Our informal Twitter poll showed that more than 1/3 of job seekers aren’t willing to spend more than 10 minutes on a single job application, and about half said they would spend up to 30 minutes total.
And while this wasn’t a real study by any stretch of the imagination, it does support a common frustration in the job search process: the whole thing is just too complicated.
Employers and job seekers want the same thing – to find the right person on the right team. There are many factors that contribute to “right” which makes this process inherently complex, but it doesn’t have to be difficult.
Because job seekers are strapped for time and mostly unwilling to labor over a job application, it’s important to make your process as seamless as possible so you don’t miss out on the right fit. Even the smartest, most talented, most qualified workers will give up on clunky applications.
A solid first step toward improving that process and reaching candidates would be to prioritize by the skills you need on your team, even before posting a job. Think about the knowledge and hands-on experience you need from a candidate in order for them to perform well in this role. Does it matter if your role is for a customer service rep or sales and someone only has experience waiting tables, as long as they are friendly, learn quickly and know how to keep customers happy? Thinking this way at the beginning of your process will help you create an easier, more intuitive process for you and candidates, as skills and ability become the focus, more than a list of previous job titles.
Then, get detailed and automated on your end – so that candidates can apply in just one click. To take an automated approach with job postings and candidate recruitment, your hiring platforms should be optimized to efficiently move applicants through your whole system. All of this setup on your end should lead to a simple “Apply Now” on the job posting, where candidates can, in one click, submit their materials and your hiring team can quickly be notified of qualified applicants.
The big takeaway here is that, by leveraging AI in your hiring process, you can focus on the more human elements of recruiting. Understanding the skills you need and using smart platforms to build job postings, segment candidates and reach out to applicants, you can connect with people who want to join your team.
