Client: WordPress.com (Automattic)
Original article
Is your business struggling to find the talent needed to build an all-star team? You’re not alone. Hiring managers and business owners in nearly every industry want to recruit qualified candidates. So, there’s plenty of competition.
According to CareerBuilder’s 2019 Harris poll, half of the human resources managers in the U.S. are unable to find qualified candidates for full-time jobs.
A report from the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) paints an even bleaker picture. It found that 83 percent of HR leaders have trouble recruiting suitable candidates, and 75 percent say there’s a skills gap among job candidates.
Still, talented people are out there, and they want to find the right employer! In the digital age, an employer’s online presence plays a major role in the quest to find skilled workers. Your website’s Careers page represents a crucial crossroads in the job seeker’s journey.
Here’s advice on creating a Careers page that will convince candidates to apply:
Make a strong first impression
What’s the first thing job candidates see when they land on your Careers page? Is it warm and welcoming, intriguing and inspirational, or does it fall flat?
When a potential hire comes for a job interview, you want them to leave feeling excited about the opportunity. A good Careers page sparks the same feeling.
There’s a reason “recruitment marketing” and “employer brand” have become buzz words in the business world. HR departments are turning to marketers to help attract top talent. So, craft headlines and copy the same way you would if you were trying to court new customers.
Harvard Business Review reports that nine out of 10 Americans would take a pay cut in exchange for a more purpose-driven job. Use the Careers page to show how your employees make a difference and are valued.
Multimedia elements make Careers pages much more engaging. Add photo galleries that feature your workplace, employees, and special events. Include a recruitment video that brings the work experience and company culture to life.
WordPress.com website owners use the intuitive block editor to create image galleries and embed videos from sources like YouTube. Self-hosted videos can be added with the video block —which is available with plans that have access to VideoPress.
Testimonials from current employees are another way to prove you’re an exceptional employer. Find out how to add and manage testimonials on your website.
Job candidates ask themselves, “Do people like me work at places like this?” So, design your Careers page to give them an answer.
Build a user-friendly jobs board
Providing a good user experience for job seekers must be a priority.
Is your website, jobs board, and application process mobile-friendly and responsive? A recent study from Glassdoor indicates it needs to be.
The 2019 report found more than half (58 percent) of Glassdoor users are looking for jobs on their smartphones, yet mobile users complete fewer applications and take more time over the process. That’s a sign of a frustrating user experience. The report also found 35 to 44 year-olds were the most likely to search for jobs on a mobile device — a group that is at the peak of their professional careers.
Give job seekers the ideal mobile experience with a WordPress.com website. Our entire collection of mobile-friendly WordPress themes features options that adapt to different device sizes.
If you only have a few open positions at a time, you could list links to individual posts with job descriptions. If you’re a larger company that’s always hiring a jobs board plugin is an excellent way to manage candidates and application materials.
Install as many plugins as you need — starting with the WordPress.com Business plan. Or check out WordPress.org to find a jobs board plugin that works for your website.
Take online recruitment to the next level
There are many unknowns when someone wants to make a career move. Your website should help answer as many common job-seeker questions as possible:
- What employee benefits are provided?
- Are there other perks to working here?
- How does this employer support work-life balance?
- What are the policies on diversity and inclusion?
- Will I need to travel?
- Are there opportunities for advancement?
The rest of your website and your overall online presence also play a role when job candidates do their research and determine whether to apply. The more detailed information you provide the better.
Some organizations use a recruitment blog to support hiring efforts. For example, a notable WordPress.com user, IBM, has a careers blog, which it uses as a recruitment tool to drive candidates to the IBM employment page.
IBM also uses separate social media channels for hiring. IBM Careers on Facebook and Twitter focuses on the job-seeker audience, and even uses unique hashtags like #LifeAtIBM along with recruitment content.
If your online recruitment efforts need an upgrade, WordPress.com is a solid place to build a new website or create a recruitment blog connected to an existing site. Build a Careers page that reflects your company’s most-admirable qualities, make job-hunting enjoyable, and streamline your application process.
Kasey Steinbrinck 