Skip to main content

How important is mobile in recruitment?

Having been in the HR technology industry for a while, I am often confronted with opposing views on just how much of a role technology should play in recruitment. The more traditional recruiters feel that too much ‘human’ is being lost in human resources. Alternatively, their modern counterparts argue that times have changed. Not only must you incorporate technology in the process, but the process must constantly be evolving and adapting to the way candidates are behaving. Naturally I agree with the latter of the two and think it’s detrimental to ignore how candidates are job searching and if you’re in line with it.

According to ComScore, for the first time in March (2015), the number of mobile-only adult internet users exceeded the number of desktop-only internet users. People are on the go and they want to be connected, wherever they are. It seems that this was an inevitable shift as data speeds are faster, processer chips are smaller but more powerful and they can essentially have all the benefits of a desktop, including webcam and microphone, in their pocket. Internet technology has evolved to ‘mobile first’, making smartphones and tablets now our primary access. So the question is: “How mobile enabled is your recruitment process?”

More than 3 in 5 job seekers will access career pages via their mobile devices, making it the primary recruiting medium of the past several years. Factors to consider in making your career site mobile enabled are not just screen size and bandwidth, but also issues of user attention span and time restrictions. As we move further down the recruitment funnel, people still tend to use more PC and desktops for the actual application, but also behavior there is shifting rapidly. At Cammio, already up to 30-50% of all interviews are done on mobile or tablet with a month-on-month growth trend in mobile usage.

Approximately 75% of all companies are using some form of video interviewing in their recruitment process. How many of these interview platforms are limited to being solely desktop enabled? Even if a candidate has a desktop/laptop, do they have a microphone and webcam installed? Using a smartphone would eliminate the peripheral and compatibility issues instantly.

Finding the right talent is challenging enough. Don’t further limit your company by making it so that candidates have trouble interviewing or, even worse, applying. Show them that you’re ready, willing and mobile enabled.


Infographic | 10 recruiting trends to watch for in 2017 | Download