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Applying for jobs using your mobile phone

Posted By: Thomas Shaw, 7:30am Monday 30 May 2011    Print Article

Mobile job sites are so hot right now. But one of the problems that we all identified in the early stages of designing mobile job sites, was how the job seeker could apply for jobs?

  • Can the mobile device store files - resume/cover letter? iPhone - No, Android - Yes.
  • Would you save your resume to a mobile device? Most likely no.
  • Would the job seeker have saved their resume on an online database? Maybe on a job board or the user may have a LinkedIn profile.
Let's have a look at 2 different ways job seekers can apply for jobs on their mobile phones.

In the latest SEEK release over the weekend; they have added the ability to apply for jobs on the mobile phone. But there is still the small problem of 3rd party application forms!

Until link out application forms are 100% banished (sorry PageUp, NGA & Taleo with your 20 page application forms) job seekers will find it hard to apply for jobs on their mobile. I'm sure advertisers will notice the % drop off rate in the next few months.

The SEEK application process is very simple. You can either manually enter all the fields or sign in to your SEEK account to pre fill the application form fields and use your stored resume.

PS: Those advertisers who use pre screening questions haven't been left out. This has also been included to the mobile application process




In this second example (disclaimer: I built the Adlogic mobile/LinkedIn app form scripts), Adlogic mobile clients have the ability for job seekers with a LinkedIn profile to apply for a job in a few easy steps.

All you need to do is sign into your LinkedIn account, authorise the application and your profile will be converted into a PDF. The application form will use your contact details to pre fill the application form saving you time and hassle on a mobile device.

Now, who else can say job seekers can apply using their LinkedIn profile on a mobile device?










Article URL: http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/applying-for-jobs-using-your-mobile-phone-a432.html

Article Tags: mobile recruitment job search adlogic mobile mobile job search linkedin mobile application form linkedin profile seek mobile seek mobile application form iphone job search log in with linkedin

Comments Hide Comments (9)

Feel free to join in on the conversation. All comments are moderated before publishing. Comments posted by subscribers don't necessarily reflect the views of Recruitment Directory.

 Peter Gold (9:53am Monday 30 May 2011)

Hi Thomas

I think your post actually misses the point about mobile. It reminds me of recruiters that wanted to make it possible for applicants to be able to fax their CV and for the ATS to process it as if it were an online application. Yes it kind of worked, but it was trying to make an old process fit new tech.

I think the whole mobile application process needs to be very different to an online application form. There needs to a new mobile process that is less reliant on filling in data fields and more about matching skills and attitudes. Only if an applicant passes an initial screen does the recruiter need to look at a CV or Linkedin profile.

Anyway, nice point to raise but I think we need to go much further in our thinking.

Peter


 Thomas Shaw (12:01pm Monday 30 May 2011)

Hi Peter, I agree but until ATS's change - mobile is just an advertising medium.

I would like to see the ATS's lift their game. But who knows how long that will take?


 Jacco Valkenburg (8:28pm Wednesday 01 June 2011)

I'd agree with Peter that we need to approach mobile, native or web, apps differently than our traditional career site or ATS. But I'd also agree that mobile is an advertising medium (and more) and strongly believe that easier is better. I think you've done a great job here with Adlogic mobile/LinkedIn app form scripts.

For various reasons I've taken the approach to stay away from applying via a mobile phone in my apps but instead make it easy to forward a job via email, or share it via social media, so people can apply when they are behind a PC. In my experience this is a good solution as 81% of people are not interested in applying via a mobile phone, according to a Stepstone survey end 2010.


 Charles Handmer (11:10am Thursday 02 June 2011)

The world really is going mobile, and tablets like the iPad and its Android cousins are accelerating the process. Fixed line home phones have dropped off the radar, and for many fixed home computers are going the same way. Tasks like checking out job ads and submitting applications take time, and mobile users do them on the way to or from work, or lazing at the beach, or in a slow lecture. It is these users who will drive the market based on what mobile application process works best for them.

The Adlogic/LinkedIn process points to the future - spot an interesting job ad, link to your online CV, submit. Quick and simple, and the candidate only has to maintain one CV. But as always the process is evolving, let's see where it leads.


 Sandra Klinke (1:35pm Friday 03 June 2011)

We can’t see mobile recruitment exclusively as a “job application” improvement via mobile phones. There’s a lot more out there. Using a new medium for an old process may not bring the desired results.

Who says we need full CVs to recruit? Who says our candidates need to fill in boring forms with their thumbs to be considered in the process?

What most of us are missing is that we don’t have to find solutions on how we want candidates to apply (and consequently creating apps for that). But we need to discover how THEY want to apply. If this means that they will have to successfully jump to different levels of a fun app/game, so let’s make it available for them. Being connected with them is the clue, not only a simple job application app.


 J K Recruitment (2:00pm Friday 03 June 2011)

I was at the Australian Talent Conference last week and all I kept hearing is mobile, SEEK vs LinkedIn and the death of recruitment agencies.

I have to agree. We are moving to a mobile orientated workforce and this new improvement from SEEK once again shows a move in the right direction.

The problem is... where dose mobile stop? We already do telephone interviews, now we can do skype interviews on mobile!

The posibilities are endless.

Interesting to see the second example you have shown. Is this only available to adlogic clients? I am sure others will copy this, but we all know you came up with it first.

Keep those ideas flowing Thomas!

Jaq.


 Murray (3:54pm Wednesday 21 September 2011)

Good ideas but is SixDegrees limited to jobs listed in LInkedin?

Seems all the apps in the market are recruiter-driven, not focused on the job seekers needs so much.

I guess the challenge is to get access to more jobs that just the one platform (Linkedin, Facebook, JobBoards etc).


 Chris (9:04am Monday 26 September 2011)

Hi all,

Interesting comments everyone. We have gone the route of promoting that job seekers add their CV to our database/their profile and then when applying via mobile phone (iphone) it is automatically attached for them. Do check it out if you have time! www.HotelJobs.co.za


 brett gammon (7:29am Tuesday 25 October 2011)

I need a job


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