Lessons Learned at GSC SHRM: Part II

Lesson #2: With the rapidly growing adoption of smartphones, companies need to implement a mobile-first recruitment strategy to ensure they attract the best talent across all age groups and demographics.

During the recent Garden State Council SHRM conference, David Spector, head of Mobile for TMP Worldwide, led a lively session titled “Trending Now – Mobile Recruitment & Why You Can’t Ignore It.” In this discussion, Spector explained the value of creating mobile-optimized career sites in order to attract and engage top talent. 

Spector discussed how smartphone penetration has risen by 11 percent over the past year, with the fastest growing adoption rate among people over the age of 50. Moreover, s smartphones are the primary means of accessing the internet for more than 25 percent of the population, without a mobile jobs presence, companies miss out on a huge portion of potential talent and will see their recruitment brand diminish.

When designing a mobile career site, Spector explained, it is important to deliver the content as conveniently as possible, without graphics, videos or animations that can get in the way.  Also critical is the need to consider smartphone gestures, like swiping and zooming, rather than traditional clicking and scrolling. Moreover, Spector advised against creating native apps, which can only be used by certain brands and models, in favor of platform-agnostic sites that can be accessed on all mobile devices. 

Spector also explained the value of utilizing Responsive Web Design, in which a site is designed to automatically provide an optimal viewing experience, regardless of the specific device.  Such sites also remove content, such as Flash, when the site is displayed on devices that can’t support it. As a result, organizations can develop a single site that adapts itself for the wide range of devices job seekers use to search for jobs. 

Spector also shared some quick tips to fully benefit from a mobile recruiting strategy:

• Mobile provides the opportunity to streamline application processes. When creating mobile-optimized applications, you can focus only on the most relevant questions, making it easier for candidates to apply.
• As Google can recognize when searches are conducted on mobile devices, if a site is not mobile-optimized, it will appear much lower in search results.
• Utilizing QR codes, whether in print, on billboards or other locations, provides a fast and easy point of entry for candidates to connect with your organization.
• Gamification presents a new way to bring more people into the organization. When candidates play the games and tweet their scores, they will help you get even more people engaged.

Mobile devices make it easier than ever for people to search for information at any time and from anywhere, and they are increasingly using their smartphones to search for jobs.  By recognizing this shift and acting to develop mobile-optimized recruiting strategies, organizations can ensure they reach a growing number of candidates whose smartphones are their primary or only way to access the internet.