These days it seems as if everyone has a smart phone or tablet, and according to industry experts, mobile recruiting will be the next big shift in the world of recruitment – over the past two years there has been a dramatic 500% increase in mobile web usage.

In terms of general internet traffic, mobile devices were predicted to account for over 50% of all traffic in 2014, and if your job ads and links are not mobile friendly you could be putting off the people you want to be attracting – the busy, driven employees who are open to adopting new approaches and technology.

Mobile Millennials on the Hunt

One thing to keep in mind is that the latest generations to join the workforce, the millennials, are increasingly reliant on their mobiles (over laptops or PCs).

With over two thirds of the newest group of job seekers having used a mobile device to search for a job, and a quarter of them having applied for a job via mobile, it is safe to say this is more than a phase, and as smartphones become increasingly prevalent it is important that businesses are switched on to this shift.

So how do you ensure you capture the attention of these technologically savvy candidates? First of all, make sure your company site is compatible with mobile devices – whilst accessing the regular site via your mobile browser is possible, you are more likely to get visitors sticking around longer and returning to your site if it is set up specifically for mobile access.

Making it simple to apply via mobile, as well as leaving options for email notifications (which will be able to notify the person immediately wherever and whenever) will also help you stay ahead.

Streamlining the Hiring Process

From a recruiter’s point of view, the use of a mobile device can add valuable efficiency to your recruitment process with very little expense.

Using an Applicant Tracking System that offers a mobile app will help to keep your entire HR team on the same page – working through candidates more efficiently and hunting down emails is important, especially if, like many HR departments you only have one or two people working on the recruiting process, and hundreds of candidates to sort through.

The added bonus of increased accessibility means that the turnaround from advertising to hiring can be dramatically reduced meaning you can stay ahead of your hiring competition.

However keep in mind that although many of the job seekers you encounter via mobile are passive seekers, just seeing what else is out there for them, they may become active seekers, and you will need to keep in mind they are likely to have a shorter attention span and lower tolerance for delays. In other words, you will need to ensure your job ad is appealing and that you’re engaged with your applicants.

Setting Sail in Unfamiliar Territory

Mobile recruiting has much to offer in terms of efficiency and open communication between recruiter and candidate, and provides us with a whole new platform through which to promote your company and its culture.

Unfortunately the amount of information about mobile job seekers behavior is limited, and as a result many companies are failing to focus attention on this next big shift in recruitment technology.

What we do know is that the vast majority of smartphone owners would use their mobile to search for a job, and that if done properly, the conversion rate on mobile can be five to ten times better than it is on a PC.

Stay at the front of the Pack

As technology advances and more job seekers adopt increasingly mobile-centric approaches to looking for employment, companies who do not use mobile-friendly recruitment strategies may find their efforts heading the way of the newspaper jobs section. The appeal of being able to search, apply and communicate without being tied to your desk is undeniable.

After all, keeping up with early adopters puts you ahead of the pack, and will position your company as proactive and engaging; appealing even more to the kind of candidates you want to attract.

This article was kindly supplied by Haystack Jobs.