A candidate’s journey

Candidate journey

We know recruitment can be stressful and there is never enough time in the day to get everything done but if you are seeking the best talent then you must cover all angles and give some thought to the end user. Consider the process of a candidate’s journey when contemplating a new position, and tailor your advertising to this.

The Job Hunt Process

A professional has decided they are unhappy in their current role and wants to leave. They may then go home and discuss this with their partner and make a decision upon their next move and what they want to do. Most candidates will have quite a clear idea as to what they want from a new position and where they want to be based. Obviously their mind can be changed if the correct opportunity comes a-knocking.

The candidate has now established they want to leave their current position and look for something else. Now what do they do? The popular phrase ‘Google It’ springs to mind. The candidate fires up their internet browser and runs a few searches.

Gone are the days where people search very generic terms; candidates will likely search their job role with their location and start the hunt.

This is where you really need to attract and appeal to the candidate as there’ll be many jobs and websites which contain very similar content, so you don’t have long to throw the net over this candidate and reel them in. In order to ‘catch your bait’ your advert must be well-written and include all important information.

If the adverts they skim through are poorly constructed and provide little information, the candidate will simply click onto the next advert or website and you have lost them – simple as that.

If they like the look of your job advert they may then apply or even click through to your recruitment website and contact your company directly; a great way to attract unique candidates.

The Device

It’s also important to consider the device which prospective candidates will be using to search for a new opportunity.

They may use a laptop or desktop at home in the evening however, it is more likely they are searching for a job on the commute, on their lunch break, on their mobile phone or tablet – are your jobs advertised on a mobile responsive job board/website? If they are not, you are going to risk losing this candidate again if they can’t read the advert and apply at ease.

Your Advertising 

Now think about your process and whether your jobs and company are visible because, the thing is, the talent is out there. Yes you can go out and look for it (headhunt) – but you also need to be both visible and appealing to your target market.

Ask yourself this:

Do your job adverts appear at the top of Google for the right search terms? Are they well-written and appealing? Do they represent your business in the right light? If a candidate came through to your website on their mobile phone would they be able to read it clearly – is your website mobile responsive?

Competition for the best talent is tough and you need to not only be visible but appealing, how do you expect great talent to apply for your jobs if they can’t find you? You must think about the end user and tailor your advertising to meet their needs!

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