One of the big topics at the mRec Mobile Recruiting Conference was the mobile experience and what do job seekers want/expect when using their mobile. We saw a number of presentations on this topic from a range of vendors and media businesses including LinkedIn, Jibe, CareerBuilder plus some insights from clients such as UPS.
What is very clear is that we have a long way to go. One area which requires real improvement is the “mobile apply” although, interestingly enough, a number of industry experts prefer the term “easy apply”.
LinkedIn had undertaken some research amongst US and UK job seekers on this topic and shared the results. The sample was 787 – 72% defined themselves as passive and 28% active job seekers. In addition LinkedIn separated Tablet (T) and Smartphone (SMP) users. The top line results were:
Which have you done on a mobile device?
- Download a company career app – 9% SMP, 14% T
- Uploaded a CV – 22% SMP, 29% T
- Applied for a Job – 23% SMP, 29% T
- Viewed careers on a company career site – 56% SMP, 65% T
- Viewed careers on a social site – 56% SMP, 60% T
- Viewed careers in the inbox – 68% SMP, 63% T
So the tablet really is the number one tool for the “mobile candidate” and it is key to the portability of the job seeker.
Careerbuilder points out that job seekers come across jobs in 3 ways:
- 74% online
- 68% networking
- 67% via a job board
But after that, 84% go to the organisations career site and this is not, in most cases, mobile friendly.
Active job seekers seem to use the smartphone; 82% look at the inbox, 71% at job boards and 69% social/professional sites. With the tablet users only 74% look at the inbox but 72% browse company career site and 68% look at LinkedIn profiles
Unsurprisingly, the passive candidate looks less, but still across both SMP and tablets; over 50% regularly look at their inbox, career sites and social/professional sites.
What is shocking is how unprepared we are as an industry: the audience is there but we are not. The research shows how few talent acquisition leaders admit to be ready. Globally 20% and, in the U.S only 16%, have a mobile optimized site.
When it come to apps v native only the social media really stand out when it comes to downloading apps: 80% + had download either LinkedIn or Facebook compared to only 0-20% who had downloaded Monster, Indeed or Careerbuilder.
The research also identified job seeker user habits: morning pre work, lunchtime and evening being prime time, with the tablet standing out in the evening and weekend as the prime mobile tool of choice… just like a newspaper used to be… no more sitting at the PC.
Finally, they looked at the “big issue” easy apply – when asked why they hadn’t used a mobile to apply for a job the job seeker message was loud and clear:
- 40% no CV stored or way to send.
- 40% I wanted to personalize my CV before applying
- 20% no mobile apply
- 36% wanted time to consider the position seen
Two Careerbuilder mobile horror statistics:
- 4 in 10 mobile candidates abandon the application process when they are notified they are about to encounter a non-mobile friendly apply process
- 79% landing on a mobile unfriendly site will search for one that is mobile friendly to do the same job
And this comment summed up the experience of one job seeker:
“It was all easy except down loading my resume and it would not take it.
I had to hand deliver one to the business.”
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