Is there a tide of change in recruitment…?
Organisations are now starting to recognise that everything they publish, distribute, or post has to reinforce the brand message. Now, it is no longer enough to have a slick website if the careers section looks like a back-street fast-food stall, or worse.
I still see many glossy sites out there promoting the business’s core values, missions and visions, often all supported by professional video content, high-def images and snappy social media dialogues. Yet when you click on a job vacancy, you’re all too often delivered an unedited version of the job description, complete with turgid HR speak, hundreds of repetitive bullet points, and slabs of unnecessary copy. Little, if any, effort is made to actually promote the company or the opportunity. The disappointment this generates can be instant, and fatal, as job seekers rarely give you a second chance. And why should they? There are lots of jobs out there for them to choose from, especially the good ones…
So the pressure is on to make sure that all these messages support each other, that a cohesive and positive image is presented to the world, that the “look and feel” of the site is friendly, approachable, professional, and focused. Shouldn’t be too hard you’d think, but the day-to-day demands of a busy recruitment team mean too little attention is given to the words themselves.
And the result? A drop-off in talented applicants, and an unwelcome increase in time-wasters and dreamers. All adding up to an inexcusable waste of valuable time and resources, let alone the long-term harm done to the human capital within the business.
For the majority of internet users, your careers section or site is often their first exposure to the “real you”. First impressions are formed almost instantly, and if you appear in any way unfocused, disorganised, lazy or uncaring, then why shouldn’t they judge your whole organisation in the same way?
We’re working more and more with HR teams to improve this area of their business, and typically the results are instant and astonishing. Fewer applications, but of a measurably higher quality. Happier line managers. More efficient internal processes. Reduced spend on 3rd party services and platforms. More time. More success.
Worth thinking about, don’t you agree?