As we recover from recession, there are many people currently out of work. These people vary from fresh new graduates, to laid off experienced professionals, to potential go getters from school. However, having more potential future employees around doesn‟t change the fact that companies still want the best candidates.
With the rising influence of social media and online recruitment, it is understandable that candidates prefer to apply online. However, one observation made time and again, is that an important factor in whether they apply for a job or not, is the quality of the company‟s careers website.
Your best candidates come through this way so it‟s critical to make sure your careers section is up to standard, both design-wise and functionality-wise. The careers section is generally the most visited part of your company website, and so deserves the time and effort you will need to spend on it. It needs to look great in order to attract candidates and keep them, it needs to be informative so applicants can get all the information they need from it, but above all, it has to work.
Having extra features on your careers page can not only enhance the candidate experience but can also ensure you get the right applicants applying – if you detail what you as a company value or have a good Day in the Life of…' available, a candidate could decide not to fill out an application form and therefore save themselves and you from wasted time.
Some tools which are great on a careers site:
» Candidate Charter – which might tell candidates the timeframes they should expect the company to keep during the application
» Company Culture – detailing the values and ethos of the company» Promote jobs – or sometimes known as 'hot jobs' or 'featured jobs', where you display the latest jobs or perhaps jobs that are closing soon
» Message from the Top – a welcoming message from somebody high up in the company
» How the process works – what the candidate should expect and when, and maybe a few links to some practice tests they can take if this is part of the application process
» Learning and Development – where candidates can go and what support and training they can expect to be provided
» Company Structure – detailing different divisions and areas, perhaps highlighting where future opportunities may be gained
» Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – any examples of charity work or projects the company supports
» A Day in the Life of... –insight from current employees, perhaps how they have developed and risen through the company from their original role
This post is an excerpt from the white paper “15 Minute Guide to Designing Your Careers Website”. If you would like to read more, you can download it here.
-Emily
