It’s usually the first place candidates land on when they’re looking for their next job but are they all fit for purpose. You’d think a website which is dedicated to careers should be doing just that, right? Well, according to our panel of 10 experts careers websites don’t always get it right.
They tell us what issues they have with some careers websites they’ve come across.
Katrina Kibben
They aren’t built with experience or conversion in mind. So many people rely on a template of stock photos and site infrastructure when they should be building an experience based on the psychology of their best people and designing something that very intentionally provokes excitement and interaction.
Katrina Kibben is the CEO and Principal Consultant at Three Ears Media.
Kevin Grossman
Prospective candidates want more transparency into employers; they want to hear more from current employees as to why they chose that employer and why they stay. They want the “real” testimonials in video and in print on review sites like Glassdoor and kununu. And they’d prefer more engagement with the employer, even before they apply. This could be live chats with recruiters or basic information provided via chatbots.
Kevin Grossman is President of Global Programs at The Talent Board.
Lori Sylvia
Putting a big Apply button at the top on the homepage. That’s what you want, not want candidates want when they first visit your careers site. If they start on your careers site homepage, they’re not ready to apply yet. Candidates want to know first why they should come to work for you, and that means telling your employer value proposition and sharing employee stories. Once candidates become more informed and interested, they’ll apply when they’re ready. And you only want informed candidates who have researched your company and career opportunities and feel there’s a fit. Otherwise, it’s a waste of everyone’s time and resources.
Lori Sylvia is the Founder and CEO of Rally Recruitment Marketing.
Manuel Heichlinger
One of the biggest missed opportunity for company career pages, is the lack of authentic employee stories which bring to life the culture and values of an organisation. These stories allow a peak behind the curtain which are invaluable for candidate’s considering joining your company.
I also think it’s great when a company outlines the steps of their interview process on their website, giving the candidate a clear idea of what to expect in their interviews. And it leaves them feeling the company is one that wants them to succeed, not trip them up.
Manuel Heichlinger is LinkedIn’s Senior Manager for Talent Acquisition.
Jeanette Maister
Misleading or over-the-top complex job descriptions that easily confuse candidates. Job titles, descriptions and other relevant information on the post needs to be short, concise and simple. If the postings are too complicated, the application process can become muddied because candidates might enter information that may not be relevant to the position. Additionally, careers websites that aren’t engaging enough can turn candidates away. Some examples of good careers website features include adding bios and testimonials from existing employees or creating an attractive, interactive landing page.
Jeanette Maister, is Head of Americas at Oleeo (formerly WCN).
Josh Tolan
The biggest problem is that companies take “careers page” too literally and only list their job openings.They don’t provide enough insight on what it’s like to work there or what the hiring process looks like. There also isn’t enough employee generated content or anything that entices a candidate to get bought in.
Josh Tolan is the CEO of Sparkhire.
Aida Fazylova
Today, applicant expectations have expanded from what they once were. Websites now need to be engaging, interactive, and easy to use. A good career site will have great visuals throughout the page. Having quick links or easy to use forms on a career website, can improve the number of applications received. Also, if job postings aren’t easily accessible, applicants might move on from your company. Not meeting candidates’ expectations on a career website can definitely hurt your chances of fielding quality applications.
Aida Fazylova, CEO and Founder, of XOR.ai.
Benjamin Gledhill
As I recently discussed in a podcast they simply aren’t fit for purpose. Everything we do now should follow the consumer model in terms of sharing content that enables someone to make a decision. Re careers sites, they need to be user friendly, mobile optimised, share audience relevant content and take the candidate on a journey from start to finish. They should create excitement and curiousity and embed a feeling of connection with the employer brand.
Benjamin Gledhill is the Head of Resourcing at Yodel.
Jill Shabelman
Careers websites remain one of the most frequently visited resources when candidates are considering a position and organizations that put what candidates want front and center will have an advantage. Sites can miss opportunities with candidates by being difficult to navigate, overrun by company acronyms, and lacking the information people really want to know. At minimum, they should provide different perspectives from people in the business on questions like: Who are the people I may work with? How could I grow here? What is really exciting about the organization right now? What benefits may I get if hired?
Jill Shabelman is the Employer Brand & Marketing Manager at Deloitte Services LP.
Chris Murdock
Job descriptions have long been a struggle for recruiters to cater correctly to both candidates and rational company demand. We’re stuck between writing in a way that’s both descriptive, to realistic and true to the actual job duties up for the position, to being searchable to candidates we wish to attract. Now we’re adding AI in the mix which further complicates how we’re writing and tailoring our messaging to capture quality candidates.
Chris Murdock is Senior Partner and Co-Founder at IQTalent Partners.
