We use phones for so many things now that it’s hard to imagine life without them. If you can reach into your pocket and tap a few buttons to order food, pay bills, and even apply for a house, then shouldn’t the job application process be that simple as well? We believe it should be, which is why we created this guide on providing a mobile-friendly experience to job applicants. They’ll enjoy a streamlined process, and you’ll likely see better applicant flow since fewer people will drop off during the hiring process. Check out the tips below and learn how to solve more of your staffing challenges in our free guide, “Why Your Hiring Process Is Broken and How to Fix It.”
What Is Mobile Recruitment?
Simply put, the definition of mobile recruitment is to enable the hiring process through the use of mobile devices. This includes everything from attracting passive candidates to converting them into employees by means of mobile-friendly apps, job boards, and even texts.
Why You Need a Mobile Recruitment Strategy
Nobody wants to go through a long, tedious hiring process, especially people who are looking for entry-level positions in industries like food service and hospitality. It’s crucial to create a convenient candidate experience that includes mobile recruitment strategies if you want to achieve a steady applicant pool for your business.
Mobile Recruitment Statistics
Here are some quick numbers on the importance of mobile recruitment, just in case you aren’t convinced:
- Text messages have a higher response rate from candidates than emails.
- 90% of people read a text message within three minutes of receiving it.
- Candidates who receive mobile text notifications rate their experience 50% higher.
- The average time to hire is 20 days with text messages compared to 49 days with email.
- 89% of job seekers say their phone is an important tool for their search.
Mobile Recruitment Trends
You also don’t want to fall behind the mobile recruitment trends in your industry. This could result in job seekers choosing a competitor over you simply because the recruitment and application process was better.
One trend that should already be on your radar is that Gen Z is quickly becoming one of the biggest populations in today’s hourly workforce. Gen Zers grew up in a world of technology, and it’s safe to say that many of them expect a mobile-friendly application process. Tapping into this talent source could be the solution to some of your staffing frustrations. Chipotle realized this and started testing new ways to recruit Gen-Z employees, including a campaign with TikTok Resumes.
Learn more about how to attract and engage Gen Z workers:
- Hiring Gen Z: How to Attract the Next Generation of Workers
- Social Media Recruiting: 4 Tips to Grab Gen Z’s Attention
- 5 Tips for Managing Generation Z Employees in the Workplace
Benefits of a Mobile-Friendly Hiring Experience
Some of you might be wondering, “Is building a mobile-friendly hiring process really worth the effort?” Absolutely — and you don’t always need to invest a large amount of time to create it. The list of benefits goes on and on, including:
- Promote Diversity at Your Company: Michael Marlatt, the head of Cognizant Technology Solutions’ Talent Innovation Lab and founder of MREC, states, “Hispanics, African-Americans, and women are the heaviest users of mobile technology. So, when you think about diversity recruiting, mobile is key.”
- Engage a Wider Pool of Candidates: Sure, you can put a “Now Hiring” sign in your window and cross your fingers, but why limit yourself with such outdated recruitment practices? Maximize your reach with mobile ads on job sites and apps.
- Provide a Better Candidate Experience: You’ll improve the experience for applicants, and potentially increase the number of them you receive since a more mobile-friendly process could reduce the drop-off rate.
Mobile Recruitment Strategies to Implement in the Hourly Workforce
1. Optimize Your Careers Page
First of all, you need to optimize your careers page. We know that there may be limitations to what you’re able to do because of franchise restrictions or lack of experience editing websites, but do what you can. Ensure the job page design adapts to mobile from desktop properly and everything looks good on mobile devices, including phones and tablets. You can also include certain keywords on your careers page and meta tags for SEO.
Tip: Be sure to write “Careers” instead of “Jobs” on the page. More and more people are looking for meaningful careers with growth opportunities, even in the hourly workforce, and you don’t want anyone to think your opportunity would just be a dead-end job.
2. Use Mobile-Friendly Job Applications
Take a look at your application and ask yourself, “Would I want to fill this out?” If the answer is no, it’s time for a revamp. Simplify the questions you ask, and even consider asking fewer of them. Of course, make the application easy to complete on a cell phone as well. If you feel like you don’t have the time to complete the application or run into frustrating issues during the process, applicants will have the same bad experience and move on to the next job opportunity.
Tip: Remember to advertise this on job boards. Employers who advertise that their application process is mobile-friendly increase submissions by 11.6%, according to Glassdoor.
3. Don’t Require Resumes or Cover Letters
Technology trumps tradition in the hiring process. In other words, you need to rethink the relevance of resumes, cover letters, and even reference checks. How much can these sources really tell you about candidates? One in three Americans admit to lying on their resume, and you wouldn’t gain many useful insights from the other two-thirds of the population. Resumes only give a surface-level view of an applicant, often without any mention of soft skills that might be more important for the position.
Also, a cover letter might include some messaging about why they think they’d be a good fit, but that’s their opinion, and how many people stretch the truth on that as well? You’re much better off using an unbiased hiring solution, like the Sprockets platform that reveals which applicants share key personality traits for success with your current top performers.
If you do decide to require resumes and cover letters, give applicants the ability to upload them via Dropbox and Google Drive. Also, ensure your ATS parses resumes quickly and accurately; it’s frustrating to have to input all the same information twice.
4. Attract Candidates via Social Media
What better way to conduct mobile recruitment than on the biggest platforms built for online communication? If you don’t currently have a presence on sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, it’s time to build a foundation so you can attract potential applicants. Create profiles with bios that promote your company culture and values, then begin posting regularly with engaging content. You could share team pictures, quick clips of what it’s like to work there, and quotes from current employees in addition to announcements about new job opportunities.
Tip: Focus on the social media platforms that your ideal candidates use, keep their interests in mind when choosing content, and include relevant hashtags to expand your reach.
5. Use Mobile-Friendly Pre-Screening Software
Screening is an important part of the hiring process for employers to conduct some “quality assurance” and make sure a potential hire would really be the best fit for their business. However, don’t let that come at the expense of the candidate’s experience. Choose mobile recruiting tools and mobile screening technology that will be simple and painless for applicants to go through. For instance, Sprockets determines if someone is the ideal fit based on a brief, three-question survey that can be completed on their phone.
6. Allow Job Seekers to Apply via Text Message
We’ve seen a lot of businesses, especially in the fast food service industry, start posting flyers and signs that promote text-message applications. Certain Chick-fil-A locations have even added some branded flair to it by saying “Now Hiring: Text “My Pleasure” to [Number] for Info.” Consider doing something similar! You can also follow the example of Domino’s biggest franchisee who implemented text-message software with a chatbot that further streamlines the process.
7. Conduct Virtual Interviews
What’s more mobile-friendly than allowing people to interview for a job on their phone? The technology is here (abundantly), so you should take advantage of it. Not only is it convenient for all candidates in the hiring process, but it also widens your applicant pool to include people with hectic schedules who typically wouldn’t have been able to drive to your location for an in-person interview.
Additional Resources for Hiring Hourly Employees
Check out these FREE guides to learn more about building the best hourly workforce for your business!