Are you struggling to get bites on your job posts?
Finding it hard to get candidates to apply for your jobs?
There could be many underlying factors why, so at Talentwolf, we have generated a list of the top reasons why candidates aren’t applying for your job ads as well as tips and strategies to help you improve your current listings.
Not all will apply to your particular job listing, but all are important to know for all job listings past, present and future. Check below to see if they relate to your job advertisements, then take the right measures to fix them.
These include, but are not limited to:
The website isn’t engaging or intuitive
When someone is searching for job opportunities and they find one they might be interested in, they then may head to the company website from that job listing. Ensuring this website is easy to digest, appealing and engaging gives the candidate more motivation to apply for the job advertised. However, if the website and careers page is hard to follow and bland, a job seeker is less likely to apply. When adding content to a careers page, employers should think about adding company benefits, values and mission and “must-know” information about the company to attract potential candidates and highlight them to the business overall. Also have a look at how fast your website is, if it is slow to load, you may also lose candidates.
The application process is complicated
Applying for jobs is stressful and can be hard work for the potential candidate. As a recruiter, you want to ensure your applying process is simple and easy. If your application process is easy, more people will apply. Consider the following and see what you are doing or not doing to improve your job listings:
- Do you have an online applying process? Well, you should!
- Is there an option to add a resume? Yes, there should be!
- Does the application take less than 20 minutes to do? If something takes too long, people are less likely to do it.
- Can the application be saved and processed at a later time? People often make a start but want more time to finish the application later.
- Can the job be applied for without making an account? We already have enough passwords to remember.
- Is the application device friendly? Everyone uses a phone for nearly everything so it needs to be responsive
- Can people use their LinkedIn account to apply? This can be a fast and easy way for people to apply.
All these answers should be a “yes” in order for the application process to be easy and simple for job seekers. If the application is too long or too complicated, it is less likely that candidates will apply.
The job listing doesn’t set you apart from the rest
As we mentioned in our blog “the importance of SEO in recruitment”, a listing needs to be full of keywords in order to engage the attention of the job seekers. You have the title and the first few words to really capture the engagement before they move on. Make your job listing stand out, don’t just post it to loads of job boards, make it unique and creative, but clear and simple. If you don’t know where to start, do some research, find out what other companies are doing, add some perks and benefits to showcase the company.
The employer brand isn’t strong enough
The first thing candidates will do when looking to apply for a job with different companies is searching online. Social media is most likely the first place they will go to see what the company stands for, is interested in, tells their customers and how they present themselves online. As a business, your social media networks will need to be strong, tell a story and share a message. Look at the social channels and ensure as a company, the brand is being reflected.
The job listing doesn’t provide enough information
If your job listing is too vague, chances are people aren’t going to apply for the role. The factors that need to be considered when looking at your listings include:
- The understanding of the role: is it easy to understand what you are asking for?
- The salary is not stated: even if it is just a range, people want to know what the job is worth.
- The requirements and job location: have you clearly stated where the role is and what is required to perform it?
Have a look at the listing and ensure you have provided enough information. You need to be open and transparent otherwise you will lose candidates.
These are just some of the key contributors to why people aren’t applying for your job ads. Make sure as a company the job listings are always being updated to be fresh and relatable, the social media channels reflect the brand and the website pages - especially the careers page - is current, easy to use and tells a story about the company.
If you are struggling to find more reasons, ask employees who applied for their job within your company, ask them what they thought about the application process, what they thought when reading the jobs listing. Ask them for open, honest and direct feedback so you know what can be improved and what needs to be added to turn the job listing from good to great.
Want to get your job listings seen on more platforms? Not only can you try social media, but you can also try Talentwolf. At Talentwolf, it is as easy as creating your recruiter profile so you can be discovered by new potential candidates. Start networking and showcase your recruitment services and all your reviews to attract the best talent in the market.
