobile optimization can occur at every stage of the recruitment funnel. For instance, pre-recorded video interviews have become a popular screening tool among HR professionals in 2020. When these interviews are conducted using modern recruitment software, candidates can access, film and submit their video interviews… all from their mobile phone. For many people, recording themselves talking on a phone feels way more natural than a computer. Providing candidates with the option will make them feel at ease, and provide you with a more accurate depiction of who they are!
So, you think the opportunity for mobile recruitment has ended once you provide your winning candidate with a verbal offer? Wrong! With the right software, candidates can complete all of their onboarding contracts and forms on their mobile device. This does wonders for minimising the time-to-hire, as with digital signatures, the candidate can complete their contract as soon as they receive it, no matter where they are!
This is the beauty of mobile recruitment - a candidate could not even own a computer, yet be able to complete every stage seamlessly right up until the job offer, onboarding, and beyond!
Candidates aren’t the only ones who reap the benefits of mobile recruitment! Mobile recruitment applications allow the capabilities of recruitment software to be accessed on a mobile device. Managers are able to post jobs, view candidate applications, schedule interviews, communicate with stakeholders, and progress candidates to the next stage… all from their smartphone! Managers no longer need to be bound to their desk, as they have 24/7 access to the recruitment process in their pocket. Whether managers are on their morning commute, working from home or just don’t have immediate access to computers, they can manage their applicants from anywhere, any time! No need to rush back to the office.
Millennials and Gen Zs are the generations that have an extra level of attachment to their mobile phones. This is often criticised by those who don’t have the same phone-dependencies, however, can we really blame them? Millennials grew up amongst the rise of the internet, while Gen Zs (who are now moving out of university and into the workforce) have never known a world without the IPhone. Being tech-savvy is a natural instinct to these generations; the average Millennial spends almost 6 hours on their phone per day!
These generations currently account for 38% of the workforce and will make up the majority of the workforce within the next decade. Making recruitment mobile-friendly is very important now...but it will be absolutely essential in the coming years. You don’t want to be playing catch up - make your recruitment process mobile-friendly now!
One of the greatest advantages of mobile recruitment is text-message capabilities, allowing managers and candidates to communicate with one another during the application process. Traditionally, email is the go-to communication channel between managers and candidates. However, text messages offer a refreshed, extra-personalised alternative.
With the use of recruitment software, managers are able to send text message notifications to candidates, providing them with updates on their application status, calls-to-action, or even just providing feedback following an interview. Texting your candidates, instead of sending them a rigid, highly-formal email, sets the tone for a personal candidate-employer relationship! Candidates will consider you more like a friend, rather than a scary employer.
Just to further convince you that text messages are more effective than emails, they:
Ultimately, this is what mobile recruitment is all about! 89% of job seekers think mobile devices play a critical role in the job hunting process - so why are some companies still resistant to embracing mobile recruitment? If you want to provide your candidates with a beautiful, seamless experience, disregarding their preferences is a big no-no.
Let’s set the scene…Your dream candidate is on the train, scrolling through jobs online. They see your ad pop up and are immediately interested. They go to check out your careers site for more information and see a poorly formatted, difficult-to-navigate landing page that clearly isn’t designed for mobile. Despite being agitated, they persist and attempt to apply for the available position. The candidate realises the application form cannot be completed on a mobile. Frustrated, they close the tab and abandon the process. They continue to look, and they apply for the job your competitor has advertised, and they are provided with a seamless, positive mobile recruitment experience.
So...Give the people what they want! If you truly care about the candidate experience, then mobile-friendly recruitment is an absolute must! Keep up with the times, or you risk losing highly-qualified, technologically-focused candidates.
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About the Author:
My name is Lucy Hill and I am the Content Specialist at MyRecruitment+; a cloud-based, end-to-end Recruitment & Onboarding Software company for HR. I write content that assists HR professionals and recruiters by offering advice and covering the latest recruitment trends. You’ll find my recent blogs here.
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