How To Avoid Three Common Career Site Mistakes
Attract the best candidates with Hcareers Job Postings. Post a Job in minutes to find the top hospitality candidates.
January 6, 2015
Look out for these three commonly avoidable career site mistakes.
By Angela Rose for Hcareers.com
For all the ink that has been spilled advising job candidates how best to write their cover letters and resumes, comparatively little has been said about how hiring managers and HR personnel should best attract them.
If you haven’t invested in a career website for your hospitality organization, you may find attracting these candidates more challenging than it needs to be. Far too many employers—even among fast-growing businesses—don’t have this important tool in their recruiting arsenal. In fact, one recent review of Inc. 5000 companies, conducted by a major online job board, found 39 percent did not have a career website. Forty percent made it difficult to find any information regarding career opportunities online.
It’s safe to assume their recruitment efforts suffer as a result. A 2013 survey of candidate behavior, conducted by another online career resource, found that while 69 percent of job seekers search job boards for new opportunities, 83 percent also turn to company career sites. If you’re advertising restaurant manager, bell person, and pastry cook positions on a job board like Hcareers, you’re already reaching an impressive number of potential employees. However, it’s possible you’re not connecting with as many as you could if you created a career site for your hotel or restaurant as well.
Of course, the quality of that website is equally important. To make the most of your investment, avoid these common career site mistakes:
1. Don’t prevent candidates from applying online.
Job seekers are busy—currently employed or not—and become frustrated easily. If you expect them to search for an email address to which they can send a resume or, even worse, mail it to a physical address or submit their application materials in person, you’re going to lose potential candidates. Avoid this mistake by integrating application software with your career website. This may mean linking to your job board posting and its associated online application or including a resume submission button on your hotel or restaurant’s career page.
2. Don’t neglect mobile optimization.
According to the study mentioned earlier, 43 percent of job seekers have used a mobile device in their job search. Among Millennials, 37 percent expect you to have optimized your hospitality career website for mobile use. Another survey found 40 percent of candidates would think less of your organization if you had failed to do so. Avoid this mistake by creating a mobile-optimized site where potential candidates can review career opportunities at your establishments and submit their resumes. It should look nice and be easy to read and navigate—important qualities in any website. However, it should also load quickly on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
3. Don’t focus on job descriptions alone.
Your hotel or restaurant career site should include more than a list of available positions, job descriptions, and an application button or form. If you really want to attract the best member services attendants, food and beverage controllers, and floor managers, you need to sell them on the things that make your organization special. This includes talking up the benefits you offer, your company culture, and your organization’s mission. In fact, according to one recent survey, the top reasons job seekers apply for any particular position are benefits, company reputation, and advancement opportunities.
Attract the best candidates with Hcareers Job Postings. Post a Job in minutes to find the top hospitality candidates.
About the Author
Angela Rose researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends, and workplace issues for Hcareers.com.
Related Employer/Recruitment Career Articles:
• 5 Ways To Optimize Your Online Job Postings
• 5 Ways To Improve Your Hospitality Hiring Process
• 5 Hiring Mistakes In Hospitality
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