New trends come and go in the recruitment industry, but there is no question that mobile technology is here to stay. A couple of years ago, we were joined by the managing director of Web Based Recruitment, Mike Taylor, and the founder of mobile-focused recruitment firm ThreeSparks, Matt Alder, in a short discussion on ‘How Should Recruiters Be Using Mobile?’
Since then, mobile tech has only gotten bigger, seeing applications across major industries worldwide. FIS Global explains how giants of the airline industry are utilising mobile payment technologies to offer customers seamless commerce on a range of devices. Michael Dorsam, Senior Vice President of Group Finance for Emirates, details how mobile technology and alternate payment methods have been key to their success in the video below:
Similarly, Total Retail notes the importance of mobile location services in marketing and advertising. Tyson Quick, founder and CEO of Instapage, highlights how mobile has introduced omnichannel campaigns, and has worked wonders for businesses today—whether it’s to gain customer insight or improve the efficiency of in-store operations.
Recruitment, too, has been hugely disrupted with the increasing usage and application of mobile tech. Take a look at some of its major uses.
Reaching the newer generations
The working demographic is slowly changing. Inc states that by the end of this year, Generation Z, or those born after 1995, will make up 24% of the global workforce, slowly taking over as the years go by. Millennials currently make up 38% of the workforce. Both generations grew up during the height of smartphones and the internet, so it’s only natural that mobile recruitment is the most effective way to reach them.
Improving the application experience
Then again, even if your target hires aren’t from the younger demographics, mobile recruitment is still the way to go. After all, a report listed on Fast Company shows that 58% of job seekers use a mobile device to hunt for jobs. 35% of those surveyed applied on their mobile too. This is why it’s important to have a mobile-friendly website. Think responsive design and big buttons. If you can integrate an “Apply” button directly on the page, then it is much better. This way, they won’t also have to go through the hassle of using their email.
The key takeaway here is that mobile has the potential to make the application experience as seamless as possible.
Tapping into social media
One of the biggest trends in HR is social recruiting.
Indeed, according to research by The Open University Business, 79% of job seekers use social media to look for referrals, job openings, and other recruitment opportunities—and they do so on mobile.
LinkedIn, for example, allows its users to inform recruiters if they’re looking for a job, and the position they want to take. Since their work experience and portfolio are available for anyone to see, recruiters can easily look for the best-fitting candidate for a job.
Offering diversity
Jumping from the previous point, a vast range of candidates means being allowed to add some much-needed diversity into your workspace. This is especially important if your business handles global clients. A diverse team can give you invaluable insight into a particular location’s market.
Plus, Deloitte’s Millennial Survey Report found that 69% of younger candidates admitted that they are more likely to stay in a company longer if they had a diverse workforce.
Mobile tech has become an integral part of recruitment. Whether it’s because of the device’s accessibility to the shifting workforce, mobile is the key to more fitting recruits and an overall better hiring process.
