After years of hype and hypothesis, the mobile recruiting age is finally — and obviously — upon us. Last quarter alone, according to Techcrunch, consumers purchased more than1.2 Billion smartphones and Tablets were reported purchased, often using these devices to do job research, shop, and engage with brands while on the go. Proof points are everywhere — mobile purchases more than doubled in the U.S. this past holiday season, Apple recently delivered record-breaking earnings — thanks in large part to the new iPhone 6 platforms along with iPad sales — and in 2014 Facebook announced 87% of its users around the globe are on mobile.
All these numbers simply prove what many consumer marketers already know: Success depends on joining consumers in the mobile space. In fact, according to research that OpinionLab and TeaLeaf released last month, 90 percent of marketers report that improving the mobile customer experience will be just as — or more — important than other online initiatives in 2015. However, the another survey shares that Talent Acquisition Departments are way behind their marketing colleagues improving their career and social career channels for mobile candidates. Where are you in meeting your mobile candidate viewing jobs, have mobile recruiting conversations and completing a mobile apply?
So how do we begin to understand the post-PC recruiting era while still working ourselves up to speed on the learning curve of the traditional, social and mobile web? For most of us, the online explosion of the ’90s provides the perfect blueprint for this new direction. What we learned then was that, regardless of corporate organization, consumers view a brand as a unified entity — no matter which channel they use to engage. So if, for example, a product is priced differently in the store than on the website or if a customer makes a purchase online and can’t return the product in store, his entire perception of the brand is confounded, and his loyalty is likely to suffer as a result.
The challenges and opportunities associated with talent acquisition underh this paradigm shift have spurred the move to a multi-recruiting channel using the web, social and candidate marketplace. And mobile is simply the next game-changing development in this transition. The peril today is that, as was often the case with online in the ’90s, many talent acquisition pros risk approaching mobile as an afterthought rather than an integral component of a consistent, candidate-centric brand.
To realize the full potential of the mobile recruiting shift, it’s important to begin with deep and ongoing insight into candidate behaviors and attitudes. Here are some tips for establishing a strong sourcing foundation.
Challenge your assumptions…Always
Don’t assume you know what your candidates want in mobile. Instead, listen to them — some want to comparison search for jobs, some want to have engagement, and some want to share conversations with recruiters and employees not to mention the hiring manager. There is no single right answer — other than integrating a feedback loop into all mobile properties so you’re sure to uncover these insights. Once you’ve done so, track candidate input in real time to say on top of simple fixes and pinpoint issues that merit further examination. And, if you haven’t already, consider leveraging this “voice of candidate” data into meaningful Key Performance Index (KPIs), its about time.
There Is More Here Than Apply Conversion
Mobile HR marketing isn’t just about driving a candidate to complete an apply — it’s also critical branding tool. Instead of solely measuring conversion, focus on measuring brand engagement and candidate sentiment. How you do this will depend on your unique business, but the value of defining such metrics is well worth the effort.
Speed Doesn’t Kill
All the candidate data in the world doesn’t make a difference unless it’s used to improve business outcomes. Make sure you’re collecting actionable data, and that you have the right systems and processes in place to act. And act fast.
The web has shown us that competitors are always just one click away — and that candidate, especially sought after top talent, do not hesitate to desert a brand that falls short of their expectations. Companies that prioritize the mobile candidate experience have a chance to leapfrog the competition by leveraging the strengths of the mobile channel — always-on, personal, and location-based — to engage with candidates more deeply than ever before.
If you find my blog posts informative, I am sure you will enjoy SourceMob’s Educational Event Series. Check out the SourceMob.com Event Area for Webinars scheduled for July and August. We have multiple Webinars on a variety of topics each month and I hope to see you with us.
Want to discuss your own Talent Acquisition challenges simply give me an email ping at jeff@sourcemob.com or call 952-417-6955.
ABOUT SOURCEMOB: SourceMob integrates Internet, social, talent community and mobile recruiting solutions to help talent acquisition professionals recruit the very best candidates for tough-to-fill positions. SourceMob’s IT, Analytics and HR Media Services distributes job content and conversations providing a job posting springboard to over 3.5 million candidate profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ and all of the major search engines. We help you engage with your candidates and capture niche Passive candidates. Our solutions also enable Mobile Quick Apply and candidate application management services to create efficiencies and lower recruiting costs.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Jeffery
Jeffery Giesener
CEO/Founder
SourceMob.com
jeff@sourcemob.com
952-417-6955
Post by Jonathan Levitt Edited for HCM by Jeffery Giesener