Would it surprise you to hear that smartphone and tablet usage is on a trajectory to surpass the usage of desktop computers in the not so distance future? Thought not.
By the end of 2013, the number of mobile-connected devices is expected to exceed the world’s population and global mobile data traffic grew by 70 per cent in 2012.
Sometimes it feels like the internet was custom built for the recruitment industry and mobile internet is just an evolution of the trend. Millennials see mobile internet as the norm; they’ve grown up with it and I can assure you they already find it odd that not every site is optimised for smartphone and tablet use. Combine the expectation to be able to look for jobs and interact with recruiters and HR departments online with the inherent sensitivities surrounding job hunting (not always something you want to do at your desktop), and it becomes clear that mobile tech for both the candidate (86 per cent of job seekers said they would use mobile technology if there was an easy way to apply for a job) and the recruiter is a modern day necessity.
Candidates want a mobile recruiting experience – that much is clear. But how are recruiters responding to this expectation?
By lucky coincidence Peter Linas at Bullhorn phoned me about just this subject. So, let’s backtrack slightly. Research shows that ninety-three per cent of recruiting firms reported using an applicant tracking system in 2012. What Bullhorn’s 2013 recruiting trends survey showed however, is that 84 per cent of staffing professionals said they consider mobile access to their ATS/CRM to be important to their success. This is significant. It means that the recruitment sector is aware of just how important mobile access is. It shows that as usual recruitment is an ‘early adopter’ industry, ready to use the latest technology to grow revenue.
On that basis they thought they’d take a closer (anonymous) look at the actual usage data of the thousands of recruiting professionals using their mobile product and they unearthed some interesting results.
Without giving too much away (you can download the whitepaper for full results and recommendations) Peter tells me that the highest percentage of Bullhorn Mobile usage occurs in the afternoons between 1pm and 5pm. Not the mornings, not the evenings, but the afternoons. While this initially appeared strange (why would a recruiter use mobile during the day when in theory they have access to an office workstation?) they realised that it’s because a higher percentage of recruiters, who are actively selling and engaged with clients, are now working on the move. Whether at a client’s premises or travelling to and from, the recruiter of 2013 doesn’t view mobile access as a luxury add on, but as an essential recruitment tool.
So there you have it, recruitment has already gone mobile. If you’re a recruitment agency without the tools to interact with clients and candidates online then your revenue will ultimately shrink as the competition outmanoeuvres you. I’d strongly suggest you download the full whitepaper for all the latest mobile findings and conclusions and make sure you’re not left behind!
