Technology is phenomenally changing the face of talent acquisition and hiring. If, in the past, employers posted job advertisements in the classifieds to attract applicants or placed “WANTED” or “NOW HIRING” signs outside their place of business to get qualified talents to walk in, that’s no longer the case today.

According to a recent report, more than 70% of job seekers use their smartphones and tablets to look for open positions. But despite this compelling statistic, a lot of HR professionals and recruiters are still deficient in mobile recruitment.

In fact, the same report reveals only 33% of employers actively use mobile as a recruitment tool. Perhaps there’s a lack of understanding about what mobile recruitment is truly about, or perhaps employers fail to see the value in this latest recruitment trend.

 

What is mobile recruitment?

Mobile recruitment is a rather ambiguous term that is easily confused with recruitment strategies that involve moving job caravans. On the contrary, mobile recruitment simply refers to the process of connecting jobs and candidates via handheld devices, typically smartphones and tablets.

 

Benefits of Mobile Recruiting

Over the past years, people’s access to mobile technology has vastly improved. Just look around you, and you’ll see how people’s smartphones are always within their arm’s reach, if not perpetually attached to their hands. That alone ensures that mobile recruitment allows you to reach more talents in a device that they always use.

Furthermore, mobile recruitment shows candidates that your organization is using a recruitment tool that keeps up with trends. What top talent wouldn’t want to work for a company that’s innovative and sophisticated?

 

Mobile Recruitment Types and Channels

There are different types of mobile recruitment tools and determining which one/s to use depends on your industry, target candidates, and business goals.

SMS Recruitment

Smartphones can do more than just text, but the fact remains that SMS is the most widely-used communication channel of mobile phone and smartphone users. If you’re casting a wide net, SMS is the recruitment tool for you.

No matter what device a candidate is using, be it a dinosaur cellular phone or the most high-tech smartphone there is, they will definitely have SMS messaging. Plus, it’s a well known fact that 98% of text messages are read within three minutes of receipt.

 

Mobile Recruitment Apps

More and more job seekers are using their mobile phones to look for a job, making it imperative for recruiters to invest in mobile apps. But, given that developing a mobile app can be costly and time-consuming, you should first determine how candidates and applicants engage with your brand, and how many open positions you need.
Admittedly, if you’re not hiring year-round, then an app may not be the most cost-effective mobile recruitment solution for you. But, if you have large recruitment needs, then your organization may very well benefit from an app where top talents can seamlessly find the position they want and apply for it easily.

 

Social Media Recruitment

Job seekers, especially millennials and the younger generation, are using social media through their smartphones in their job hunt. In fact, 33% of 238 million LinkedIn users and over 50% of Facebook users log in to the platform through the mobile app.

Make your careers page or job boards discoverable through social media, and make sure that your employer brand stands out. This will help you attract top talents get them excited about working for your company.

 

Bottom Line

Tapping into mobile recruitment is essential for any employer, recruiter, or HR professional. These days, it’s all about reaching your target candidates where they are – glued to their smartphones.