The OpenWater Blog

Are Job Seekers Not Finishing Your Application? Find Out Why.

Is your organization getting the outreach that you want – and if not, how much is that costing you? More and more companies are realizing that long job applications ≠ better quality candidates. In fact, it makes sense to conclude that better candidates are less likely to tolerate the process of submitting themselves to a lengthy application process.
 
So how do you keep your applications to-the-point, but adequate to gather all the information you need to choose the right candidates to call back?

1. Are you asking too many questions?

A good rule of thumb is to keep the number of screens that your applicant would have to click through to a minimum – five or six at most. What kind of info do you need to contact them? Their resume, linkedin profile, email, phone number, job reference – that may pretty much be it. Some would even go to argue that references should be left to the second round.

2. Are things clunky on the mobile-front?

More and more job applicants are finding and applying to jobs through their smartphones, meaning that a mobile-friendly job application portal can be what gets you your next great hire. Opt for programs that don’t run on popup menus or involve a lot of pinching/zooming out, which makes it harder to fill out forms on your phone.

3. Credibility on your Landing Page

Does your recruitment page share the same look-and-feel of your company website, or is it taking your applicants to a completely different third-party webpage that leaves them feeling lost? Most job seekers want credibility in their employers, and a good way to impress them from the get-go is with a clean, easy-to-use recruitment homepage.

4. Take a look at your Job description

Multiple studies have shown that job descriptions are most effective when it is kept between 250 and 2000 words. This may seem like a large range, but it’s to show that descriptions are better kept on the longer side than having it be too terse. Applicants want to know more about the position, the company culture, and what kind of team they will be working in, and a good way to communicate that is through a carefully-written job description.

5. Try the application process yourself. How long is it taking you?

The bigger question you should be asking is, what’s in it for them? By valuing your candidate’s time, not only are you coming across as a thoughtful employer, but also counterintuitively enough increase your outreach towards the right candidate.

davidl

OpenWater and Airtable: A System to Determine the Best Craft Beer

OpenWater’s Data Transfer Solution for Video-Heavy Clients