The new year is a time of fresh beginnings and seeking out new opportunities. Many people enter the new year looking for a new job. Get your careers page ready now to attract the top candidates searching for new positions. Monster.com reported nine out of 10 of their busiest days for job applications were in January, growing by 75 percent during the month.
Attracting and retaining top employees isn’t an easy task. Your career page is the first step toward attracting cutting-edge talent. Here are six things to consider before updating your careers page, and a few examples of excellent career pages from other companies.
1. Focus on the Future
Most people looking for a new job have hope for a brighter future. Perhaps they want a better-paying position, or they’re seeking a place with advancement opportunities their current job doesn’t provide. Update your careers page to point toward the future and why joining your team is ideal, and you’ll snag their interest.
Warner Brothers wants you to dream big about working for them, and their tagline reflects their hope. Their tagline reads, “Find your next great role.” They also divide opportunities into internships and careers. They list what it’s like to work for Warner Brothers under “WB Life,” where they detail compensation and benefits, childcare facilities and tools to stay healthy.
2. Stay on Point
What is your No. 1 goal when filling an opening? Think about the type of employee you wish to attract overall, then stay on point. If you want serious-minded people, keep the page sincere and businesslike. If you prefer a family-like atmosphere, focus on that element of your work and invite people to become part of your family. Once you know your philosophy for your employees, it’s easier to share that message on your jobs page.
3. Add a Video
When you can’t fully explain what it’s like to work at your company, go ahead and show candidates by adding a video that highlights a few employees, the office space and where your company’s heading soon. You can add a single, introductory video, tell the story of your company history or feature employees talking about why they love to work for you.
Using videos to tell your story may keep you at the forefront of potential employees’ minds. People tend to remember only 10 percent of what they hear, but when they see and hear something, they retain 65 percent of the information.
H.O. Penn Machinery uses video to offer a snapshot of what their company has to offer that’s unique from other similar companies. The video features a service technician named J.P. They talk about how he loves what he does, and that they are looking for more people like J.P. The video concludes by mentioning the impact you can make and the benefits of working for H.O. Penn.
4. Invite People to Build Careers
Your goal should be to invite people who will want to be part of your company for years to come. In a recent survey, companies spent an average of $4,129 to seek out a new hire.
However, the costs of employee turnover may be much higher, and include lost productivity and expanded training costs. If you want to attract, and keep, the best people in your industry, you must show them how they can build a career with you that balances work and family life and gives them regular incentives and raises for their efforts.
5. Simplify the Application Process
The goal of your careers page is to bring in viable candidates, so make it easy for them to interview with your company. Offer a link to schedule an appointment or get in touch with you. Allow job seekers to upload a resume on the spot. Anything you can do to simplify the process will help you get more applicants.
About 60 percent of people don’t complete a job application because it takes too long. Make the application process fast and increase your application conversions.
Lutheran Hospital Fort Wayne makes it easy for potential health care workers to get an interview. They’ve added a unique feature that allows candidates to schedule their interview at a time that’s convenient for them. Note how they take a position they need multiple candidates to fill. They then make scheduling easy by offering an RN Interview Day.
6. Show off Company Culture
If you’re looking to attract the younger generation, company culture is a vital aspect of what they look for in a company. Millennials want to build experiences, so show them how your company offers that. Include rich images of events your company hosts, such as Food Truck Fridays and the most recent company retreat.
Before you update your page, take time to think through what your company culture says about you. There may be areas where you can streamline, or other elements of your careers page to improve.
Making Your Careers Page Stand Out
Think through what makes your company unique. Highlight the benefits of working for your company. If you were a candidate seeking a new career, what would attract you? What elements might repel the right candidates? Get feedback and work on your page until it brings in the candidates you most want to attract.
Lexie Lu is a designer and writer. She loves researching trends in the web and graphic design industry. She writes weekly on Design Roast and can be followed on Twitter @lexieludesigner.
