Liz Ryan, a regular contributor to Forbes wrote an interesting piece this week called the Ten Things Good Employers Won't Ask Job-Seekers To Do. We would like to encourage you to read her article as it provides a great job seeker perspective. Today however, we’d like to show you why a recruitment microsite can solve a good deal of these problems. The following statements are some of Liz’s points and our responses to them:
This issue is an unnecessary roadblock for applicants. When we build a recruitment microsite, we create short forms that only require essential elements so that recruiters can easily make contact. The fact is, not every applicant is a good candidate for the job and if they are outside of your requirements, there’s no sense in making them navigate your complex applicant tracking system (ATS). Instead, consider using a short form to get their information and resume and contact them personally if they fit the requirements. If they are the right candidate and they have a real shot of getting the position, they will have no problem filling out a long-form application later.
We’ve lost track of the number of times we’ve noted that recruiters are busy, which is why automated communication sometimes slips through into their candidates’ inboxes. However, one way to avoid nebulous job descriptions or misinformation is by creating a strong microsite that outlines the position in detail. When this sort of framework exists it makes it easier for recruiters to reference and for the right candidate to locate it and apply. Microsites are great for providing a vast amount of information up front in an interactive and digestible manner, thus minimizing confusion.
The microsites that we create are made with overall categories like Physicians and then they branch off into more specific content like Endocrinologist. Careers microsites with clear descriptions and individualized forms for each position eliminates the cross sharing of candidate information by sending it only to the relevant recruiter who will decide if the candidate is right for the role. In addition, the careers microsite tracks the exact job the applicant applied for, making it obvious to recruiters that they are only interested in that role.
This point is similar to that of long-form applications. There is no need to request references prior to the initial qualifying round, which is why we don’t include that field in our microsite application forms.
A strong recruiter will be able to look into the microsite portal, note that someone is worth pursuing and can then request references once they have built trust with their strong potential candidate.
Depending on the type of careers microsite, salary might be obvious. For instance, if you are hiring for per-diem nurses, they will want to know a range prior to even applying.
Alternatively, most careers microsites will not list a salary range as it tends to vary based on locations, benefits packages and many other factors. Good recruiters do not surprise candidates, but will educate them on the role’s compensation once the application has been submitted and they have been selected to move forward.
Recruitment microsites put all the data recruiters need into their hands. It is much easier to decide whether an applicant is qualified to move forward when you can remain objective. Objectivity is something that is easy to maintain with a careers site.
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Recruitment microsites are essential to modern recruiting. If you don’t have one already, we think you should start one today. If you already have a careers microsite, we suggest you regularly re-visit them to make sure they are still fresh.
