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Cutting through the Noise with your Career Site
Posted by Matt Adam on August 25th, 2021 
The noise can often be deafening in recruitment marketing. Candidates have too many options, receive too many messages and are willing to spend too little time on any one site. How do you stand apart from the crowd and offer an experience that gets them to make the transaction you desire – to apply for one of your jobs?
When a job candidate first arrives on your career site, you don’t want them passively engaging with the content or confronting any confusing elements. Instead, you want them actively interacting with your content and searching for the job that is perfect for them. Here are some tips to help you cut through the clutter on your career site.
Consider your SEO.
Over 90% of job candidates start their search on Google and 50% of their clicks are on the top three results (which includes ads). If you’re not there, you may be invisible to these candidates. To make your career page pop to the top, use the right Search Engine Optimization (SEO) keywords, which should appear in several places on your page:
- The header or title
- URL address
- Job descriptions
- Image/photo captions
- Testimonials
Be sure you are consistently using the phrases and words that are most searched by your candidate audience. Job seekers may begin on a Google search bar, but you want them ending up on your site.
Make a Great First Impression.
Your career landing page should welcome potential applicants into your company home and encourage them to stay awhile. Make this virtual handshake moment count with content that is easy to read, visually appealing and compelling in nature. Your online greeting should be a welcoming experience that keeps candidates on the page and eager to explore more about the jobs you offer. Key factors here include:
- An employment brand and theme that sets you apart
- Authentic content that quickly tells them who you are and why they should care
- Immediate access to a job search
- An attractive layout using your branded fonts and colors
- Accessibility via any device, including mobile
Do you want to be status quo or unique? Either way, be prepared to refine your career page content and change pictures and videos on a routine basis.
Make Navigation Easy.
How easy is it for candidates to find what they’re looking for? Your navigation menu should be simple and direct candidates effortlessly to the career page that is relevant to them. You don’t want to waste anyone’s time. Avoid using complicated dropdown menus or exhaustive online application forms.
In addition, make it as easy as possible for candidates to do an immediate job search. Most job seekers want to know that you have a job for them before they read any other content. Place your search button at the top of the page and make it sticky so that it is visible when they scroll. They should be able to navigate to a specific job on an organized and clear pathway without any frustration.
Find the Right Content Mix.
Although many of us enjoy the latest bells and whistles, a simpler and cleaner appearance is often best for your career site. No one likes being bombarded by graphs, photos and videos; too much stimulus could turn potential applicants away or confuse them. However, no rules exist regarding the visual content of your career page. Keep in mind that the goal here is not to entertain but to tell your company’s story and inform candidates about the job you have for them.
Videos, testimonials, graphics and pictures can certainly engage job candidates when they visit your site but avoid embedding videos that are overwhelming or lengthy. A video time span of 1-3 minutes is best. Overall, you want the right integration between visuals and words.
Mobile is Essential.
Over 60% of today’s job seekers use their mobile devices to search for employment. Does your current site provide that option? Make it easy for an applicant to interact with your site and apply using their mobile device. Create a user-friendly experience that is accessible on any device – desktop, tablet or mobile – and you will have a better change of ending with a candidate submitting an application.
Analytics Drive Design and Results.
Analytics provide valuable data about candidate visits to your site. You definitely need a strong analytics code running behind the scenes to assess if your career page is producing the traffic you desire and the applicants you need. Data that we track for our clients includes:
- Number of visits
- Average time spent on the site
- Number of pages viewed
- Total clicks and average click-through rate (CTR)
- Clicks on site features (buttons, videos, etc.)
- Bounce rate [the number of visitors who leave your site after only viewing one page]
- The social platforms/devices visitors are using
- Completed applies
If you follow the tips listed above, you’ll be well on your way to delivering a superior candidate experience – one that converts job seekers into applicants.
Feeling overwhelmed? NAS offers a free 30-minute career site audit where you can learn how to cut through the noise, increase traffic to your site and deliver what candidates seek. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.
Matt Adam
Matt Adam serves as Executive Vice President & Chief Talent Strategist for NAS. Having spent 20 years as a recruitment strategy consultant for a diverse client roster, Matt has worked with a wide variety of organizations to develop effective recruitment marketing strategies that define and shape an organization’s recruiting efforts in today's interactive marketplace. He is a featured speaker at various organizations including SHRM, CUPA and NAHCR.
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