Have you seen a decline in applications of late? If so, you’re not alone.
While both vacancies and salaries have seen a sharp increase recently, the number of available candidates has dropped considerably. But where have they gone, and how can you get them back?
According to a recent Recruitment and Employment Federation report, there are three key reasons why you may be seeing fewer applicants right now. Firstly, unemployment is at a low level in general: although the national unemployment rate increased during the pandemic, it has gradually decreased since the end of 2020 as businesses began to get to grips with the ‘new normal’. Secondly, despite this moderate shift to ‘normality’ and the easing of restrictions, people are understandably still uncertain about job security and an unstable economy in the wake of COVID-19. Furlough is also a contributing factor in this context. Lastly, Brexit has seen a significant shortage of foreign workers – particularly temporary staff – than ever before, hitting industries such as hospitality the hardest.
So, how can you increase applications? While there are no quick fixes – particularly given the complexity and interrelatedness of the above issues – there are certainly some simple ways you can improve your advertisements, promote your brand, and see an increase in candidate interest in turn – and we’re here to share them with you.
It may come as no surprise, but first impressions matter. Creating adverts that are well-written, open and engaging is a fundamental step towards attracting top-quality candidates. We’ve touched on this in a previous post, but in a nutshell, make sure to consider the following:
- Content: Be sure to include all the key points – what does the role entail, who are you looking for, and why would someone want to work for you?
- Tone: The key is finding the balance between being too brief and too in-depth, too stuffy and too relaxed.
- Structure: No one wants to look at a huge chunk of text, so consider using headings and/or bullet points to break things up.
- Call to action: Make sure you close your advert with a call to action – this will inspire the reader to apply without delay.
Want more tips and tricks on advert composition? Simply give us a call, and we’d be glad to help you craft your copy.
We’ve spoken about this before, but with 61% of jobseekers considering salary information to be the most important element of a job advert, we cannot emphasise enough how much disclosing a salary will help your response rate. Including detailed information about compensation will benefit you and the candidate at once, saving you both time and resources.
While we’re on the topic of compensation, don’t forget that detailing any and all benefits you offer is crucial – especially if your salary is less than competitive. In fact, it may be worth reassessing what you can provide your employees (present and prospective) in the post-pandemic context. A recent report saw 82% of UK workers expressing that they want their employers to use the pandemic as a catalyst to revamp benefits. The same report suggested that employees are hoping to see a focus shift from traditional schemes to more progressive perks that foreground employee wellbeing and lifestyle. So, if you offer relevant and meaningful benefits such as hybrid/homeworking, flexitime and mental health/wellness support, make sure you detail these perks early on in your adverts.
If you limit your recruitment strategy to only those people actively looking for jobs, you’re likely to receive a less than favourable response. That’s why we strongly recommend combining your traditional suite of job boards with a targeted social media campaign. With the seismic shift in social media activity afforded by the pandemic, there’s never been a better time to target passive candidates who may not be looking for a job right now but would be open to discussion. Our social media solutions allow you not only to extend your reach but also to re-target suitable candidates, build up a talent bank, and more: simply get in touch for more information.
Employers are focusing more and more on the candidate journey right now, so make sure you’re keeping up to speed by reconsidering your application methods. Put yourself in the jobseeker’s shoes: how easy is it to apply for your roles? Do you have to fill out numerous application forms or click through multiple websites? Are your advertisements mobile-friendly? These are all huge factors playing a role in how likely a candidate will be willing to apply.
Lastly, if there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, it’s how much we need to adapt to change and be flexible. Of course, we’d all love a candidate with years of experience and myriad academic degrees to apply, but how realistic is that expectation? What if a candidate ticks almost all of the boxes but, with training, would be ideal? Try to be more flexible with your expectations, and this will be reflected in your candidates. You could also consider categorising requirements into ‘essential’ and ‘desirable’ to expand your reach.
It can be daunting when you have a need for talent but the talent just isn’t there. The good news, however, is that there are many simple steps you can take to promote yourself and your roles and increase your exposure. If you’d like to talk more about how we can help you reach more candidates, please get in touch.
