Recruiting today has gotten complex. People want to apply online or use their phones. And services abound to help you with the process. A good place to start is to ask what applicants are looking for and what they are seeing when the check out your company.
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What You Say About Yourself
First, check out what you are saying about yourself.
- General company website. Does it make the company attractive? Would a candidate say, I’d be proud to work there?
- Recruiting website. Does it give an attractive picture of what it is like to work at your company? (This is often done by video tours and videos of workers.) Is it easy to navigate? Easy to apply?
- Social media. Is your organization active on social media?
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What Others Say About You
Look at social media again—what is being said about your organization? And check out websites that collect comments from workers and former workers. Sometimes these sites are “trash” sites. Still, it is interesting to know what is being said. If candidates are going to be reading these comments, you want to be ready to offer your version of the story.
For example, maybe the comments say that your workplace is an “evil sweatshop.” You might be ready to say, “It’s true that we work hard here; we have a highly motivated team of achievers that is working on exciting, cutting-edge development. But we also play hard, and we reward our workers very well and you set your own hours and take time off whenever you want. If you’re looking for a workplace where the work is repetitive, slow, and deliberate, we’re probably not the place for you.”
What Are Candidates Looking For?
First of all, recognize that they will look. Surveys suggest that many jobseekers are researching potential employers by visiting their websites. So, as mentioned, make sure your site is well-designed and friendly.
You know your audience, I hope, and what they are looking for in a company and in a job, and you know what you offer. Find a way to marry those two things.
And then there’s the issue of applying online. Today’s applicant wants it to be easy, and reports suggest that many will give up if the site is too confusing or doesn’t work the way they want it to.
Visit your site. Try to apply. Try it from your home computer, your tablet, and your phone. The exercise could be revealing.
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Apply-by-Phone
Apply-by-phone is in the news these days, with some calling it a “must-have” feature. One advantage is that many people who don’t have easy access to a computer do have access to the Internet on their phones. But most phone applications systems are clumsy and difficult. Further, it’s often hard to upload a résumé from a phone. This is an issue you will have to face if you think you’re losing good applicants over it.
There are many recruiting avenues for you to use and most experts recommend trying several—you’ll soon see which ones work for you. And, as an aside, from a legal standpoint, you want to use several avenues to avoid charges of discrimination.
But there are still certain basics that need to be in place no matter what system you use to attract and evaluate candidates.
In tomorrow’s Advisor, basics of recruiting 2014, plus an introduction to a FREE best practices guide, sponsored by iCIMS